Shawl or wrap search terms
October 16, 2022 4:42 PM   Subscribe

While visiting relatives, my daughter was charmed by a shawl that is, sort of, u-shaped. She’s asked for one for Christmas. I am struggling to know how to search for it.

The base shape is a rectangle, but with a long sort of slot in the middle of one of the shorter sides, running half or two thirds of the length of the cloth. The slot is for your neck; the effect is to create a wide back with two “arms” go over the wearer’s shoulders and can be snugged across or draped down.

When I search for shawls or wraps online, I find cloths that are square or rectangular and don’t have this slot. The slot is key. What is this called? How do I find it? Thank you!
posted by gauche to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (7 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: I did a Google search for "open front poncho", and found that it is called a ruana.

Here's one at Kohls, but a search for ruana brings up lots of options.
https://m.kohls.com/product/prd-5158876/womens-sonoma-goods-for-life-reversible-fringed-ruana.jsp
posted by rakaidan at 4:57 PM on October 16, 2022 [5 favorites]


Poncho is usually the term for "hole in the middle of a big square." Poncho with arm slits?
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:34 PM on October 16, 2022


Keyhole scarf.

posted by tipsyBumblebee at 7:25 PM on October 16, 2022 [1 favorite]


Best answer: If you're talking about a shape that's like, if the thing had originally been just a huge rectangular wrap but then someone cut a slit in it, that is indeed a ruana. A "poncho" would be if someone took a rectangular wrap and cut out a hole in the center. Here's a link to the online shop Chicos which has both ponchos AND ruanas for sale.

It is NOT a keyhole scarf, which is if someone took an around-the-neck winter scarf kind of scarf, and cut a hole in one end of that so you could stick the other end through it so it was easier to get around your neck.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:40 PM on October 16, 2022 [4 favorites]


+1 to ruana. I've been looking for one to crochet and this is the term.
posted by ellerhodes at 8:47 PM on October 16, 2022 [2 favorites]


I keep a couple of ruanas for easy wear during the fall.
posted by heathrowga at 6:28 AM on October 17, 2022 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Update: One of these (from the Kohl's link above) is wrapped and on a high shelf awaiting its place under our tree. Thank you all for your assistance. She is going to love it.
posted by gauche at 10:42 AM on December 5, 2022 [1 favorite]


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