Scarves, Shawls and Wraps

Okay, so I know this is so Oprah 2001, but I love scarves, wraps and shawls. I particularly love those that can be all 3. It all began with the Pashmina craze several years back. During that time I discovered this little shop at the airport where everything was/is $10. They had those large viscose shawls that can also serve as a scarf or wrap. They are perfect for keeping you warm in winter and are a beautiful bit of color to add to a summer sleeveless dress. The viscose ones are not my favorite because they wrinkle. But they iron or steam very easily. Also they are cheap. You should never pay more than $10.00 for one and they come in every color of the rainbow, which is just fun! I also prefer them instead a cardigan or sweater, not only because they look more elegant, but you can easily fold them into your bag when you no longer want to wear it. Also, the cheap ones can serve as a blanket, towel, skirt or cover-up at the beach. You can even use the larger ones to strap a baby to your back if need be. They are more functional than you realize.

I purchased a real authentic Pashmina shawl while in Vietnam and paid a lot of money for it. It is very soft, does not wrinkle, but is very fragile and "pulls" easily. So I don't wear it very often and prefer the cheap ones instead.

I also found these stripped ones, like the one I am wearing here, in Mozambique and love their versatility. They can be more casual than the larger bright colored viscose ones. They are smaller, more lightweight and can also serve as a head wrap. You can spread them out, add a magazine, a t-shirt, a bottle of sunscreen, a pair of flip-flops, a little snack and then just tie it up in a little bundle and you have a ready-made bag for the beach. (Or spread it before sitting on a muddy rock so you don't get dirt on the back of your white pants!)