What's up with shawls?

I'm not much of a shawl wearer, but they seem to be the new "in" thing in the knitting world. So like a lemming, I've been knitting shawls! So far I've stuck to smaller shawls that I wear like a scarf - and I've ALWAYS been a scarf person. So maybe it isn't such a stretch!

Yarn - Inca Sportlace 100% wool - 376 yds. (I got it on clearance at Tuesday Morning.) It started it's life as a mustard yellow color. That's not the best color for me, so I over dyed it in a greenish-blueish color.
Pattern - Traveling Woman (Rav link)
Mods - None (I was afraid I would run out of yarn, but I had about 30 yards left over.)