Winter is already here. And it's time to cuddle up in everything warm and cozy. But can we really be that free to stay in bed all day? No, we can't. Hence, we came up with a better alternative that could keep one warm throughout the day without having to wear piles of sweaters. And that is a Pashmina Scarf.

Pashmina is the art of handcrafting fine Cashmere wool into luxury scarves, shawls, and wraps. The finest Cashmere wool is in Ladakh where a rare species of goats grow it as an undercoat. At Pashmina.com, we curate our products from the finest Himalayan Cashmere only as it is extremely warm, soft, and delicate. The wraps thus produce the same qualities. A Pashmina shawl or wrap is so warm that you would hardly need those huge jackets and coats to layer up if you own a Pashmina.

Cashmere to Pashmina - A Luxurious Journey

Not just dresses, Pashmina scarves look absolutely stunning with any outfit. The reason for this unmatched graceful mien is the way artisans handcraft them from an exceptionally fine and luxury fibre. 

Cashmere is a fine goat down fibre that grows over the body of an exotic goat species, found in the Himalayas. Herders acquire hair from the goats in the summer season, when the animal feels hot and uncomfortable in the same. They gently comb it off from their bodies and taken for a thorough cleaning. Cleaning takes a few days as the fibre contains a large number of impurities. Post cleaning, artisans spin the fibre into 12 micron thin threads by women, who do so with the help of a wooden spinning wheel. This takes time, patience and a lot of skill, which women have imbibed since long. After spinning the goat hair, it is handwoven over a traditional weaving hand loom that transforms it into luxury scarves which are unparalleled in their looks, feel and experience. 

Pairing Pashmina scarves with outfits

Pashmina scarves are timeless accessories. The more you experiment these with different fashion genres, the more you feel that Pashmina scarves are super versatile accessories. Pashmina scarves look beautiful with dresses (long and short), pairs of jeans and shirts, casual clothing sets, ethnic apparel, as well as casual outfits. 

Pashmina scarves look the best with formal dresses. Plain formal dresses with embroidered or printed Pashmina scarves, or a patterned formal dress with solid Pashmina scarf, are graceful combinations to carry. Pashmina scarves are the best accessories to aggrandize or tone down a certain look. If you feel you look bland for an occasion, go for a colourful embroidered Pashmina scarf. This will add a dash of exaggeration in your looks, perfect for the event. On the other hand, if you feel that you have overdressed for an event, you can calm the look down with a pastel shaded, soft toned Pashmina scarf. Let us learn about the styles one can carry with formal dresses. 

Formal Dress with Scarf

Pashmina wraps are too versatile. But, how to wear a formal dress with scarf (Pashmina)? There are a hundred ways to use them. How to use Pashmina is up to the wearer. You can use it as a shawl, as a wrap, wear it like a scarf, or even make a DIY shrug out of its downy base.

Here are a number of ways in which you can wear a formal dress with scarf

Also read: What are Pashmina shawls made of?

Styling your Pashmina scarf like a shrug

One can wear Pashmina scarves as shrugs. This definitely shows how versatile Pashmina scarves are, enough to be paired with dresses, while transforming them into shrugs.

Something to take care of while using this style of wearing a scarf is the scarf to be chosen. Solid scarves, plains, prints and ombre dyed are the ones to choose. Heavy embroidery and Kani jamawar scarves will never look good when worn as shrugs. These are traditional, royal and overstated pieces which needs a traditional styling and not a modish one

• If your outfit is too bland or seems boring to you, wear a bright coloured Pashmina scarf to enliven your looks instantly
• To wear a Pashmina scarf as a shrug, just place the scarf over your shoulders.
• Drag the two ends of the scarf towards the front and tie a knot at the centre. 
• You can even tie a fancy scrunchy instead of a knot
• Adjust the knot in a comfortable position and you are good to go.

Wrapping Pashmina scarf around the Shoulders

This technique is perhaps the most used one. Traditionally too, Pashmina scarves have always been worn over the shoulders to keep one warm. But now, it is a style statement to wear a pashmina scarf in this way.

One who wants to wear Pashmina around their shoulders has to be careful about the colours to choose. Pick a colour which goes well with your dress. Bright colours can uplift a basic look, and pastels can tone down overexaggerated looks

• To tie your wrap in a simple shoulder accessory, simply throw it over your shoulders with the ends towards the front
• Take one end towards the opposite shoulder and tie a stylish knot
• You can even pin a large size brooch near the knot to glam up this simple style

Tying Pashmina in a Wrap Style

Wraps and scarves are two different sizes when it comes to Pashmina. But did you know that you can style your scarf like a wrap irrespective of the size, simply by changing its wearing style. Owing to the softness and fineness of a Pashmina scarf, these beauties are easy to fold not just once, but twice, thrice and more. This specialty of Pashmina scarves makes them foldable, and hence adjusting. With a folded scarf, one can create many looks which are not possible with thicker scarves which when folded look like lumps of wool accumulated over the body

• Fold your Pashmina scarf in the middle so that it acquires a square shape
• Fold it again diagonally to attain a triangle shape
• Take the two pointed ends towards your shoulder and tie a tight knot.
• Your plain dress will look like that of a princess. 

