The wisest Brides-To-Be view the New Year as the sartorial equivalent of a clean “white” slate- - -and White Stole wholeheartedly agrees!  We encourage you to take the First Day of the year as an opportunity to shake-up your thinking about how you and your entourage will greet the First Day of your married life-to-come!

Rather than reaching for the conventional, vanilla-combo, we suggest you amp-it-up a notch by way of a glamorous, shoulder-hugging Couture Silk Stole Wrap over a delicately-designed Couture or Vintage dress, with a pair of classic heels for a look that is fresh, and totally unexpected. Top it off with a touch of exotic or vintage-flaired floral in your hair, and you are ready to walk the aisle in New Style!

One of our favorite bridal looks is the theme of “Embellished Accents” and the feel of a “Viennese Waltz” for your wedding.  Certainly, you would choose dark florals and poetic fringe or lace scattered throughout your entourage and venue, topped by White Stole’s “Sophisticated Evening Lace” embroidered Couture Silk Stole Wrap by Valentino with elbow-length evening gloves to spin a rich, bohemian vibe throughout the night.  You and your entourage would be perfectly suited to the romance of Old Europe in an autumn or winter wedding, and appropriately outfitted to sip mulled wine and stroll in equal measure amongst either fallen leaves or snow-dusted sidewalks!

Simply choose from one of our favorite Valentino or Leonard, Paris “Silk Satin Stole Wrap” Collections and you are set to roll-into the New Year in extraordinary style!  These iconic brands’ collections feature rich embroidery, color blocking and graphics to add superb styling to timeless essentials, all with a decidedly upbeat flare.  Whether you're buying for yourself or for someone in your wedding party, wrap-up these luxe classics for a very stylish holiday season!

View White Stole’s entire collection for size and color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

Note:  Sartorial comes from the Modern Latin word sartor which means "tailor"- literally "one who patches and mends." 
In English the adjectives sartorial and sartorially are used to refer to any matter pertaining to the consideration of clothing or fashion.

We have seen them on last year’s runways, but again in 2014 the world’s top Bridal Collections are truly outstanding with their renewed emphasis on elegance…and the Stole: irreplaceable for the Bride who wants to feel like a fairy Princess on her “I do” day.

Reserved for true dreamers, this “Must-Have” accessory gives a royal touch to the wedding - a Princessly allure that each of us look for on the big day.  An elegant detail, light and sinuous, capable of enchanting a Bride’s guests during her triumphant walk down the aisle.  Short or long, the Stole is present in all variations, Silk Chiffon, Silk Satin, Silk Cashmere, Silk Twill, Silk Tulle, Silk Lace, in white, pastel, black or bold colors, floral and graphic patterns fastened with or without the adornment of a broach.  Extremely light, the Silk Chiffon Stole, in particular, lends an elegant touch that gives fluency to the bride’s every movement unlike any other fabric or accessory - whether draped over neck, shoulder or arm, or tied in the back and draped forward over the shoulders.  For the Modern Bride, the sky’s the limit on her style choices of Silk Stoles!

Even more sophisticated, is the Silk Stole with Lace Embroidered patterning, or in the form of a Vintage Tulle. The Stole becomes an essential accessory for every respectable bride, useful to hide necklines, and, when the time is right, reveal them and enjoy the party.  Truly infinite are the combinations of materials for those who are always chilly and love sheer covering over a strapless gown as they move from church to reception or dining room, or across a ballroom floor.  From the sheerest Chiffon to Silk-Cashmere blends to Tulles that give soft volume and silhouette, the Stole’s transparence and delicacy enriches the shoulders with grace and elegance.

It is well- known that the details in your wedding accessories make the difference!  Viva La Difference~!

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

As summer winds-down, and we begin to exit the sunny season of beach, garden and ranch weddings, White Stole turns all eyes to our Urban Brides. 

