How to Wear a Pashmina Stole: Eight Ways for the Gulf Wardrobe

Young woman in a black hijab and abaya wearing an ivory stole with black and teal paisley draped over one shoulder in a marble lobby

A pashmina stole can be worn eight useful ways, from a simple open drape over an abaya to a full wrap for a cold flight. Each takes less than a minute. The steps below assume a stole of roughly 70 by 200 cm, but most work with any long stole, and several work with a shawl too.

New to stoles? Start with our complete guide to pashmina shawls and stoles, or read Shawl vs Stole to choose between the two.

1. The open drape

The simplest and most versatile. It shows the whole pattern and sits beautifully over an abaya.

  1. Hold the stole behind you at its centre.
  2. Lay it across your shoulders.
  3. Let both ends fall evenly in front.

For more cover, let it slip slightly off the shoulders onto the upper arms.

2. The shoulder throw

A little more polished, and it keeps the stole in place as you move.

  1. Start with the open drape.
  2. Take the right end and throw it back over your left shoulder.
  3. Let it fall down your back.

3. The loose loop

For a warmer neck without bulk.

  1. Drape the stole around your neck with one end longer than the other.
  2. Take the longer end once around your neck.
  3. Loosen the loop so it sits softly, and let both ends hang.

4. The cold-room wrap

For offices, malls, cinemas and clinics, where the air conditioning bites.

  1. Open the stole to its full width.
  2. Wrap it around your shoulders like a small shawl.
  3. Cross the ends in front and tuck them under your arms, or let them fall.

A wide stole does this best. A shawl does it better still.

5. The head wrap

A stole of 175 cm or more is long enough to wrap the head like a shayla, and fine fibre keeps it light and breathable.

  1. Place the stole over your head with one side longer than the other.
  2. Take the longer side under the chin and over the opposite shoulder.
  3. Adjust the front edge to frame the face, and secure it with a smooth pin if you wish.

Worn over an under-scarf, the stole stays in place more easily.

6. The belted stole

A modern line over a long dress or an open abaya.

  1. Start with the open drape, ends falling in front.
  2. Fasten a slim belt at the waist over the stole.
  3. Ease the cloth above the belt so it falls softly.

Choose a belt with a smooth buckle that will not catch the fibres.

7. The travel wrap

Aircraft cabins are cold, and a pashmina is the most elegant blanket you can carry.

  1. On board, open the stole to its full width.
  2. Wrap it around your shoulders, or lay it across your knees.
  3. On arrival, fold it lengthwise and wear it as an open drape.

8. The evening fold

A narrow band of colour for an evening dress.

  1. Fold the stole lengthwise into thirds to make a narrow band.
  2. Drape it low across your back, resting in the crook of each elbow.
  3. Let the ends fall at your sides.

Matching a stole to an abaya

  • A black abaya takes almost any colour. Jewel tones and bold paisleys stand out best.
  • A coloured or embellished abaya pairs best with a tone-on-tone or quietly patterned stole.
  • Ivory and stone stoles suit daytime, the office and pale abayas.
  • Checks read modern and relaxed, and suit travel and casual days.

Keeping it in place, gently

Fine fibres can snag. If you use a pin, choose a smooth one and pass it between the threads rather than through them. Avoid rough brooch backs, sharp jewellery and hook-and-loop fastenings. The weight of the cloth and a shoulder throw usually keep a stole in place on their own.

Folding it for your handbag

Fold the stole in half lengthwise, then in half again, then roll it loosely from one end. Rolling avoids hard creases, and the roll tucks into the corner of a handbag. Shake it out before wearing.

Questions we are asked

How do I stop a stole slipping off my shoulders?

Use the shoulder throw: one end over the opposite shoulder anchors the whole piece. A slightly heavier stole also stays put better than a very light one.

Can I wear a pashmina stole every day?

Yes. Give it a day's rest between wears when you can, and air it before folding it away. Our care manual covers the rest.

Can a shawl be worn the same ways?

Most of them. A shawl is better for the cold-room wrap and the travel wrap. For the head wrap and the evening fold, a stole is easier.

Which stole should I buy first?

One in a colour you will wear with most of your wardrobe, and at least 175 cm long so that every style above is open to you. Our guide to semi pashmina explains the cloth.

Find your stole

Browse our Shawls & Stoles collection, where every piece is named as a shawl or a stole and described by its own colour and pattern.