New shôul design essential for women

For women everywhere, wildly fluctuating temperatures make dressing appropriately and stylishly one of life's major dilemmas.

As a solution, Westlake Villagebased Casual Essentials introduced the "Shôul," which is a play on the words shoulder and shawl and is pronounced shole.

Made of a washable, soft acrylic knit and available in black or tan, the Shôul offers a versatile design that works daytonight for casual and dressy attire. As a travel accessory- and especially on buses, trains and airplanes- the Shôul folds to a compact, easy-to-carry size and even comes with its own handy clip.

For pregnant women, the Shôul provides an alternative to sweaters that no longer fit. Gym rats and yoga enthusiasts can tuck it in their tote bags for those warm-up and cool-down periods.

Founded in 2006 by Jo Anne Patterson and Susie Lewis, Casual Essentials was established to showcase the Shôul and is focused on producing other fashionable yet functional accessories for women.

For two years Patterson searched Southern California clothing shops in vain for the perfect replacement shawl. Patterson had worn out her beloved old shawl and said, "I missed wearing my old shawl because it was something that I didn't have to fuss with. Pashmina shawls are stacked in my dresser drawer, but they're just too bulky and are always falling off."

The product she came up with is lightweight yet warm, adds an elegant touch to any outfit and fits any shape or size. The Shôul costs $39 plus shipping.

Patterson is a pharmaceutical marketing consultant. Lewis owns Make Be-Leaves, a silk flower company, with her husband, Jack. The Shôul is Casual Essentials' signature product.