City Weddings are the ideal environment to channel any season’s graphic trend, and our stylists at White Stole advise you to direct yourself to the black and white palette, and to keep the pattern focused to your theme or ideology - in this case, a statement that says “We are Tieing the Knot!”

A romantic dress is set-alight with the subtle interest of a periwinkle blue geometric ribbon print Silk Bridal Wrap that spells “Tieing-Up-Our-Love for a Lifetime.”  Adding drama with either a sheer graphic on black, or a vintage appliqué on antique white Silk Stole Wrap equally brings any length of dress to new heights, along with adding sheer cover against fall’s crisp day or evening chill. 

If you will be tieing your knot even later in the Fall Season, adding a natural Vintage Stole "Capelet" Wrap is truly an elegant way to carry you through the afternoon-to-evening festivities of a brisk fall day. Adding the interest of an intricate heel, a satin silk clutch, wristlet or hairpiece, and finishing with a navy smoky eye and chandelier earrings with any of these choices spells City-Elegance!

View White Stole entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

In the 6th century, silkworms were smuggled out of China in bamboo canes and brought to the eastern Mediterranean by two Persian merchants disguised as Priests. From there the labor-intensive business of breeding silkworms is believed to have spread first to Sicily in the 12th century, and then north to the shores of magnificent Lake Como.

The Seduction of Silk on Lake Como's shores is little known to those outside of the fashion industry, but since the turn of the century, Como, a 2,000-year-old Roman town on the southwestern shore of the lake of the same name, has been the center of Italy's silk industry.

Como's picturesque Duomo is the perfect view of the history: Master weavers were already working in Florence in the 13th century. In the 15th century, Venice became a silk processing center. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Milan assumed prominence as both the Italian and European silk capital. By the turn of the 17th century, Como became the country's largest silk producer. Como now produces 85% of all of the silk made in Italy. The silk fibers are still woven, dyed and finished in Italy's finest silk factories, just the way they have always been.

The historic piazza in Como city center tells more of the story:  Designers from virtually every fine house - from Valentino, Leonard Paris, Armani, Chanel, Hermes, Vuitton, Dior, Celine, Balenciaga, Herrera, Etro, Pucci, Burberry, Fendi, to Versace, and beyond - rely on silk from Como. A good deal of the credit for a designer's success goes to the silk houses. While the fashion-line's designers may come to the manufacturers with guidelines and inspiration for the types of fabric designs they envison, it is the manufacturers' artists in Como who actually execute the designs.

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

Whether the wedding festivities are being held on a ranch, in a vintage barn, or on a vineyard, you'll be grateful for pairing your dainty heels with a colorful or graphic Silk Bridal Wrap over your Vintage Silk Lace Gown that matches your bridal colors and themes...but even better, takes your theme over the rainbow! 

For any chic, daytime or country wedding, an ethereal printed Silk Wrap is both relaxed and super sexy for the Bride, especially when paired with this season's It-Bridal heel and hairpiece.  If you are the guest, of course you will wish to tie-into the fun of the theme and setting with a graphic or floral Silk Stole Wrap of your own paired with a lightweight dress, bright raffia clutch, sleek gold cuff, and the newest lace-up laser cut stiletto. 

Ditch the traditional cocktail dress and opt for a glamorous printed Silk Chiffon look! The bohemian flowing nature of chiffon makes it easy to wear and incredibly fun to dress up for any outdoor or “natural” themed wedding – sky’s the limit when it comes to your posh Silk Stole accessory over your shoulders!   Add edgy heels, cut-out booties, elegant or oversized jewels and you’re ready to dance!

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

In the nuptial spirit, White Stole has compiled a collection of quintessential Bride and Guest-of-the-Bride Silk Wraps we encourage you to take to heart....and shoulder…as these are the Wraps you’ll want to never take off!  Treating your Silk Wrap as the new neutral that it is, this accessory is one that goes with everything - especially now as mixed prints are back in high-style.

