No one should ever leave the house without a scarf of some sort.  If you don’t have one in your purse/glove compartment/desk right now, go get one.  You never know when that piece of fabric is going to come in handy!

Your backup scarf can be rectangular or square, and I recommend that you pick a nice sturdy cotton tichel or a light pashmina.  Here are a few potential uses – besides using it as a headcovering or for warmth – that you may not have considered.

• Baby carrier - in a pinch, you can use a good-sized rectangular scarf as a sling (more…)

I know it’s late April, and we’re getting past the season for outerwear.  (Well, we’re supposed to be – I have it on good authority that it snowed yesterday in upstate New York!)  But anyhow, I think shawls are awesome, and they’re actually really handy right now.  A lightweight shawl is easy to stuff into your bag or carry around just in case you need a layer.

Pashmina - Shawls

I also take one with me when it’s windy and I don’t want my hair to get blown into a wild tangle.  My brother got married on the beach, and my sister-in-law had the forethought to provide a stack of pashminas for all the guests, to ward off the chill.  She saved my hair!  And if you’re in the habit of wearing all black, this is an easy, painless way to incorporate some color into your look.

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