Evening wraps are lightweight coverings worn over formal wear, replacing a heavy coat. Night shawls are a popular type, originating in Persia and made from fine wool or silk. Pashmina wraps made from cashmere wool are also popular. Prices range from $20 to over $5,000.
Evening wraps are sheer shawls or outer coverings worn at night, usually on formal occasions. Evening wraps generally serve as a replacement for a coat, when one wears a thin robe or dress underneath. Where the coat would be too heavy and clash with the dress, an evening coat is specifically designed to be worn with a dress, and therefore features lines that complement the softer lines of formal wear. Night wraps can also be used if the weather is going to be too warm for a coat, as it offers some coverage and some warmth, but is still suitable for milder nights.
One of the most popular night wraps is the night shawl, which can come in many different shapes and price ranges. Shawls originated in Persia and took advantage of advanced textile technologies to produce incredibly fine garments. The first shawls were made of wool, but they were so fine that a full shawl could fit through a small ring. Modern shawls can be made from any number of materials, but are often made from very fine wool or silk. They are meant to be extremely lightweight, and are generally meant to be decorative rather than functional.
In the 1810s, specific night wraps appeared in China and made their way to America and Europe, where they were known as the Chinese crepe shawl. This shawl included embroidery and fringes, and was quite popular among the upper classes. By the end of the 19th century, their use declined dramatically, but they were adopted by the Roma in Spain at this time. At the beginning of the 20th century they became popular again, recovered from the Roma by European aristocrats, but were now known as Spanish shawls. The Spanish evening shawl, worn by the protagonist in Carmen, remains one of the most popular forms of evening wrap, especially for those heading out to the theater or opera.
Pashmina night wraps are another very popular form of night wrap, and are the type most often seen for sale in the United States. Pashmina wraps are made from cashmere wool, from changthangi goat or pashmina, and handmade in Kashmir. A pashmina evening wrap generally refers to the medium-sized class of pashmina, between scarves, which measure approximately 12 inches by 60 inches (30 cm by 150 cm), and true shawls, which measure approximately 36 inches by 80 inches ( 91 cm by 203 cm). The pashmina wrap typically measures 28 inches by 80 inches (71 cm by 203 cm), making it ideal for covering much of the upper body, but not suitable for also covering the head.
There are so many different types of night wraps that getting close to a price range is next to impossible. Inexpensive wraps made of sub-par synthetics or wool can cost as little as $20 USD, while designer wraps made from luxurious materials can cost upwards of $5,000 USD, with good quality pashminas that they fall somewhere between the $200 USD and $500 USD range.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