Whether you are going to a Country, Garden, City, Glam or Island Resort Wedding, if you are in need of a luxe bauble that will serve as a ‘Thank You’ Gift for your bride or bridesmaids, look no further than the chic, luxury-approved curation White Stole has spent hours putting together for you.  

The unexpected set of Italian hand silk-screened, inspired colors and designs in the White Stole Silk "Gift" Stole Wrap Collection will rock any bride and her bridesmaids past the ceremony and on into her lifetime.  We have picked the perfect presents for your bridesmaids or best-friend that will be cherished - and used -  forever!

View White Stole’s entire Gift Collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

The concept of glamour is personal, yet a person with glamour can make fashion glamorous.   While opinions of elegant women are legendary, one thing is clear:  Women of Style and Glamour simply want more exciting things in their lives to help them refine and define their personal taste…that will not fall apart after a few washings! 

That said, the women White Stole loves to love have a deep desire to have, hold and wear her Accessories "for life"….then see them end-up in the hands of her daughter, her favorite nieces or cousins, or even a fashionable second-hand store where Style-Savvy young girls or Budget-Minded women will discover them 20 years later. 

It is true that at most high-end shops, evening wear and luxury couture come with rather hefty price tags.  Nevertheless, though the entire ensemble may be outside of your budget, Accessory Pieces are typically inside that arch.  To the Style-Conscious, the best Accessories have somewhat of a primordial quality – lending a sense that you have captured a bit of the life you have secretly desired from the beginning of your time.  With just a wisp or sheerest layer of silk or fur, you can convey the sense of delicacy or power you feel.  White Stole was born to help our wearer feel like the exquisite creature she is with Couture Luxury Accessories that will last a lifetime! 

A floral Shawl Wrap is guaranteed to bring flowing style with pretty pastels to the woman who goes for the glow on her special day!  Pictured here, the “Frascati” Silk Satin Shawl Wrap by Leonard, Paris flows with you from your Outdoor, Terrace or Garden Veranda Wedding setting into a Keepsake that will mark your special day for a lifetime with its floral design in cream, peach and violet. 

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

It goes without saying that your wedding gown is a reflection of your style.  But where is it a written rule that your Wedding Gown and Accessories have to be entirely ivory, antique white or optic white?  At White Stole, we love the old adage “rules are meant to be broken“ - especially when it comes to Wedding Dresses and their Accessories!  

Although we love a classic strand of pearls, we flock like moths to light towards out-of-the-box Accessories and accessory trends. Since your wedding day will be the most photographed event of your life, we wish for you to be absolutely sure that you dress exactly how you dream of feeling on your perfect day. 

You can be both Classic and One-Of-A-Kind by wearing metallic champagne, a pale soft hue in gray, beige or blue, a pretty blush pink - and as many already have, red or black - with the perfect Luxe Accessory to compliment.  Women who wear black and ivory in it's many shades with dazzling Accessories are simply stunning!  In fact, these colors are preferred in a cocktail or tea-length for casual weddings.  

While a Stole Wrap is usually rectangular, offering more width and length, the "Sophisticated Lace Dream" Cape Shawl is more square in shape, offering extra width for a fuller, more extravagant envelope of the silhouette. In all settings,   Cape Shawl Wraps are used today to keep warm, for added fashion to complement attire, and for symbolic reasons at outdoor or indoor evening affairs where the temperature is not warm enough for women in sheer or off-shoulder dresses and where a jacket is inappropriate.

White Stole’s photoshoot of the "Sophisticated Lace Dream" Cape Shawl by Valentino in magnetic black embroidered lace on beige Silk Twill is a stunning example of the lush look of color set against a minimal ivory or black gown, making the view maximally exquisite!

