I’m in an area where the outside weather tends to be hot but inside temperatures in public places are cool to cold. How do you dress for this? You don’t want to overheat while walking around outside, but dragging a coat or sweater is a pain.

The solution is to carry a pashmina scarf. They are inexpensive, super lightweight, take up no space at all, and can make all but the most casual outfit look a little dressy.

I tend to carry two, one that’s a wool blend for really chilly locations or spitting rain, and another that is a shiny rayon blend that looks dressy. I have a dozen pashminas in all colours to coordinate with any outfit. You can pare your wardrobe down to basic colours and then use a pashmina to add a pop of colour.

You can also use your pashmina to cover up when visiting religious shrines; to protect you from the sun, wind, or rain; as a bag to carry things; as a pillow or blanket while traveling; as a beach cover up; and more.