Timeless Elegance of Scarves and Shawls

Dress styles have evolved and changed but scarves and shawls have a timeless elegance and charm that endure thousands of years later. Mens scarf on top of the usual dress lends a dashing air to any man. Mens scarf can be worn in a variety of ways; tie it around the chin for a medieval look, knot it around the head with the loose ends fluttering the air for a buccaneering look. The combinations and dress styles give you a casual, sophisticated air. Women adorned with scarves and shawls take on a graceful yet seductive look or a carefree, insouciant look according to the way they wear the scarves and shawls.
The earliest reference to shawls can be found in the Harappan culture dating back to 3300 BC. Shawls are depicted in the Assyrian and Mesopotamian civilizations, in the Chinese civilization and Egyptian civilizations. Dress styles of those civilizations have passed but the scarf and the shawl still continues to be used with élan and verve. Shawls for dresses made from the finest Pashmina wool originating in Kashmir have a timeless elegance. A classic Cashmere shawl casually draped across the shoulders gives a woman a bewitching air. Matched with womens scarves, the result can be a visual treat.
Pashmina handmade shawl is in a class by itself but today we have shawls for dresses made from silk, linen, rayon and chiffon, printed or dyed in matching pastels or vivid hues, with or without fringes and tassels that can add a swishing allure to a woman’s style. The timeless elegance of scarves and shawls is reflected in the use of silk as the prime material of choice. With its unique luster, ability to keep cool in summer and warm in winter, its unique drape and luxurious feel, it can be just the fabric to give a sensuously feminine appeal. Today womens scarves are back in fashion and designers give you a breathtaking array of choices in head scarf, handmade scarf, handmade shawl, silk scarves for women. Winter scarves made of fleece, pashmina and silk are just the right accessory to drape yourself with for an outing in the snow. Alpaca fleece is warm, soft and comfortable and one can buy a variety of shawls and scarves made of baby alpaca yarn. Winter scarves are ideal as gifts since you do not have to worry about matching or size.
Current trends indicate that the head scarf is all set to be the hottest fashion accessory for the year. Enhanced and embellished by designers, buyers are spoilt for choices not only in designs, patterns and colors but also in the range of materials. Head scarves made of silk and worn as a turban gives a decidedly exotic look. A studiedly casual approach is to tie the scarf in a knot and let the ends fall over your shoulders. There is no denying the fact that today’s range of head scarves accentuate a woman’s features and can give her the desired looks: cutely chic, regally haughty, mysteriously alluring or coquettishly feminine. Shawls and scarves are icing on the cake: they make the wearer definitely delectable.

Scarves & Scarfs - Ancient Period to Modern Age

The popularity of scarves endures. History traces the use of scarves to the ancient Harappan culture in the Indus valley around 3300 BC! The Egyptians are known to have worn scarves and shawls made of fine linen. The Chinese are known to have used scarves. Mens scarves and womens scarves really gained popularity during the Roman period. Scarves, in some cultures were a must as a head covering for women in addition to serving as a fashion accessory. Square, rectangular or triangular in shape, the popularity of scarves with women as well as with men continues to this day. Down the centuries head scarves evolved in styles and the material of construction included cotton, linen, silk and wool. Today scarves made of chiffon, rayon and other synthetic fibers have joined the traditional fabrics. Womens scarves made of silk and dyed or printed with brilliant colors, shimmering in the sunlight, can add a sparkle and glamour to a woman’s personality. Scarves can be plain, brightly printed, with or without elaborate borders and tassels. A head scarf adds hints of gaiety, insouciance, piquancy and spice to a woman’s looks. Shawls for dresses, in their unique way, add grace and elegance to any woman’s looks.
Mens scarf, popularized by the French who termed it as “cravat” was in general use in the nineteenth century. With or without fringes, used as headgear and as shawls, scarves defined style and personality of a man about town. The charisma of scarves continues to this day. Of all the materials, silk is still the preferred fabric with its unique lightness, luster, brilliant colors, sensuous feel and timeless charm. Mens scarf and scarves for women made of silk add a dash of color and enhance the personality of the wearer, giving flamboyance and style like no other apparel can. The sheer variety in the shapes and sizes of head scarf available today in the form of beaded and embroidered scarf, geometric design scarf, paisley scarf, equestrian scarf, solid and plain, striped, checked, dotted, textured or woven, with fringes and tassels…the combinations are endless and enchanting. Add sunglasses and a pouting look for killer effects.
Commonly available scarves are machine made but if you like you can go in for a handmade scarf for a distinctive look. One can choose a handmade scarf with prints or embroidery, with fringes added and possibly with a jewel or two adorning it to add gleaming sparkles. Pashmina is fine and light wool and shawls as well as handmade scarf made of Pashmina can serve as winter scarves. Pashmina is expensive and luxurious in feel, touch and appearance and can be just the material to choose for special events and winter occasions. Shawls for dresses made from such exotic materials can have a lasting charm and in some communities, these are handed down from one generation to the next and treasured as heirlooms, gaining in value with the passage of time. Cashmere Pashmina handmade shawl and handmade scarf are items you would yearn to possess and cherish.