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

With pearlescent faces, bright bands of color, and precious floral designs created in the time-honored couture tradition, these radiant "Fabiola" or "Flores" Silk Bridal Wrap keepsakes create the ultimate fairy-tale picture.  It is understood that the details make the difference in elegance itself, and these almost surreal flourishes put you in the mood for romanticism, humor, chic fun, elegance…and a little Elsa Schiaparelli for good measure.  By the handful, these pieces are undeniably made for each other!

Unconventional at its best, opting for color is a chic and sophisticated way to 'Break Bridal,' and nothing does it better than adding a colorful, floral Stole Wrap to your ensemble to highlight your Spring or Summer Wedding, whether in the Garden or on the Veranda!.  For a bride-to-be (or just a gal looking for a pretty new layering piece), couture Silk Bridal Wraps put a glam and edgy spin on tradition.

With so many gorgeous Stole color and size options to choose from in the White Stole collection, there's guaranteed to be a style that you will adore from this day forward….and cherish as a momento of your wedding day while wearing it throughout the years ahead.

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Silk Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

People all over the world are interested in standing out rather than blending in.  There are plenty of images all around us today that are fueling the resurgence in creativity that feeds our uniqueness, and allows us to continue the legacy of openness and tolerance exuded in the luxury Stole and Gown Designs of the world’s great Creatures.

Different colored Stoles have historically been used by Clergy throughout the religious seasons of the year. Most signify various holidays, such as a White Stole being used for Christmas services. Some denominations also use separate colors to differentiate between ranks or degrees held.

Color is everywhere, in every religion, throughout the seasons, and for all the themes….and the same holds true today for Bridal Wear.

There's nothing more glamorous than a Color-Inspired Wedding – whether we are speaking of the ceremonial location, the table setting, or the walk down the aisle.  From iridescent opals and diamonds to flowery or graphic motifs, prepare to obsess over the curation of color that today’s free spirited Bride-To-Be is holding dear to her heart!

Of course, in the heart-of-hearts of any glamorous Bride, the thought of taking her Wedding Day with her into her future is always a heartbeat away. And what better way to do that than with a luxury silk, couture "Heirloom" Stole Wrap or Shawl that will serve as both a cherished momento for her and her bridesmaids of their glorious day, but as a memory that is brought to mind every time she wraps it around her from this day forward?   White Stole wholeheartedly agrees!

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Silk Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

Equal parts dainty and whimsical, these luxury couture Silk Bridal Wrap Accessory alternatives are equally as appealing if you're simply in the market for a luxe bauble to invest in, or looking to show your true spring or summer colors at your Country or Garden "Whimsical" Theme Wedding. 

Without a doubt, anyone can guess that the slightest hint of cloud in a pure blue sky calls for something exquisite to chase away the chill, but even if none should appear, what can add more to the fantasy of a sun-filled wedding day than a Couture Silk Bridal Wrap that brings out the pretty-little-bling in any gown? 

Consider this “tradition with a twist!”  Sure, you might label this stunning style as a dream buy, but it needn’t be when White Stole will include your own Silk Bridal Wrap at a special price that allows you to “gift” your bridal party with a momento of your day together.  

Possibly the best part or having each of your bridesmaids adorned with a glamorous Couture Silk Bridal Wrap is that you will have something to hold onto and wear again, and again over the years ahead together! 

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Silk Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

As a summer day dips into twilight in our more temperate climates, the chill in the air beckons after sundown for an Evening Stole Wrap that will offer light covering and warmth, yet still be suitable for wedding gala festivities where a jacket would certainly not.   

Those of us who run more warm-blooded might have wrapped our Stoles as a Sash around our waists, necks or elbows and left them to drape behind us throughout the reception and on into evening’s dancing.  

In any and all stylish cases, the ever-popular Evening Stole Wrap and Evening Shawl come in many different forms, sizes and price ranges.  Stoles of silk, silk satin, chiffon, organza or similar sheer materials are meant to provide a bit of warmth, though Fur Stoles and Evening Shawls, the latter of which are often knitted, clearly provide more.  The Silk Stole Wrap has historically been paired with an evening gown or dress. These Silk Stole Wraps for evening are typically finished with a simple hem on either end, exuding elegance in being both light and sheer.  Some individuals prefer to pair their Evening Stole Wrap with more casual fashion skirts and dresses since the Evening Stole Wrap will launch any attire into an elegant look for evening when teamed with dressy heels and accessories.

