Pashmina Is A Girl's Best Friend! April Birthstone Pashmina Colour

Diamond is April's birthstone colour and a girl's best friend, so accordingly www.pashminasdirect.co.uk have reduced a selection of pale pashminas (mostly ivory and in our Wedding or Red Carpet range) that feature Swarovski, crystal or beading embellishments. You really can't go wrong with a combination of cashmere and bling!

                                           70% Pashmina Cashmere & 30% Silk Shawl with Beaded fringe
                                               http://www.pashminasdirect.co.uk/Details.asp?ProductID=946
                                            http://www.pashminasdirect.co.uk/Details.asp?ProductID=948

One of the most popular shawls is the Pashmina Cashmere & Silk Plain Shawl with Beaded Tassels. This is currently reduced as a birthstone offer in Ivory and Cream. However, don't despair if you miss it this time around - Pashminas Direct and www.mayfair-valley.co.uk do put various colours on offer in this style regularly. The weight of the beads makes it drape consistently; a useful benefit when you want to enjoy an occasion rather than fiddle with a shawl.

Another shawl in the spotlight this month is the Greek Key Swarovski pashmina shawl. It is such an unusual design to finish off a pashmina, and very simply chic. http://www.pashminasdirect.co.uk/Details.asp?ProductID=246  It's currently on the www.pashminasdirect.co.uk Bridal page which is worth checking for summer looks, even if you are not a bride. Ivory and Cream are classic colours for evening wear shawls -  crisp in the summer and elegant in the winter, it's a versatile neutral that earns its keep.

                           70% Pashmina Cashmere & 30% Silk Shawl with Greek Key Swarovski edge

This autumn Mayfair Valley introduced a pure cashmere knitted bolero which is embellished in Swarovski crystals. The original white sample is here in size 10-12 and with a 50% discount on the RRP:

http://www.pashminasdirect.co.uk/Details.asp?ProductID=874

     100% Pashmina Cashmere Fine Knit Bolero Shrug with Diamond Swarovski

Another pure pashmina cashmere, this time in a very fine knit, is the Stardust Sweater (UK 6-8) Taken into occasion wear by it's own sequin corsage, this is an elegant style that looks stunning for spring with pale pants or dramatic with black in winter.
http://www.pashminasdirect.co.uk/Details.asp?ProductID=878

     100% Pashmina Cashmere Fine Knit Sweater with Sequin Starburst

For simple elegance, the Lightweight Pashmina Cashmere & Silk Shawl with Swarovski - Starlight Wedding gives a great drape with a hint of sparkle. An ideal choice in plain ivory for summer events.

 Lightweight 70% Pashmina Cashmere & 30% Silk Shawl with Swarovski - Starlight Wedding
http://www.pashminasdirect.co.uk/Details.asp?ProductID=817

For more hand embroidered and beaded designs in other colours check the Red Carpet page of Pashminas Direct http://www.pashminasdirect.co.uk/cat05.asp  and the Evening page of Mayfair Valley Pashmina http://www.mayfair-valley.co.uk/evening.asp

#pashmina #pashminashawl #shawl #Swarovski #cashmeresweater #cashmere

In the Navy! Dark Blue pashminas are the new black!

Navy. A word to create a shiver down many-a spine.

To me, Navy was a shade synonymous with A-line knee length skirts... scratchy blazers, hockey on icy Wednesday afternoons in a box pleat back mini (freezing but actually quite flattering!) and summer days spent toiling over endless exams in a baking school hall.  It can take years to recover.

But after a gap of a couple of decades I suddenly find that I've accepted the Facebook friend request and Navy is creeping inexorably back into my life.

 At first it was a simple boat neck dress that was highly respectable office wear - worn occasionally for meetings but not actually loved. Then it was the navy and white Bloch ballet flats that matched that dress, and a matching lightweight shaded pashmina... I am a pashmina addict, after all.

 I was still in denial during a trip to Portobello market when I chose a bird print skater dress in the navy option, despite a choice of three colour ways... Well, it was the cost efficient. I already had the shoes and pashmina! Skinny jeans in the darkest blue followed, vest tops, camisole tops, water fall cardigans, a silk Ted Baker shift, sun glass frames and suddenly a trench coat. And the rest of my wardrobe fitted so well with the new pieces - I was hooked! Navy blue had all but ousted black from my wardrobe!

I now know why Navy has always been a classic, beloved of women who want a neutral dark shade that goes with every colour and has a huge selection within its own colour band. Navy aficionados can pick a navy shade for every season and look fresh and current.

And it seems that fashion is also starting to acknowledge this versatility. Gone are the days when navy could only be teamed with red and white for the nautical look. Now it is brought into our year-round wardrobes as Midnight, French, Dark or a navy in between. It is one of the neutral base colours for both day and evening wear;  a shade sympathetic to mix and match with greys, creams - even blacks -  and a perfect backdrop to pops of summer pastels or stronger autumn colours. We can be classic, contemporary, nautical, flirty, or colour-blocked. Join the Navy!

Top to bottom: Available from Pashminas Direct - Pashmina & Silk Large Shawl with Bugle Bead fringe- Navy,  100% Silk Organza with 100% Pashmina reverse panel 'Elegance'- Midnight Elegance, 100% Silk Chiffon Shawl with Silk border- White/Navy.

Courtesy of Mayfair Valley Pashmina: Summer 14 collection: 100% Silk Chiffon Shaded Large Shawl- Navy to Aqua* , 80% Pashmina & 20% Silk Shaded Lightweight Large Shawl- Midnight to paler*;  AW14/15 collection - Pashmina & Silk Summer Shaded Shawls- Midnight to Peacock, Midnight to Fuchsia**
* Fingers crossed, available soon on Pashminas Direct....
** See above. We hope! Yes, please!