Whatsit Wednesday: Shawl

A shawl is not inherently Belgian or Dutch. We know that people around the world wear them, except in the warmer climes of the world. But it is here that I first saw how important this piece of outwear is, for both men and women. Belgian and Dutch weather has a whole season for shawls - and not just one shawl. There is a whole fashion culture built up around this clothing accessory. 

When we first moved here, I knew that a nice “pashmina” would be a good birthday gift for Shirley. Today is her birthday and I still think about a good shawl. Shirley likes shawls. They can be used in so may different ways. There are silk versions, wool version and of course all sorts of blends. They can be one color, multicolored and patterned in every way. And each one can have a different purpose or time of year. 

You see, the light shawl is first brought out in the Fall as the weather starts to turn. One needs something around the neck to keep the sharper winds out, but the winter coat has not yet been dug out of the deepest closet. So every one is still wearing light coats, suit coats or windbreakers. But to add just that bit of extra protection and fashion sense, a colorful shawl is draped around the neck, sometimes tucked into the coat or suit coat. 

That was one of the things that struck me when I first came - shawls are worn in many different ways. You can see students wrapping a long, thick shawl around their neck, tossing it over their shoulders as they climb aboard their bicycles to race off to class somewhere in the city. On the shopping streets you will see posh gentlemen with a somewhat thinner shawl tucked around their neck and into their coat. Some men will even wear a light shawl around their neck, trailing down their back, in the cooler of the summer months. 

Women, as Shirley shows well, have all sorts of ways to accessorize their clothing in any season. Shirley drapes a silk shawl on one side to accentuate a color. Or she can use a thicker one to serve almost as a sort of poncho, adding some warmth which can be easily and quickly removed if needed. 

Shirley loves finding a beautiful shawl and adding it to her collection. So that remains a good choice for a birthday present. Which reminds me… I need to get to the store.