Triangular knit Lace Shawls are usually knitted from the neck down and may or may not be shaped. Faroese Lace Shawls historically are knitted bottom up and contain a center back gusset.  Each shawl consists of two triangular side panels, a trapezoid-shaped back gusset, an edge treatment, and usually shoulder shaping.

On top of warmth, an Evening Stole Wrap is often worn to show off a particular fabric, like silk satin, or fur. The major difference between Stoles and Shawls lies in the size, and the material. Stoles are usually rectangular, offering more width and length than a Scarf, while Shawls are more square in shape, offering extra width for a fuller, more extravagant envelope of the silhouette.

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Silk Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

The first Shawls, or "Shals," were part of traditional Persian costume in Achaemenid Persia worn by both males and females. Shawls were also part of the traditional costume in Kashmir, India, which was probably introduced via assimilation to Persian culture. They were woven in extremely fine woolen twill, some such as the Orenberg Shawl, were even said to be so fine as to fit through a ring. 

Kashmiri Shawls came in two classes:  they could be loom-woven in one color or in different colors (called tilikar or tiliwalla), and woven in one piece but more often sewn in small segments that are imperceptibly sewn together; or they could be ornately woven and embroidered (called ameli or amlikar). in which an intricate and elaborate pattern is stitched on top of plain pashmina wool.

Kashmiri Shawls as high-fashion garments were brought to Western Europe in the early- to mid-19th century.  Imitation Kashmiri Shawls woven in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland are the origin of the name of the traditional paisley pattern.  Shawls were also manufactured in the city of Norwich, Norfolk, England from the late 18th century (and some two decades before Paisley) until about the 1870s.   The Kashmiri Shawls from Asia maintained a pre-eminent place the world-over for their beauty and quality, particularly the Lightweight Wool Shawls, delicate Silk Shawls, and more sturdy Wool Shawls, however, it is due to their western imitations that Shawls took Europe by storm, replacing fibers like cotton and linen, thereby making it one of the most important accessory pieces in garment history.

The Kashmiri Shawl is characterized by the elaboration of its design, in which the "cone" pattern is a prominent feature, and by the glowing harmony, brilliance, depth, and enduring qualities of its colors. The basis of this richness is found in the very fine, soft, short, flossy under-wool, called pashm or pashmina, found on the shawl-goat, a variety of Capra hircus inhabiting the elevated regions of Tibet.  There are several varieties of pashm, but the finest is a strict monopoly of the maharaja of Kashmir. India.  Inferior pashm and Kirman wool - a fine soft Persian sheep's wool - are used for shawl weaving at Amritsar and other places in the Punjab of India, where colonies of Kashmiri weavers are established. 

Kashmiri Shawls reached their widest and most universal appeal in the West due to Napoleon’s conquests in Egypt and his alleged gifts of Shawls to Josephine, that galvanized their notoriety.

Silk Shawls with fringes, made in China, were available by the first decade of the 19th century.  Ones with embroidery and fringes were available in Europe and the Americas by 1820. These were called China Crepe Shawls, China Shawls, and in Spain " Mantones de Manila" because they were shipped to Spain from China via the port of Manila. 

While the importance of Embroidered Shawls in fashionable women's wardrobes declined between 1865 and 1870 in Western culture, they became part of folk dress in a number of places including Germany, the Near East, various parts of Latin America, and Spain where they became a part of gypsy dress - especially in Andalusia and Madrid.  These Embroidered Shawls were revived in the 1920s under the name Spanish Shawls, a named derived from their use as part of the dress of Spanish Gypsies, also known as Gitanas. Their use as part of the costume of the lead in the opera Carmen contributed to the association of the Shawls with Spain rather than China. 

