Fashion Has Entered Its Ms. Darbus Era

Pashmina-core is upon us.

Brandon Maxwell. Courtesy of Monica Feudi.

For a while now, fashion has been fixated on over-accessorizing the neck and shoulders. Details like the skinny scarves of the early aughts and the statement necklaces of the 2010s corroborate a decades-long infatuation with unnecessary neckware. Today, many trendsetters take a page from the OG Ivy League prepsters, securing a sweater at the neck for a finishing touch that — though technically convenient for the cold — proves largely impractical when the wearer is forced, to, well, move.

Fortunately the latest slew of runways feature a cozy emphasis on my own beloved neckwear of choice: the humble pashmina. Once reserved solely for wedding guests who felt foolish styling jackets with formal evening attire, the pashmina is the perfect old-but-new accessory to amp up transitional weather layering. And for reasons I can’t quite explain, it makes me feel ridiculously chic.

Wearing a pashmina (or any drape-y shawl or wrap, for that matter) feels like the most blasé way to bundle up — but in reality, finessing a perfect draping of fabric over one’s shoulder is anything but effortless.

When I need my wrap to stay put all night, I’m quick to add a brooch to secure it at the shoulder. It’s a little something I like to call Ms. Darbus Mode, as evidenced by the below.

While I prefer to channel the look of an old money art curator over a high school theater teacher, the latter’s affinity for drama (forgive me) is still at play. There’s something dramatic and sculptural about a perfect drape, something ethereal yet sensational about a ludicrously lengthy swath of material trailing (no, floating) behind the wearer as they traipse about.

Let these two looks from Retrofête (L) and Brandon Maxwell (R) paint the picture. Both better in person, but the allure is hard to miss. Who knew one really long piece of fabric could be the secret to elevating our otherwise understated knits?

Courtesy of GoRunway/Retrofête; Monica Feudi/Brandon Maxwell.

Perhaps this is what makes pashminas and shawls such enticing runway fodder. Similar drapery played a large role in Saint Laurent’s Fall/Winter 2023 show, perhaps the first to inspire me to don my shawls on more fashion-formal occasions. Fast-forward to the Fall/Winter 2024 collections, and draping is a key theme throughout. Del Core covered models in borderline blanket-sized shawls, Tibi fastened giant green blanket scarves to neutral ensembles as pops of color, and Chloé showed a tan coat with a draped neckline that I fear will haunt me until it’s hanging in my closet.

For the most part, designers channeled the classic cool of the pashmina’s silhouette via draped necklines, capes and poncho-like overlays reminiscent of the staple’s wearability and ease (it would be pretty lazy for them to send actual pashminas down the runway and call it innovation). See a snapshot of my favorites saved below, courtesy of one of my many Tagwalk moodboards.

Pasmina-core is upon us, and if you don’t already have a shawl hidden in the depths of your closet alongside a worn-once bridesmaid dress, it’s time to get one. Below, a few favorites (I’ll spare you my “Bleusalt is unmatched” soapbox) all essential in upping one’s wrap game.

1. Bleusalt’s 2-Yard Wrap, my personal favorite, available in 17 colors. $90 (was $120)

2. This White+Warren Cashmere Travel Wrap, a luxe splurge in 19 colors. $350

3. A Cashmere-Wool Blend Poncho from J. Crew. If a wrap that threatens to un-drape itself at any time feels fussy, a poncho or cape gets the job done just fine. $89.50 (was $140)

4. This COS Wool-Blend Cape for a more minimalist draped shoulder detail. $190

5. Tibi’s genius Lancaster Trench, with detachable bandana for a drape-y neck detail. Reminds me of the aforementioned Chloé coat, with a little more mystique. $895

6. This Autumn Cashmere Hybrid Rib Cape, to serve as a more wearable version of the lengthy pink wrap from Retrofête’s runway show. $208 (was $297)

7. A coastal grandmother-friendly Cashmere Wrap Poncho from Vineyard Vines. $159.99 (was $198)

8. Another Bleusalt favorite, the seemingly endless 3-Yard Wrap. Wear trailing behind you for drama akin to the looks styled at Brandon Maxwell. $127.50 (was $170)

x BG