Have you ever seen guys wearing scarves and or shawls in public places - in malls, theaters, restaurants, parks, and others - without other people looking at them with a quizzical frown on their faces? Chances are, you will be one of five Americans who think that such pieces of garment are for ladies only.<br><br>Oh, you are in for the surprise of your life!<br><br>Try browsing through modern fashion catalogues as well as magazines. Scan through the web pages of a popular men's fashion apparel and fashion accessories or better yet, spend some time just sitting on the bench by the park and you'll see more and more males are wearing scarves and shawls. You see, gone are the days when people laugh at the sight of men wearing such fashionable pieces of garments.<br><br>Unless of course you were wearing a shawl or scarf in glaring pink colors or with designs that are uniquely feminine, then perhaps you will invite ridicule upon yourself. Otherwise, conservative and strongly masculine colored and designed pieces of garment will do marvelous things to you as a modern cosmopolitan man.<br><br>The idea of men wearing a shawl or even a scarf is actually not new anymore. This is because the reason why such garments exist in the first place is that it serves to protect or shield the human body against the bitter cold of the Himalayas. This meant that men and women have developed these pieces of fabric as a means to protect them from the harsh environment.<br><br>This purpose is not at all lost amidst today's seemingly endless fascination for anything fashionable. In places where it is naturally cold, people from all different walks of life and in both sexes, shawls and scarves are often used wrapped around their exposed upper body parts to protect against the cold. These can include the neck and the whole torso from neck down.<br><br>In the dry desert communities, these have definite uses, too. They are used to shield the self against extreme heat as well as the occasional sand storms that can literally blind an eye. Soldiers, freedom fighters, and other desert men are often depicted or shown with either a shawl or scarf worn across their shoulders or wound around their necks.<br><br>In today's modern universities and higher institutions of learning, the use of shawls or a certain kind of scarf have closely associated with the affiliation to a particular peer group. In these instances, both male and female members of the group share the same kind and design.<br><br>Corporate executives often strut their power and influence with a conservative yet sophisticated wrap. Hollywood actors and matinee idols have used the shawl as a means to provide their fan base a means to enforce a certain kind of identity with their idols. Aviators in the early 19th century wore scarves and other similar garments whenever they took to the sky.<br><br>You see, a scarf or a shawl is definitely not just for women!<br>Men can benefit from the same kind of elegance and sophistication these fashionable pieces of garment have done for career women. What men only need to shed is the idea that only ladies and sissies wear a shawl or a scarf. Men should start realizing the importance of being functional and fashionable at the same time, especially in today's very competitive social environments.<br><br>Having said this, scarves and shawls are well known to provide the warmth and protection modern man needs and at the same time enable him to feel good about himself and be confident in the things he does in life. it's about time for men to start thinking otherwise about these practical accessories.