Shawls are used today to keep warm, for added fashion to complement a costume, and for symbolic reasons at outdoor or indoor evening affairs where the temperature is not warm enough for women in sheer or off-shoulder dresses where a jacket might be inappropriate.

View White Stole’s entire collection of Cashmere-Silk Shawls, Stoles, Silk Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes for purchase, or rental, on our website.

One of the most difficult decisions a future bride and groom must make is the location of the ceremony.  Without a doubt, it has crossed the mind of some brides, at least once, the romantic possibility of getting married on the beach.  No sooner is it envisioned, however, the problem of which gown is most suitable quickly arises.

The cut of the gown most recommended is short.  However, for those who dream of a train, the alternative of a long Wedding Gown and Silk Stole Wrap sewn in a fluid and flowing fabric that exudes the sensation of lightness, is the sought-after alternative. The best choices for both dress and wrap accessories are certainly natural silk satin, silk chiffon, or cotton-silk blends to lend the bride features of a refined pearl.

The most alluring way of all to enhance the Wedding Gown is with drops of color and the addition of Silk Stole Wrap Accessories with floral or marine designs and motifs that bring out the blues of the sea, the gold of starfish or the many shades of coral present all around her.

Wedding guests will simply admire the elegance of a Bride by the Sea wrapped in Silk!

View White Stole's entire collection of Stoles, Silk Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

We have seen them on the runways, but of all the elements within designers’ bridal collections, it is the Stole in it’s many forms that is truly outstanding.  Alongside the traditional Veil, the Stole is irreplaceable for the bride who wants to feel like a fairy princess on her “I do” day.

This “must-have” gives a royal touch to the wedding - a princess allure that each of us look for on our big day.  An elegant detail, light and sinuous, capable of enchanting our guests during the triumphant walk down the aisle. Short or long, the Stole Wrap or Stole Cape is present today in all variations, from tulle, lace, organza, and chiffon, in white, pastel, or stunningly bright colors. Extremely light, the Stole lends an elegant touch that gives fluency to the bride’s movements.

More sophisticated is the Stole Wrap in embroidered or appliqued lace. The Stole Wrap becomes an essential accessory for every respectable bride, useful to conceal jaw-dropping necklines or shoulders, and when the time is right, to uncover them and be able to enjoy the party.  Truly infinite are the combinations of materials, from cashmere-silk blends for those who are always cold, to tulles that give soft volume to figures, to chiffons and silk satin for the most luxurious touch.

Reserved for true dreamers is the transparent and very delicate silk chiffon Stole Cape that enriches the shoulders with see-through grace and elegance. It is well- known that the details make the difference in elegance itself.

View White Stole's entire collection of Stoles, Silk Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

The elegant inspiration of a flowing Stole as a formal wrap of expensive fabric wrapped around the shoulders over a long dress or ballgown, created from silk or natural fabric, and of a length long enough to be draped across either shoulders, or around arms or neck has survived in all cultures throughout the ages. 

A Stole Wrap is typically narrower than a Shawl, and of simpler construction than a Stole Cape, and is typically worn loosely around the shoulders. Lighter materials such as silk and chiffon are simply finished or cropped, hemmed and bound.  Heavier materials such as fur and brocade are typically lined.  A Silk Stole is essentially a small version of a ladies’ Stole, made of silk. Though these garments or accessories aren’t always made of silk, they are typically manufactured with similar quality fabrics.

