Things I Own: Shawls

Early this year, I shared a list of Everything I Own on this blog. However, the number isn’t final as I am still in the process of purging my belongings. To complement my effort to complete the count, I will be creating a series of ‘Things I Own’ posts, each focusing on a specific category or sub-category of my possessions.

Let’s start with shawls. I wear a hijab as an act of faith, and in my country, Muslim women wear various styles of hijabs, including shawls made from different fabrics, instant hijabs, and square scarves. These can be plain, floral, or patterned, making it overwhelming to describe them all.

The Struggle with Shawls

When I first embraced a minimalist lifestyle, my shawls were among the hardest items to downsize. I used to have every colour to match each piece of clothing I owned. White, cream, yellow, peach, pink, purple, blue, brown, grey, and black – more than one shade of each colour.

It was difficult to decide which ones to keep because matching an outfit with the wrong shawl can be disastrous. The truth is, I didn’t wear them all and kept most for ‘just in case’. In fact, I didn’t feel my best in some of them.

Establishing a Colour Palette

The first step in minimising my shawls (and my entire wardrobe) was defining a colour palette. The image below shows the colours I’ve chosen for my wardrobe. Although this palette seems like a safe and easy pick, I love these colours. They make me feel pretty and confident, and they complement my skin tone.

When purging my clothing, I focused on pieces within these colours (not precisely their hex codes, of course). Narrowing down your wardrobe can help define your personal style. When you’re forced to keep less, you choose mindfully, paying attention to items you love and actually use – those that bring out the best in you.

In the process, I learned that I don’t wear patterned and floral pieces often, but I do love textures. I kept only one floral blouse, while the rest are plain. These are what I’ve been comfortably wearing all along.

Your approach doesn’t have to mirror mine. Your basis should be what sparks joy around the style and colour that suit you. Certain cuts of jeans or skirts may flatter your body type more than others, and not every colour matches your skin tone and personality.

Sticking to a colour palette also maximises mix-and-matching. For instance, I can pair black trousers with a grey blouse and a nude shawl. Then, dark blue trousers with a black sweater and a grey shawl. These two sets alone can interchange to create several more outfit options.

So, those are my quick tips for decluttering your wardrobe, including your hijab, if you wear one.

Long Chiffon Shawls

After purging, I ended up with two types of hijabs – long chiffon shawls and knitted semi-instant shawls.

I have six chiffon shawls in black, dark grey, light grey, greyish blue, brown, and dark brown. I bought them mostly for 10 to 15 MYR, except for two more branded shawls given by friends. These aren’t extremely expensive but are of good quality. If I buy a new shawl in the future, I will invest in this price range.

The dark grey shawl was a birthday gift from Harris, costing around 80 MYR. I chose it from TudungPeople’s website, and he checked out for me (the best shopping experience ever!). Another one is a brown shawl from Duchesscarf, costing 35 MYR. I received it as a bridesmaid at my best friend Liyana’s wedding, where we wore these shawls for the ceremony.

Knitted Semi-Instant Shawls

For the knitted shawls, I have four – two black, one nude, and one terracotta (each costing 55 MYR from Le Zaara). I love this type of shawl because it’s minimalist – no pin and no inner scarf needed. It has beautiful textures, and since it’s knitted, it doesn’t need ironing. Very easy and practical.

However, this type doesn’t pair well with my dressy and formal outfits. It’s a bit thick and warm, especially in the humid weather of my country. Still, it is relatively airy and doesn’t make me feel suffocated. I mainly use them for casual and quick outings, sports, hiking, and whenever I don’t have time to iron my chiffon shawls.

Total Shawls Count

Currently, I own 10 shawls. I might replace my black chiffon shawl soon as it has a hole – I’m unsure how it happened. For Eid, I’m planning to get a new hijab but haven’t decided on the colour or whether I really need it.