The Occasional Woman: Cashmere!
Hi there, dear Readers! Well, here in the east coast, temperatures are falling, but not yet horrible. I have put away the flimsy summer frocks and tops, and have left only one pair of shorts out. Okay, three pairs, hope springs eternal in a transplanted Californian! And although I lament the passing of Daisy Dukes season, it brings its own reward—CASHMERE!
Cashmere, you say? That incredibly expensive, ridiculously soft fabric, out of which comes the Cashmere Sweater? YES! I am a huuuge fan of this wonder-yarn, and want to tell you all about it.
Cashmere comes mainly from the underbelly wool of the cashmere goat, which is primarily found in China, Mongolia and Iran. These spots get seriously cold in the winter, like, freeze your ears off cold! It was originally from a region known as Kashmir, but the name got anglicized. . . Anyway, the underbelly of the lovely Cashmere goat has two layers, a coarse outer layer and the wicked soft underlayer The hairs are seldom “shorn”, but instead they are hand-combed off the goat, and collected for this miracle goat-fiber. Then they are carded (separated by combed paddles) and spun into the world’s best yarn.
THIS is primarily why cashmere is expensive—it is labor-intensive. AND—worth it! For a time, Kmart (remember Kmart? I do!) had a line of Jacklyn Smith cashmere sweaters, in wonderful colors, for a truly reasonable price. Gurl, I stocked up! I still have about 6 of them, all v-neck models.
A slim skirt and a cashmere sweater will make the wearer feel all special and snuggled with luxury.
I think we owe it to ourselves to invite some luxury into our lives! Cashmere is:
1. Ridiculously soft
2. Warm without getting the wearer all sweaty!
3. Washable in COLD water, lay flat to dry
4 WORTH THE MONEY.
And speaking of money—Thrift stores and “resale boutiques” often have cashmere items, don’t be all bougie and disdain them. Same for Macy’s Last Act”, which is a bargain basement with a large variety of great clothing. CHEAP.
For me, cashmere items have made life much more warm, friendly and soft. Have a look!
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Category: Transgender Fashion
