Buying a Spanish shawl? Discover the history and current trends with the Spanish shawl…
Spain is very fashion forward and utilizes traditional elements to complement current trends. The Spanish shawl is one of the iconic fashion elements which originated from this country.
They are different from other shawls because they have many handcrafted elements incorporated into them. These include long fringes on all sides of their borders.
Some decorated with appliques as well as glass beads to add a shimmer and some depth in the design. They are basically very functional and can serve as ordinary pieces for daily wear or be worn for special occasions.
History of Spanish shawls
Interestingly enough the modern-day Spanish shawl actually hails from China. That is where the fabric pieces were crafted and then transported to Spain where fringes were added by hand.
They have been popular for close to two centuries and are known as manton de manilla in Spanish. The traditional way of carrying them in Spain is to fold the square piece over to create a double triangle. This wrap is placed on the shoulder and falls all the way to the hem of the skirt.
The end is crossed at the back and wrapped on the shoulder and fastened with a safety pin. You can even use Spanish shawls as modern-day wraps and covers for winter evenings.
Characteristics of the Spanish Shawl
A variety of fabrics which are light and thin are utilized to craft Spanish shawls. Rarely is wool and knitwear utilized to craft these dainty pieces.
Mostly the materials like satin, silk as well as crepe and cotton can be used as base materials for creating a Spanish shawl. Original Spanish shawls have brightly colored fabric or use dark, solid shades which have embroideries of flowers in multi-colors on top of them.
High-quality shawls which are pricey have embroidery and lace which is handmade as well as hand knotted fringes. The shape of the Spanish shawl can be a rectangle, triangle or a square and there are different ways of wearing them.
The most vividly recognizable Spanish shawls style is the one carried by flamenco dancers known as the mantilla. This is a long fringed and plaited triangular shawl.
You can see it placed on top of the head of the Flamenco dancer when it is crafted out of lace. The triangle shawls are carried around the shoulders whereas other sizes are used as sarongs and veils.
Spanish shawls have long been part of gypsy styles, Flamenco dancers’ costumes as well as folk dresses. However, the use of the Spanish shawls seems to give the impression that this piece of clothing originated in Spain. As a matter of fact shawls are an invention of the Chinese. The embellished fringed ones are Spanish.
Nowadays the Spanish shawl is the perfect accessory to add grace and elegance to any outfit. By allowing one to cover up on a cold evening and dress modestly during the day or night, the Spanish shawl offers a perfectly fashionable cover for modest women.
A Spanish shawl can be used for years to come if it is maintained carefully and taken care of. You can choose from a simple material for the shawl and a shiny and embellished one for eveningwear. This classy clothing item will become a staple in your wardrobe once you choose it and use it.
