https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:05:39 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-448341 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 07:12:14 +0000 Anonymous 448341@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I can identify with those who want to be respectful to other cultures because I am not a Native American but I live on a county road that runs through a reservation. I treasure &amp; love to wear some beautiful Native American turquoise &amp; silver pieces, &amp; I've enjoyed wearing them ever since I was given them by my Mom in the 1970's when I was a teenager. I didn't think about it back then because where I lived in California, everybody wore Native American jewelry, but when I moved here I didn't want to be disrespectful, so I wondered if it would be appropriate for me to wear it. That was 25 years ago, &amp; I did decide to go ahead &amp; keep wearing these pieces because they''ve always had sentimental value for me, &amp; even more so since my Mom passed away 13 years ago. My friends who are tribal members haven't taken offense &amp; I hope nobody else has.</p> <p>Style-wise, since I mainly wear jeans &amp; I appreciate the handcrafted qualities of Native American jewelry, I guess I probably fall into the "earthy"/"boho" style categories others have mentioned. And I really like retro/vintage, so I love it that my pieces are older.</p> <p>Megan </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396675 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:26:35 +0000 Aziraphale 396675@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It never even enters my head. If I like something, I wear it. Mind you, I can't think of anything I own that fits into the category you're describing -- I don't go for tribal anything, I don't wear crosses or ankhs or any kind of symbol. I have some jewellery that's made from impressions of beautiful old Greek coins....that's about it. Oh wait, I have one ring in the West Coast BC aboriginal style, but it's made by an aboriginal artist, so I just think of it as "finger art". </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396667 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:15:09 +0000 Kari 396667@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've struggled with this too, a bit. When I was in college I ventured through Vancouver's Little India (a very small street in Vancouver BC with some gorgeous sari shops.) One of the shops was selling lightweight, colorful, embroidered tunics for a song. I bought them and wore them sometimes in the summer over a camisole with shorts, or with straight-leg jeans, but I also felt like I was on the borderline of wearing something that belonged to a culture that I didn't fully understand. (Also, the breezy, somewhat boho/eclectic style of the shirts didn't mesh with my then-evolving modern classic aesthetic.) </p> <p>The now-defunct Academichic blog has some great articles about this topic, if you'd like more food for thought (see their links on this post):<br /> <a href="http://www.academichic.com/2011/07/26/resource-file-our-favorite-theoretical-excursions/" rel="nofollow">http://www.academichic.com/201.....xcursions/</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396626 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 23:18:38 +0000 Elly 396626@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Teens wearing Urban Outfitters "cultural wear"--- OFFENSIVE</p> <p>A woman in a tasteful outfit incorporating a print or accessory from another culture that she knows something about and admires---- BEAUTIFUL</p> <p>I personally struggle with this because I consider myself to be an insider/outsider in a cultural and ethnic community. I work in a ethnic enclave. I am a direct descendant of family that are from that enclave. I myself did not grow up in the culture (until I was an adult) and am not "full-blood." On one hand I would like to wear some of the cultural signifiers that other women wear because I appreciate the meaning, craftsmanship, and beauty of the pieces and because they signify membership. However, I usually just choose to fly under the radar as I often get a better reception as "that white woman" than when I share my heritage and knowledge. Often sharing my identity as an insider/outsider is inappropriate and I hate to be making a "wannabe" or "clueless" impression to people that must believe we have a relationship of mutual respect and trust. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396589 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:30:16 +0000 Kate 396589@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yeah, it's amazing how items of clothing can be re-appropriated too. In 2008 in Berlin I kept seeing neo-Nazis wearing keffiyehs when I was in the subways. Turns out they have decided to interpret them as pro-Palestine, and thus anti-Israel, and thus anti-Jews. Whereas around the same time, they were a huge fashion trend in other parts of Europe and the US, where many people had absolutely no idea there was any cultural significance to their cool new scarves.</p> <p>I say do what makes you and the people around you comfortable. Every single piece of clothing can be interpreted in multiple ways, so I'm not sure we'll ever win at this game. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396583 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:22:46 +0000 lyn* 396583@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My friend gave me a gift once. I thought it was a pretty shawl and wore it all around campus. Then I found out it was a prayer rug. Oops.</p> <p>Since then; I've been careful to toe on the side of being conservative. So embaressing. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396576 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:17:36 +0000 CK 396576@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Taylor, some people (men and women) wear keffiyehs like a scarf - around the neck. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396563 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:05:51 +0000 Vildy 396563@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The Star of David is on the Israeli flag. </p> <p>What, anyway, would be the problem with making a mistake?<br /> A mistake isn't intentional, it's a mistake. </p> <p>Some years ago a famous couturier did a take off on Hasidic dress.<br /> I rolled my eyes. It didn't offend me, though. The best thing my mother<br /> ever taught me was not to be in the business of getting offended. </p> <p>There was a funny riff I heard once where an Asian woman was grousing<br /> that "we don't wear forks in *our* hair." Was she really offended or just<br /> going for a good line? Who knows. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396515 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 21:14:47 +0000 esenin 396515@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You all bring up excellent points.<br /> My biggest fear is that I'll make a mistake:<br /> There are some photos of Ms. Palin wearing a Star of David. The commentary concludes that even if she merely wished to show support for Israel, She went about it incorrectly. The star represents Jews, not Israelis-there are non-Jewish Israelis, and non-Israeli Jews. therefor, her wearing the star was appropriating culture and was offensive.<br /> I fear that I too will wear something incorrectly-but when I think about it, how can I wear turquoise and gold jewelry offensively?<br /> Some of my problems are personal hang-ups that make no sense whatsoever. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396513 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 21:11:09 +0000 taylor 396513@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Keffiyehs are typically worn by Arab men to keep the wind, sand and sun off their face and heads...do you think that is practical for here? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396498 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:54:35 +0000 Lynne 396498@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting....I remember when Lady Di used to wear a loosely draped head scarf in countries where women traditionally covered their heads. She made it look chic, as if she was acknowledging, without imitating, someone else's traditional dress. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396496 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:53:18 +0000 nancylee 396496@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hm. This is an interesting thread. I do have some dresses and tunics and even some jewelry that would be considered "tribal" or "ethnic," but they are modernized/modified pieces so they don't feel too costume-y. I use my own judgment when buying/wearing items like this. I don't like to feel that I'm appropriating someone's ethnic or religious heritage, but rather showing admiration for it.</p> <p>I think as long as you aren't dressing head-to-toe in someone else's traditional cultural garb you're ok. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396489 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:46:14 +0000 rachylou 396489@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Mm. That's very respectful - and I think, you know, I appreciate that. At the same time, growing up in hippie land, there's a lot of value in becoming friends and sharing our cultures with others, showing admiration. </p> <p>I think, maybe, the best way is to bring a little something into your own context. But stick with using things the way they were meant to be used in general. Like having an everyday, western fashion skirt made out of the same material as someone else would use for their version of an everyday skirt. You know, don't use a prayer shawl for a beach coverup. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ot-culture-appropriation#post-396428 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:18:53 +0000 esenin 396428@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>More specifically, what do you do about it?<br /> I find myself extremely conservative in my approach to other cultures. Despite my love of ankhs, I do not wear them. I avoid keffiyehs and anything described as "tribal". </p> <p>Am I overtly zealous?<br /> 'Sometimes I will not wear a garment even if I love it, out of fear of appropriating someone else's culture. I believe that the mass-marketing cheapens the meaning to those who care, and I wish to avoid contributing to that devaluing. </p> <p>Other YLFers, what do you do? </p>