Does anyone else still wear pashminas?

[breakinglight11]

When I was in college in the mid to late 2000’s, I made a point of learning how to dress better. I read a bunch of style blogs and started digging through thrift stores to build up my wardrobe. (This is how I learned to get so good at thrifting.) I’ve tried to keep up that thought and care in the years since, at least on days when I’m teaching or expecting to see somebody— though I’ve been a little slacker when it comes to rehearsals.

One big recommendation I saw a lot in that process was to wear pashminas. Those are long, wide fringed scarves made from the wool of the pashmina goat. They were everywhere at the time and I collected a fair number. At first I gravitated toward the solid colored ones, as I thought they’d be more versatile. But I actually had an easier time coordinating the patterned ones with outfits.

I still wear those patterned ones, especially in the wintertime. I like the texture of the wool, and i like that they’re wide enough to keep my neck warm. These days there are really only four I wear regularly— this gray and black one, a green and gold one, a rainbow gradient one, and a black and beige one. I also had one in black and shades of brown that I left somewhere and lost, much to my annoyance. I still have other, but they have been mostly repurposed into costuming, or in some cases, packing china used as props in Mrs. Hawking.

I notice that people don’t seem to wear them so much anymore. Even as scarves to keep warm. But I still like them; I think they’re cozy and and a nice way to add visual interest to an outfit. I wear them even when it’s not cold out sometimes. I probably look kind of dated in that way, honestly. My aesthetic is still somewhat frozen in the early aughts. I only stopped wearing bootcut jeans last year, and I still have a fondness for low-rise waists, bare midriffs, and hip-slung belts. But I enjoy them and like how they look, especially when I’ve always found it difficult to dress warm in a way that looks good on me.

Comments

[valleyviolet]

Pashmina scarves tend to have a resurgence every so often, so I expect fashion will be back around to them again in 5 to 10 years. I wouldn't worry too much about looking dated, especially if you're wearing them when it's cold, people will probably just admire the patterns. (I wear one as a winter scarf, but it's a gift I got from my in-laws, so I wasn't really fashion motivated in starting to wear it in the first place.)

[jducoeur]

Jane was a *serious* aficionado of clothes, and deeply expert in wearing them well. One of the lessons I got from watching her wardrobe was that style and fashion are really fairly different. Fashions come in and out, but style comes from knowing how to choose an outfit that looks good on you, and assembling it well; even when it isn't the current hot thing, it still makes a good impression. (She was wearing somewhat 80s-ish power suits well into the 2000s, and still usually got remarked on as being better dressed than most of the people around her.)

My impression is that you are generally good at style, so I honestly think you shouldn't worry about it overmuch: you're likely to look *good*, regardless of whether you look entirely *current*, and good is usually more important...