A Stole can also mean a fur or set of furs.  For formal wear, a finished length of fur using pelts from more than one animal is worn over a suit, dress or gown.  In this case, the word Stole stands alone or is used in combination: Fur Stole, Mink Stole.  A Stole is typically narrower than a Cape or Wrap.  The Fur Stole is kept fastened and held together at the front of the collar. Unlike a Silk Stole or Shawl, which is wrapped loosely around a lady’s shoulders and occasionally the neck, a Fur Stole is manufactured to fit the body more snugly

Similar to a Shawl, the Stole Cape typically uses more material length and covers more of the upper body. Also occasionally referred to as a Stole Wrap, the Stole Cape is likely to be found in a wide array of materials and colors, but the most common type of Stole Cape is typically made of fur.  Some popular dressy styles of Stole Capes might include ostrich feathers, marabou, or other material. The feathers can come in various colors, although black, brown and white are generally the most commonly seen.

In addition to making an elegant fashion statement, all types of Stoles have been used to show respect while in a church or in a formal setting, such as for a Wedding, where it might be inappropriate to display bare shoulders or a low-cut gown.

Historically, Stoles were considered ceremonial dress worn for special occasions or at formal events such as weddings, coronations, graduations, parades, religious rites and galas.  Besides the Wedding Dress, throughout history the formal dress code of ceremonial dress has included the Ermine-lined Cloak, Crown and Septer of a King or Queen, Tribal Dress, Suit of Armor, Military Dress, Liturgical Robe, Graduation Gown, and Robe and Wig worn by British judges.  The Stole as an ecclesiastical vestment consisted of a narrow strip of silk or other material worn over the shoulders or, by deacons, over the left shoulder only, and arranged to hang down in front to the knee or below.  The Stole as a long robe was worn by the matrons of Ancient Rome. 

The lithograph plate posted here showing a variety of ways of wearing shawls in early 19th-century France (ca. 1802-1814), is redrawn from various early 19th-century sources by Durin for Albert Charles Auguste Racinet's Le Costume Historique (1888), and shows the myriad, exquisite ways the Silk Stole Wrap has been worn over the ages.

View White Stole's entire collection of Stoles, Silk Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

The date was 1954.  Valentino Garavani, then a young Italian who apprenticed for Jean Desses, designed a slim, elegant ensemble with a leopard-skin belt and Stole.  A moment that marked the beginning of his signature elaborate aesthetic that would catapult him to be known only by his first name - Valentino. 

After five years with Desses, and a brief time with Guy Laroche, in which his couture sketches became the foundation of his eponymous look, Valentino returned to Rome, Italy to set up his own label, bringing with him the grandeur that established for him the reputation of what Italians call “Dolce Vita” – Sweet Life.

When Valentino showed his first collection at the Pitti Palace in Florence for the first time in 1962, the acclaim instantly annointed him the go-to Couturier for the glitterati.  In 1967, he was awarded the prestigious Neiman Marcus Award for his infamous “No-color Collection” in which he rebuked the trend for decadent color palettes, opting instead for hues of beige, white and ivory.  This collection launched his signature “V” trademark.  In the same year, he designed the dress that Jackie Kennedy wore to marry Aristotle Onassis - both events that crystalized the fame that turned his business into an international fashion powerhouse, dressing Hollywood superstars from Gwyneth Paltrow to Cate Blanchett, Julia Roberts and Elizabeth Taylor to Anne Hathaway.

When interviewed by the Telegraph, Valentino said this about his early inspirations:  "I was always inspired by seeing glamorous American movie stars in clothes by the costume designer Edith Head…and when I was working with Jean Desses and Guy Laroche in Paris I was influenced by French couture and the luxurious lives of French women."

"A dress that reveals a woman's ankles while she is walking is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen," Valentino once told The Daily Mail.   In an interview in November of 2012 with Vogue UK, Valentino noted that times have changed since he first started his career.  "Few people love and make beautiful clothes, clothes that are soft, smooth and elegant," he said. "And very few designers today design - it's very important to be able to do your own sketch on paper and then explain [your vision] to the fabric cutters. Instead, lots of designers drape - it's the new way."

