How to wear a shawl and look stunning

Learn how to wear a shawl and step your fashion up a notch or two

There is a fashionable and stunning way to kill two or three birds with one stone: Wear a shawl or a pashmina and it will

(1) keep you warm;

(2) cover up body parts that you want covered and best of all,

(3) make you look beautiful and outrageously stylish.

You can drape a shawl in such a way that you look sassy, gypsy-boho-ethic or deliciously mysterious.

One type of shawl is a pashmina, which is made from the Pashmina goat that is indigenous to India. These shawls are hand-woven and often embroidered. These luxurious stoles are elegant and an essential part of a woman’s wardrobe. Like the shawl, they are versatile and can be worn as a shoulder wrap, a head covering or around your hips.

A colorful shawl is probably the most versatile item of clothing in your wardrobe. You can tie it in a European knot or wear it off the shoulder. It can worn as a collar shoulder wrap or a full wrap. You can drape it over one shoulder or place it so that the accent is in the front.

It doesn’t end there. You can use your shawl as a sarong and tie it around your hips.

Wear two shawls at a time for a truly stunning and artistic look, which is considered the "Hollywood wrap" style. You can intertwine two pashminas or shawls that are in different colors, designs or texture and then wrap them around your neck.

Some women like to wear their shawl or pashmina as a stole. The two loose ends of the drape hang analogous to each other in the front. The center of the shawl is on the back of your neck. 

Many women opt for the noose wrap. To achieve this fold your shawl in half along the long part of the cloth. The folded edge should be at the top facing you. Fold the shawl in half, along its width. One end is open and one end is folded. Put the shawl behind your head and pull the open end through the loop at the folded end and that’s it.

When you remove your outerwear you do not take off for your shawl. Keep it on. It is part of your “indoor” outfit.

Shawls can be casual looking and worn during the day as you go about your routine business. For night time events that are dressier, glam it up with a shawl or pashmina that is velvet or silk, or a hand-made woven shawl with exquisite beading and embroidery. The really elegant and evening-out glam type shawls are decked out inwith fringe and beads. 

Shawls and pashminas can be constructed out of mohair, merino wool, jacquard, cashmere, alpaca and chenille. Your only problem is going to be deciding on which one to buy. Of course, there is nothing keeping you from buying several.

Get a shawl or pashmina that is reversible, which gives you more bang for your buck and allows you to switch up your outfit just by reversing the sides of the shawl.

If you are about to become a bride and need some kind of wrap to keep you warm before and after the ceremony, or perhaps even during the ceremony, consider purchasing a lovely silk shawl that features sequins, which will give you some sparkle and glitz. Give shawls to your bridesmaids as a gift that is functional as well as beautiful and will be greatly appreciated.

Shawls and pashminas are often hand loom woven and can feature suede fringe, beads and a vibrant burst of color and designs that will make the most unremarkable outfit come alive.