Just like the ubiquitous little black dress, pashmina is the staple in every fashionable woman’s closet. In just about every fundraiser, wedding, gallery opening, evening gala, women brace the cold using their pashmina. When once this luxurious fabric was a status symbol by a select few, not virtually every woman has this distinctive accessory to their urban getup.

Some women are buying multiple shawls at a time, with embroidery, beading, or the latest fad to hit the town: graduated color. Women’s fashion bibles, such as Redbook, InStyle, and Vogue have been touting the fabric since forever. Even Carrie Bradshaw, one of the fashionistas on HBO’s now defunct Sex in the City, have been shot sporting one.

The secret of the pashmina lies in its luxurious feel, its softness and its warmth. It’s also quite versatile and can be worn in just about any occasion. Pashmina can be also be worn at any time of the day, whether you simply want to lounge around at home, or you’re watching your kids soccer game, or enjoying a hot cup of coffee on the lawn. However, although many people are just dying to adorn one, relatively few really know the tricks and tips of draping a Pashmina beautifully.

There are basically five different ways of wearing a pashmina. There’s the full shawl wrap style, where we just have to wrap the pashmina around ourselves. There’s also the belt style, which, as could be deduced from its name, just means wrapping the shawl around our hips. Third is the Hollywood style, which includes two differently-colored pashminas. There’s also the pashmina stole and the noose wrap. The noose wrap can be achieved by folding the shawl lengthwise, while keeping the folded corner upwards, then by folding it in half along its width, and finally by placing the folded shawl behind our heads and pulling the open corner through the loop at the folded end.

So which style is right for you? Here are some handy tips to keep in mind:

Wearing a shawl or a stole depends on your height, the weather and your style preference. Generally, if you are less than 5"6, the shawl is the more recommended choice. It provides a luxurious, fuller look and more coverage than the stole. Additionally, while providing the same glamour to your look, the stole is narrower by about 8 inches, which is the perfect proportion for petite women. In warmer weather and climates, the stole is also the must-have accessory for woman under 5’6". Women over 5"6 may opt to go for the shawl. The shawl is bigger than the stole at 36 inches by 81, which is just enough fabric to wrap your frame. The shawl and stole can both be worn as mufflers.

In the end, no matter which style you go far, just wearing a pashmina already adds a touch of style and glamour to your look. Whether the shawl or stole is draped around your body or worn in style, the pashmina possesses a one-of-a-kind sheen that no other fabric can match. Indeed, the pashmina is the embodiment of style, glamour and elegance, and is the must-have apparel in every woman’s attire.