A shawl is a large warm wrap for the shoulders, usually triangular or rectangular, bigger and more enveloping than a kerchief. Its chief appeal is a combination of warmth, comfort and a soft, enveloping elegance: a shawl can be thrown over the shoulders atop a dress or coat, wound around the neck in a large volume or draped as a stole. In Ukrainian tradition warm woollen shawls and fringed woollen wraps were both a practical protection from the cold and an elegant part of festive dress. Openwork knitted shawls are an art of their own, in which the fineness of the pattern and the mastery are prized. A shawl adds softness, nobility and cosiness to a look, able to make even a simple silhouette dramatic and complete. It is an accessory in which warmth meets refinement.
