I have seen these mentioned in quite a few threads regarding airplane travel. Where does one buy these? I live in California and had never heard of one. Is this something I must order online or does it have another name here in the US? Thanks for your help.

Pashminas (known, as far as I can tell, only by that name) were very "in" a few years ago.

A real pashmina is made from the underfur of Tibetan goats and is extremely expensive.

There are many knock-offs that call themselves pashminas.

If you google >pashmina<, you will find dozens of places that sell them online.

It's a cashmere/slik mix shawl. Even in California you should be able to get it in decent clothes shops - in Europe they cost pennies (well under 40usd)

If it's not something you normally wear, I'm not sure I'd recommend you get one for traveling. Depends on your style or fashion sense, but they look plain silly on me!

Depending on where you are traveling, you may find "fake" pashminas very inexpensivly in street stalls. We saw them in Paris, Florence and Venice. I love the fake pashmina I got for about 5 euro in Paris....it is super soft. Sometimes I wear it as a winter scarf, sometimes I wear it as a shawl and sometimes it is a table runner.

I've seen plenty of them in consignment shops - I guess as Eloise said, they were "in" a few years ago, so now they have made it to the consignment shops.

I don't wear shalls and that sort of thing - just doesn't work for me. Could be because I am short, so they just make me look like I am wandering around with my blankie - LOL.

You can just double them and loop them around your neck to keep warm in winter; you don't need to use them as a shawl. Mock "pashminas" are sold all over in NYC by street vendors; they are made from rayon or acrylic and cost $5. You will see them sold by street vendors in large European cities as well. As Eloise noted, these may be called "pashmina" but they are not the real thing, which would cost several hundred dollars. You can also find wool and wool-silk pashmina-type scarves in stores; again, these are a very different quality than the fakes sold on the streets. Airport shops often have nice versions for 60 Euro or so.

I have a few pashminas (of the mock kind) and have used them as scarves, shoulder covers, skirts, tops and, indeed, beach towels when all else is lost. Very versatile and for 5 euros, who is going to complain?

For J_Correa: love the "blankie" analogy. That's exactly what I'd feel like


Funny because I don't mind using sarongs/pareos in hot climates, which is kind of the same thing.

I have a black pashmina that I take with me folded up in a little square in my bag. It has saved me from freezing my arse off many times. Much better than lugging a jacket around. When you are freezing you don't mind looking a little silly to stay warm.

My boss replies:

A real pashmina shawl does not cost pennies. I bough my mother a pashmina shawl in Delhi; it cost $5,000.00, although it was hand embroidered.

The Devil wears pashmina.

I bought a real pashmina in Jaipur(I was told the only genuine pashminas are from Kashmir)

There are real "Pashminas" and synthetic ones. Often when we talk about Pashminas on here it covers everything from Pashminas, to shawls, to large wool blend scarves, to just about any type of Cape/Shawl/Pashmina thing-y. Basically a large warm cuddly scarf that can be worn all sorts of ways

They are all over California - I've see them in Macys, Nordstroms, Saks, JC Penneys, Claires, Neiman's, Sears and just about any other place you can name.

I have always loved scarves, and have many of them, including real cashmere, and a couple that cost 5 pounds off a street vendor in London. I was traveling in May and thought that it would be warm while in London, and I froze. I bought one off a street vendor one blustery chilly day.

I have since carried at least one on every trip I have made. My best friend laughs at me. While telling a travel story to another friend, I over heard him say "She is like Linus, and that blanket. She had it everywhere we went. It was a blanket, a pillow, a scarf a head wrap, and a thing around her bathing suit. I think it was her woobbie. But, you know she was the only one who was warm when we were all freezing."

laurenzo - There are plenty of pashminas in California... I have several. Go to Nordstrom - they have plenty to sell you.

I have found pashminas, large scarves and crochet ponchos remarkable in their ability to ward off a chill or a breeze at night. Since they are so lightweight, I usually pack two or three to wear with the dark outfits I favor when I travel.

Basically they are just shawls depending on your budget you can find them from Nordstroms to Robinson-May, Macys or TJ Maxx.
I'd never seen them called pashmina until I started coming to fodor's.

There seems to be quite a difference of opinion regarding Pashminas or their substitutes, knock-offs, or even made of different materials. It's my understanding they are always wool or wool/silk. I have three, black, camel and apple green, all came from Nordstrom (one from the rack which was half price--about $50.00). One of the three are always with me when I travel. Great on a plane and have worked well as a light wrap when I got chilly. They're great, don't leave home without one!

Laurenzo, I congratulate you on being able to avoid the Mad Pashmina Craze that went on for some time, a few years ago!
Perhaps in Çalifornia, they are not needed as much, although I seem to remember seeing a few photos of celebs wrapped in theirs in various locales.
I have one that is old and well loved, it goes on most flights with me, in place of those awful airline blankets, comes in sooo handy in many situations, most recently in Paris in March, a good scarf and a great shawl in drafty musems.
My son brought me a work of art pashmina from India, it is my new "blankie"...

partner bought a couple in the himalayas...£0.50 for a fake one and £10 for a real Tibetan one.