An important accessory in the Victorian era was the shawl, made from Indian (Kashmir) wool. It was an item of elegance and luxury, and was of course also very useful for the winter.
Most of all, perhaps, the shawl carried significant emotional value for the Victorians.
This was because it was the usual gift a young man brought home after working or serving in India, for his fiancee, sister or even his mother.
This way, the shawl signified that the young man was back home, safe from the dangers of war or the vicissitudes of life in the exotic East.
A white shawl is part of the mystery in Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White -- and this will be the subject of a new post!
No comments:
Post a Comment