What's warm and soft and just a little bit fuzzy all over? (Clue: You can buy it!)

at Barney's + friend's husband = a perfect gift?

The other day, I was buying Louboutin patent platforms on sale at Barneys and ran into the husband of a friend of mine. It being close to Christmas, I figured out real fast what he was doing there – but I guessed wrong. “Where are the cashmere socks in this store?” he asked me, wisely assuming I would know every inch of Barneys like I know my own duplex. “I’m taking my wife skiing and I think that’s a great present for her.” I’d expected to lead him to the jewelry, the perfume, the Lanvin bags – but cashmere socks?

Turns out, they aren’t less luxe than these other items. Cashmere is the warmest, softest and most comfortable fabric in existence. It’s actually eight times warmer than sheep’s wool.

It first become popular in Victorian England – which makes sense, considering the damp dank U.K. before good central heating was invented. Cashmere comes from the underbelly of certain specific goats – originally produced in the Himalayas in the first part of the 19th century. Cashmere came to Europe from India, China, Iran, Mongolia, Tibet and Afghanistan (the name comes from the “Kashmir” part of India, where the goats hailed from.) These days, there are goats in Australia and New Zealand that produce it, too – there are 68 breeds of goat in existence that are capable of cashmere. It takes a certain kind of climate and feeding for a goat to bear the real deal – there’ve been lots of imitators, blends like mohair, angora – but they just aren’t as delicious as the original.

And it takes a genuine cashmere goat four years to grow enough hair for one sweater. Each year one goat produces a meager 4.5 oz of under fleece, which is painstakingly combed out every spring by nomadic herdsmen. It takes the hair of one goat to make a scarf, two or three for a sweater depending on the weight; 60% of each fleece is discarded. The diameter of the yarn must be under 19 microns to be classified as cashmere. In contrast, human hair has a diameter of 75 microns.

What’s the difference between cashmere and pashmina? Pashmina is actually the finest grade of cashmere that is a short, thin inner layer hair from Himalayan goats.

Got it? Really for a pop quiz? No, let’s skip that, and go directly to the great collection of cashmere items you can hunt down on TheFind.com – gloves, coats, slippers, sweaters for men and women. Aside from being brilliant Christmas gifts – don’t forget those socks – any cashmere item is good for chasing the winter blues away. Add a little thimble full of Scotch or cognac, a fireplace, and you’ve got practically the whole goat yourself!

cashmere + fireplace + cognac = perfect gift?

Prices vary wildly for cashmere anything, so the knee length camel cashmere coat for $379 from Pashminaboutique is a real steal, and a look you can wear for a lifetime. The Ralph Lauren famous cable cashmere pullover is $199 at Bloomingdale’s, but a Land’s End similar version, in a bright blue, is only $99.50 at LandsEnd.com. And there’s a full length dark pink overcoat in pure cashmere for $399 which I just put on MY Christmas list (NOTE TO FRIENDS) that is highly covetable.

When it comes to sweaters, I always love the really long ones that cover the thighs – that way, you can pair them with leggings, jeans or skirts and it all looks flattering. The Vince pewter long sleeve cashmere sweater is very thin and long, like a t shirt – but softer. $175 at FashionChateau. The Victoria’s Secret cashmere boyfriend tunic is super long, too, and only $48. The hooded capsleeve cardigan by Eileen Fisher ($198) is fantastically useful, because it’s long, open and can go over a turtleneck, a shirt or a t shirt. And I love the Minnie Rose cashmere hoodie in grape – because it’s long and it’s lavender, two of my favorite things -  $196 at Shop Rapunzels. For men, Neiman’s has a pale cashmere v neck for the total metrosexual, for  $476. Saks has a tweedier number in pale grey for $295. But the bargains are in the blends: Old Navy’s got one for $17.25 – an ideal gift for baby brother.

As for those socks: Garnet Hill has lovely colors for $26; Banana Republic has a dark pink pair specifically for trousers for $24.50, and if you like old school argyle, Saks has ‘em for $25. Calvin Klein does them for men in a thinner cashmere for $18 at Bare Necessities. And if you want that triple ply warmth, Neiman Marcus does a knee high version for $85 – good for skiing, for sure. And worthy of an Aspen ski jump.

And why have those tootsies hit a hard cold floor in the morning in Park City? Bluefly’s cloud blue rosette slippers ($72) are like slipping your feet into warm toasty clouds. For day, there’s a cashmere ballet flat sold in a travel bag that is a fabulous gift for frequent flyers ($84.99 from Intuition). And for the ultimate luxe – and apologies to the goats – the cashmere and croc slippers at Neiman’s ($495) are fit for a king or queen – or that perfect someone who has absolutely everything else. Except goats.