UK blogger David Downton described Valentino:  "My first couture experience was drawing Valentino fittings at The Ritz in Paris - it was like entering Narnia. He is the last of the old-school couturiers. Lightness of touch, rigorous discipline and an unfailing glamour aesthetic are his hallmarks.” And, on the subject of Valentino’s use of his signature color - red: "There is cardinal red and rose red. Come-to-bed red and go-to-hell red. But when it comes to a red dress, there is really only Valentino. As someone once said, Valentino invented red."

Despite having retired from designing for the Valentino label, Valentino still works on special commissions, recently designing the bridal gown worn by Princess Madeleine of Sweden for her royal nuptials in June 2013, a fact that has kept him in the hearts and minds of devotees of Bridal fashion.  Valentino has embraced Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, the current co-designers of his famed label for the past five years, on their runway shows. The pair continue to successfully steer the Valentino ship season after season, carrying-on the magnificent, spirit-lifting collections which have come to symbolize couture in its truest sense while walking the line between feminine, light and intricate designs that remain modern and compelling for today’s women.

Each and every dress on the runway offers different fabrics and techniques, yet the concept of gowns constructed through piping details and lace, with silhouettes that we have come to know and love from Valentino – "demure, nipped-in waists and splaying skirts, necklines either cut straight across or high in Tudor proportion, Stoles, Capes and Shawls fluttering across dresses of distinct shape….with bold lines of red and black and cream that bring the body’s figure to life – remain.  Gowns in white look like they had been adorned in wedding icing - both elegant and pristine. Gowns breath-takingly made up of 450 metres of tulle, with swaying skirts that fold back on one another to create undulating fairy-tale hems.  Lines that are neither strict nor severe, always lending the sense of romantic femininity that is neither too sweet nor too austere"…remaining quintessential Valentino.

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

From the 1960's and beyond, among the “Fun and Flirty” looks that new Bridal Fashion has adopted is the Statement Dress, Tee Shirt Gown, Top Hat and Tails, the Caftan, Native American and the Palazzo pant.  With all, the preference for wearing Silk has remained the fabric that most completely brings out the Romantic Heart of a woman. 

An ethereal vision…the Silk Chiffon Shawl blowing in the wind strikes a magical pose with its muted tones of dark and sky blue, chartreuse green and purple accented with gold.  For the daring bride, a printed shawl can be something new, inventive, bold or simply a soft and whispered statement of beauty.  Set against endless blue, the blues and greens of White Stole's "Gisele" Shawl almost trumps the sky itself.

Whether wearing strands of diamonds and pearls, vivid tangerine or chartreuse silk chiffon, silk emerald green jersey trimmed in beads, pink flamingo, deep ruby red, pure black, or plaid, the Modern Bride intuitively understands the mantra of Oleg Cassini ~ “Do something you will be really proud of ~ make a unique statement!”

View White Stole’s entire collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.

Universally, “knots” in the origin of the wedding ceremony with its centuries of tradition, have had a place in the folklore of many cultures as a symbol of unbreakable pledges.  

Historically, the knot as the symbol of a lasting unity dated back to the Legend of St. Katherine, circa 1225, where the Middle English word “enotte”, or ‘knot,’ was used to mean "the tie or bond of wedlock." From that point ‘To tie the knot’ as an expression came to mean getting married.  

The costume of the bride is the pivotal image that sets the theme for the event itself.   The design of the gowns and their "Stole Wrap" accessories, floral arrangements, and decorations symbolize the tying of the knot custom, representing the bonds of marriage.

Historically, the bride would arrive at the altar with an untied shoe, and the groom would tie the lace.  Knots were tied in the bridal bouquet with a fabric or silken cord or within silk garments as part of the ceremony.  In Italy, a knotted ribbon is tied over the entrance to the reception, within bouquets and Bridal Wraps, and in the frosted pastries tied in knots which are served to symbolize the Love Knot.

View White Stole’s entire heirloom collection for size color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes and Shawls for purchase, or rental, on our website.