Dawnwriter
What comes to your mind when you hear the words ‘winter clothes’? For most women in Pakistan it is not sweaters, jackets, gloves or mufflers,…it is shawls.
I must admit I am a bit crazy about shawls myself. As soon as the winter season starts , the markets in Islamabad are flooded with stylish shawls in stunning colours, designs and embroidery patterns.
You can buy a Kashmiri shawl or a Sindhi shawl or a Pashmina shawl for both casual and formal occasions. Printed shawls with bold vibrant colours and floral designs are mostly chosen by young girls while older people prefer cashmere ones.
Even the simplest of clothes can become bright and trendy when a warm, colourful shawl is worn over it. Good quality shawls can keep the cold at bay and and since they are long and wide enough, they are used to cover the head as well.
Shawls can range from $20 to $5000 (yes, FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS) depending upon their quality. The most expensive are the shahtoosh shawls which are so fine that it is said that they can pass through a ring. Now there’s a demand to make sale of shahtoosh shawls illegal because they are made from the fur of the endangered Tibetan antelope called Chiru.
I prefer a medium range of shawls which I can buy and enjoy wearing during winter season without burning a big hole in my pocket.
What’s your favorite winter apparel?
Amazing!
Wonderful presentation and promotion of Shawls and Pakistan Culture….
All very elegant 🙂 You speak of Kashmiri, Sindhi and Pashmina shawls; does the difference lie in how they are tailored, or is it more a question of the motif/pattern? And what about that shahtoosh – what a lovely name! Even the name suggests to me the lightness of something being drawn through a ring!
Yes each region has its own distinct embroidery, motifs and designs and even the size and thickness of needles used for embroidery is unique to that place and weavers.
Shahtoosh means “king of wools” in Persian language.You might find this article informative and the documentary “A Shawl To Die For” is really worth watching
http://www.kashmirshawlatelier.com/the-sad-truth-behind-the-ring-shawl-shahtoosh/
Very interesting – and sad :/