The Great Topper Confusion & Link Up On the Edge #150

June 21, 2019 / 49 Comments
This kimono was provided to me for purposes of a blog post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

I am calling this pretty Wedgewood blue topper a kimono, but that is kind of confusing because it really is not a kimono. Country Outfitter is calling it a shawl. And it got me thinking that I cannot possibly be the only who gets confused by these terms for outfit toppers…kimonos, ruanas, ponchos, shawls, wraps, sarapes…so I took to the internet to find some clarifying definitions. They really aren’t all that clarifying.

Denim Jacket: Thrifted (Old Navy)

The piece I am wearing is called the Santorini Shawl. So what exactly constitutes a shawl? A shawl is usually long and rectangle shaped, similar to a scarf, that is draped over your arms and back and held in place simply by the tension created across those body parts. However, my shawl has stitching on the sides to create arm holes which makes it more of a ruana.

Shyanne Santorini Shawl: c/o Country Outfitter

So then what the heck is a ruana? Ruanas traditionally come from the South American Andes region and are generally a heavier fabric, like a blanket. They are usually rectangular in shape with a head hole and an opening down the middle. They generally do not have sleeves so one side can be thrown over the opposite shoulder and secured with a brooch. My shawl has arm holes and is not made of a heavy fabric which may discount it as a traditional ruana.

Boots: Bed Stu

It’s not a poncho. A poncho also has no sleeves and no front opening. They just pull over the head and drape over the shoulders. Ponchos also originated in the Andes region and were usually constructed from a heavy blanket like fabric. The shape is usually square or rectangle with just a hole in the middle to slip over your head.

Dress: Kohls
Tights: Old Navy

It is definitely not a sarape. A sarape is generally a giant rectangular shaped blanket like piece of fabric with no holes and simply wraps around you like a blanket. However, modern day sarapes may sometimes have head holes similar to ponchos and may even have hoods attached.

Earrings: Good Life Gift Shop

I suppose it could be considered a wrap. A wrap is a general term used for any type of garment that does just as its name says…wraps around you. A shawl or a stole would be considered wraps, but so would saris and sarongs. Wraps generally don’t have arm holes like mine does even though it still does wrap around me in a sense.

So maybe it really is a kimono. However, a kimono traditionally is T-shaped with very defined sleeves. My shawl is more rectangular just stitched under the arms to create arm holes, not necessarily actual sleeves. A traditional Japanese kimono is always worn closed with the left side layered over the right side and secured with an obi belt. Clearly, I have no belt and my wrap is left open. But it could still be called a kimono because obviously we wear kimonos in very non-traditional ways these days.

It looks like my Santorini Shawl doesn’t exactly fit perfectly into any one of these definitions. But that’s okay. I don’t seem to fit perfectly into any one definition either. I am a bit of a style chameleon as one blogger friend recently called me. I kind of liked that description. Which is probably why I love my crazy toppers as much as I do because all the different styles come from so many different traditions. I love it all. And I love to mix up genres and create my own unique look. So to eliminate any future confusion, perhaps I will just call them all toppers from now on. And I do have quite the topper addiction! I also really love my new Santorini Shawl!

Remember the Country Outfitter $500 giveaway is still open for entries. So be sure to click here and enter for your chance to win the shopping spree! They have a huge selection of really gorgeous toppers! And boots. So many amazing boots. Don’t miss your chance to win. Entries will be accepted through July 7, 2019.

And now your featured favorites from last week.

Angela of Le North shared her post, A Drag Tea Party. First of all, she looks stunning in her little black dress and shimmery shawl topper. Second, drag parties of any sort are really the most fun, aren’t they?! I still need to get myself to a Drag Queen Game Night at The Tarot Cafe. I really want to learn more about the drag culture and share it with you all. So a huge thanks to Angela for sharing her fun experience!

Angela of Le North

Gail of Is This Mutton? shared her post, Vionic Kaitlyn Wedges and Link Up. Yes, the metallic wedges are amazing, but it is this super adorable bright pink graphic tee matched starkly against her bright white trousers that has really caught my eye. So perfect, Gail!

Gail of Is This Mutton?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee

Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

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