“When the Sun shivered, played clef treble,
She draped her Cashmere…
She reminisced of those wintry nights
when quivering moon was there…
When memories painted her, she blushed,
she bloomed as a Marigold,
She hid him with his whips and whims,
in her shroud’s secret folds.”
Cashmere…to me its sheer poetry told on looms, a shawl or a drape which is light as chiffon, soft as feather and warm like a heavy quilt. Cashmere or Pashmina is one of the softest and richest fabrics I’ve come across! If I have to admire Cashmere in my way, I would rather say, it’s diaphanous as soul, beautiful as heart and warm as memories.
Cashmere is the best reason for me to commemorate winters. l love winters for their benevolence. The erstwhile scary sun getting sombre, adding a natural blush to your cheeks! Sun-rays glistening on your tresses turning them golden from dark! West wind playing peek-a-boo with the locks sweeping them away from your face for a flush au-naturale!
I love winters because they allow me to flaunt the best of my wardrobe, my silks and wools. For the make-up sets prettily and my exclusive watches don’t corrode due to perspiring wrist. Diamonds never scream and pearls whisper ‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’!
I am enjoying these winters, as they have made me drape this beautifully handcrafted pure Pashmina shawl gifted by my daughter. She bought this Jamawar beauty from Kashmir during her visit to Amarnath Shrine this July. I desperately waited for winters to drape this diligently woven ‘œuvre d’art’, brought straight from earth’s heavens and heart.
Pashmina is a Persian word named to the softest wool derived from ‘Pashm Goat’, a young goat. The skilled artisans use the finest cashmere wool to hand-weave a classic which requires utmost precision and painstaking details. From many its variants, Jamawar Kani shawls are considered the best, as both the weave and embroidery are made fine enough to compliment the flimsy fabric of Pashmina in them. Kani shawls originate from Kanihama district of Kashmir. This craft dates back from the Mughal era and emerged from Persian carpet weave ‘Jamawar’. The gossamer-thin pashm-yarn travels through proficient hands of master-craftsmen and translates into the ‘object-of-desire’, Cashmere
The one, I have draped in these pictures, is a Jamewar kani shawl which is a handloom craft but looks like an intricate art, like a painting. It’s an ‘understated elegance’ as it possesses a natural tussar hue (color beige) with elaborate paisley and floral motifs. The patterns are consciously placed in a manner they evoke a ‘subtle style statement’. Instead of embellishing the whole shawl, designs are placed as borders and pallu. Pastel shades of subtle peach, pink, green and brown not only enliven the natural tussar background of the shawl, but also add a little vibrancy to this fine-drawn drape.
To offset this subtle drape, I picked one of my most vibrant attires, that’s a Soch Studio ethnic ensemble made of Kathan silk kurta, cotton silk pallazzo pants and a chiffon dupatta. The striking fuchsia and bold black make the drape stand out, isn’t it?
Minimal and classic is the key to the look, so my classic Casio Sheen wrist watch was a must have for that special day-out. This two-tone watch effuses elegance with rose gold and steel finish and Swarovsky crystals studded around a mother of pearl dial. A pair of ear-studs embellished with pink tourmalines and Japanese pearls, a classic Hidesign leather satchel bag and comfy Bata slippers to keep me get going in spite of aching knees. 🙂 What else would you expect when a lady of my age pens down her OOTD post? 🙂
How to Pick Genuine Cashmere Amid Multitudes of Fakes?
My tips garnered through years of experience…
- Always check for a shawl or stole for its weight. A genuine and good quality pashmina shawl is about one third of its fake version’s weight.
- Always remember– Cashmere or Pashmina is not merely a pure wool ensemble which is normally sold at counters wrongly claimed. It’s a special weave made of exquisite Pashm Wool, quite rare of utmost quality.
- Its fabric should be quite flimsy and translucent. Just like chiffon or georgette, but much lighter than them.
- A good Cashmere shawl (sans embroidery) can easily pass through your ring. The best ones can even pass the ring test in spite of being fully embroidered or Jacquard woven.
- The last but the most important test….Clutch a handful of Cashmere fabric in your fist and hold it for a minute. A genuine cashmere would make your palm perspire profusely without any itching sensation normally pure wool causes. It should feel like you are holding silk.
Pic Courtesy : Maitreni Mishra
Location Courtesy: Airocity Andaz, Delhi
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Very nice post!
Not only the poem is superb this post also very informative, learned some new things about shawls. As usual you are looking elegant.
Lovely pictures and loved seeing your mom in the cashmere shawl. Winters surely are a bliss for fashionistas. enjoye reading the detailed description about pashmina. And yes, those colors are surely making the drape stand out.
happy new year 🙂