Pinning with a Brooch

At times, one wants to tie the Pashmina scarf in such a way that it does not come off and remain fixed with the body. In these times, Brooches are the simplest way to do so. Buying a stylish brooch, and fixing your Pashmina scarf with it takes practically no effort and time. Usually those scarves are worn with a brooch which aren't heavier in embellishments. As such, solids, printed scarves, ombre scarves and others in this pattern are the ones used with brooches. Scarves with their own embellishments (Kani and embroidery), do not need much extravagant brooches, and a simple tie can do that job. Here is how to pin a Pashmina scarf in a stylish way.

• For this style, you will need a large size and bling brooch. 
• Fold the scarf in half over your arm, and pin the two sides of it over the opposite shoulder.
• Tie the brooch just below the shoulder so that it doesn't stand on the shoulder.
• Do not tie it too close to the neck, or you will have a problem lifting your arm freely

Wrapping your scarf diagonally

If one wants to wrap their Pashmina scarf in a unique fashion, they can wear it diagonally. This style covers one’s entire body, and one wants to look stylish as well as keep warm, this is one of the best styles to follow.

• This style would need a large brooch too
• Wrap your pashmina scarf across your body such that one side it is under the arm and on the other side it is over the shoulder
• Pin the open ends together at one hip with a gorgeous decorative brooch.

Twisting your Pashmina scarf at the shoulders

A more contemporary way to style your Pashmina scarf is twisting it at the shoulders. At times, when you are tired of trying all styles, a unique and exclusive style is all you need. Thanks to all the ways stylists have come up with, we are never out of options.

• Circle the scarf around your neck, such that the two ends are at the front, and the neck is covered with one twist
• Tuck each of these free ends through the neck, and pull them sideways to the shoulders.
• The ends should cover the shoulders too. 

Wear your Pashmina scarf like a shawl

The most common and used style is to wear a Pashmina scarf like a Pashmina shawl. Even though shawls and scarves are different in sizes, they can be worn like one another. Mostly the much embellished scarves are worn in this way to show all the embellishments to the onlookers. Hand embroidered Pashmina scarves, Kani scarves or a swarovski scarf are the perfect contenders for this style.

• This style of Pashmina is generally draped over the shoulders to cover the upper portion of your body with its pleasant warmth. 
• Or else you can let the shawl dangle on one shoulder by placing the center of it on the shoulder and suspending the rest down
• Usually embroidered or Kani scarves are worn like this so that the entire base is visible. 

More Tips for this Style

Apart from wearing a Pashmina scarf over your body, you can even tie it on your bag for formal events. Imagine how classy a plain black bag would look if you tie a bright yellow pashmina scarf over it in a large bow. 

Again depending on the colour of your outfit, you can choose a Pashmina scarf to tone down or brighten up a look. If you feel you are overdressed for an event, cover yourself with a nude shades Pashmina scarf, and you are good to go. Similarly, if you feel you look too basic, add a colourful printed or patterned Pashmina scarf to your dress, and glam up your entire look.

Pashmina comes in different sizes. You can have a scarf, a shawl of a larger size, or a headscarf that comes in smaller sizes to complete your different looks. Now we know how to wear a pashmina scarf with a formal dress or any dress on any occasion.

How versatile is this beautiful piece of fine wool!

Also read: 5 amazing facts of Cashmere Scarves

Buying Pure Pashmina Scarf

A Pashmina scarf will be an ideal accessory only if purchased in its purest form. There are a thousand copies of Pashmina which sell in the markets locally and abroad. But the best Pashmina scarf is the one that is crafted from the purest Cashmere. If Cashmere is not pure, or if it's mixed with sheep wool/nylon or any other fabric, it won't look and feel as luxurious as it actually is. 

Shopping for a pure Pashmina is a challenge. Thanks to a few honest sellers who have still managed to save the integrity of this luxury art form. 

Pashmina.com is one such seller which sells Pashmina scarves handcrafted from the purest of Cashmere wool. Cashmere for these scarves comes from Ladakhi goats, which are considered as producers of the finest quality Cashmere amongst all. 

Pashmina.com and Pashmina scarves

A formal dress with scarf shopped from Pashmina.com will be the best purchase ever. Pashmina.com are the sellers of pure Cashmere that has been ethically procured from Ladakh. The makers of these Cashmere scarves are Kashmiri artisans who have over 20 years of experience in their craft forms. Spinners and weavers from around the valley, even the remotest villages, come together to make one Pashmina scarf, which at times takes a few years to complete. 

The Pashmina shawls and Pashmina scarves from Pashmina.com are all handwoven. No power looms are used to craft these elegant pieces, and hence they look absolutely incredible. 

Wearing a shawl with a dress is a powerful combination to look the best version of yourself. And when the shawl has been handcrafted by the best artisans from Kashmir, it makes one look more graceful and elegant.