The other day I went to a Bollywood store to find a thick, cuff bracelet with chains. I had recently watched Bend It Like Beckham and really wanted a massive clinky bracelet. I found the perfect one but the lady in the store was so rude to me it was bordering on impossible to buy the damn thing. She ignored me the entire time I was in there until I stood at the counter and she said ‘You buy?’. It was only when I replied yes that she actually stood up to serve me. She then asked me if I was attending a Bollywood party. I replied that no, I wasn’t attending a Bollywood party and that I thought the bracelet was beautiful and just wanted to wear it. She then gave me a death stare like I have never experienced before and did not so much as utter one more word to me while completing my transaction. I left the store feeling like a stupid little white girl wanting to play Indian dress ups. My beautiful new bracelet (that I wore the very next day) is now tainted with a strange and confused kind of guilt. I’m questioning whether or not I should actually be wearing it.
I adore reading fashion blogs and seeing the different outfits that people wear through out the world. I love seeing people working with different styles and being true to their origins and experimenting with different things. I get most of my style inspiration from fashion blogs and I often try out styles that I have seen. The question is, does anyone get offended when other people rip off their nations traditional dress? I know I don’t get offended when I see people in other countries wearing stubbies and thongs but I think that’s over simplyfying the problem. Australia is a relatively young and multicultural country. We have few (if any) nation wide rituals. Therefore we don’t seem to have much of a traditional sense of dress or any sartorial representation of our heritage. I suppose you could argue about the Akubra and the Driza-Bone but both of those articles were practical and designed for specific use. I can’t see anyone clomping down the catwalk in either of these babies anytime soon. So I am blaming my wonderful and multicultural upbringing for my ignorance of the spirituality (or lack of) behind traditional costumes and dressing rituals.
So to put it quite simply – I need advice. My question to you is should we be mindful of emulating traditional costumes? Is it ethically a little offensive to go around wearing bindis, turbans, crucifixes and henna tattoos as fashion statements? Or is it exactly the same as copying a look from the catwalk? Is there a difference between wearing Swedish clogs (sorry if this is an incorrect stereotype) which have no religious conotations and wearing a Muslim hijab which has spiritual and emotional meaning? Is it all fashion in the end or do we have to tread carefully?
What do you think?
Do you have any religious or traditional costumes that you cherish and find it offensive when others wear them? Do you believe that fashion is fair game?
I would love to know what you all think about this issue.
Love Lady Smaggle
xxx
31 Comments
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Amy – How lovely to get an artists point of view! I love the simplification that it’s a thing of beauty and I should wear it any way. I agree that the internet has changed our perception of what is acceptable but I wonder how many people that are as influenced as me? I mean have I friends who don’t even know what a blog is! Thanks for your artistic take on the matter. 🙂
Ayomide – I agree that ignorance is no excuse and I fully support the idea of research before you go offending people. Well done for doing your research before donning your head-dress. I tried doing research about the bracelet but I suspect that they might not be called bracelets and that’s why it was so difficult to find info on them! It makes me feel heaps better that other people give me the okay to rock my new bracelet!
Ivy – Ha ha! I love you! She was a very unpleasant woman but everyone has been so supportive of my purchase I’m feeling much better. Although it would be interesting to hear from an Indian person wouldn’t it? 🙂
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Emma – You’re a witch? Awesome! (Sorry is that the correct term? Obviously a white witch!)So your beef is not with people using the symbol of your faith but when they use and it and bastardise it? When the opposite meaning is Satanism? I really think that Ayomide is right about doing your research. It’s one thing to wear a symbol correctly without spiritual intent but it’s another thing entirely to wear a symbol incorrectly. From now on everytime I see someone wearing the inverted pentagram I’ll wonder whether they are evil or really really stupid. Thanks for your opinion in this matter. I’m loving how diverse this thread is!
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Fifi – Ha ha I can see you being chased down the street by Texans in stetsons and cowboy boots hollering obscenities at you! The Claddagh ring is a tricky one. Mainly because (if you have ever been to Ireland) they are sold as very touristy items so they seem a little exempt to me. Also you aren’t supposed to buy one for yourself. You’re supposed to receive it from the one ‘who has your heart’ and as such you wear the heart facing you because ‘your heart is taken’. That’s so true what you say about your fashion statement having a meaning or being the ‘fashion of the culture’. Perhaps that’s what we need to consider before stealing our style from other cultures?
Nicole – And the same goes for you with your Claddagh ring! I adore what they symbolise too and if you wear it with its meaning in mind I don’t think there’s any harm done. Besides, Irish people are so damn awesome that I can’t see any of them caring.
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this post is so interesting. i have worn and still wear once in a while, a crucifix or two. i am not christian and not even religious in the typical sense of the term. there is always a part of me that wonders if i am offending. then there is the part of me that says, it is a necklace. it can mean something to me and something totally different to someone else. if i don’t go along with the traditional meaning or see it a bit differently, why should i feel guilty.
the lines between what is art, fashion, religion, politics, etc are so blurred these days. i am a painter and see it in the “art world” firsthand. “the art world” meaning something completely different today than what it meant in 1950 even. i suppose there is a greater sense of freedom today but i am not sure that is a positive thing. at least for me.
you bought that bracelet because you truly did see the beauty in it. 30 years ago that beauty may have been missed. the internet plays such a large part in our lives influencing us on a daily basis. it has created that freedom, as well as awareness.
bottom line – enjoy your bracelet. (i feel i am getting off topic a bit! 🙂 -
I was actually struggling with this earlier when I was wondering whether or it it would be okay to buy a Yesser Arafat style head dress as a neck scarf. The actual name escapes me at the moment, but it was through researching the name that I learned there is a lot of political heat behind what I though was just a cool fashion statement.
To answer your question: I would argue that when you are fully aware that you are going to be dipping into other people’s cultures uninvited, you should to your homework as to what your future purchase is all about. Ignorance is no excuse in this day and age where you can log onto Google and find a truck load of really good information on the topic.
However, the Bollywood style bracelets are perfectly fine, and I think it was a rather uncalled for, for that woman to be so rude to you. Rock on with your style girl, and wear it with pride!
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Smaggle, the lady in the shop was just a b*tch. I’m Greek/French – if someone worn something from my cultures I would see it as an honour! That an “outsider” would see the beauty in the traditional clothing. Don’t let one narrow mind take away that beauty from your jewellery! I can’t think of anything that I’d find offensive to wear. I think Amy sums it up perfectly – with globalisation and more freedom, this is what happens, but I’m so glad it is happening 🙂
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I too have most conflicted feelings about this sort of thing. I regularly wear gypsy head scarves, tribal bellydance jewellery and have been known to don a bindi or two.
But when I see people wearing the symbol of my religion (the pentagram), I often feel a little affronted. This is especially the case when I see it inverted (as in the attached pic) and surrounded by flames, skulls and other death-metal paraphernalia. I feel like asking them if they are able to explain any of the myriad of meanings or origins of this simple yet ancient symbol. And I wonder if they would be truly happy to associate themselves with the meaning of the inverted pentagram if they were to know it.
Then again, the very age and multiplicity of uses of the symbol is probably what makes it resonate for so many people, regardless of what they do or do not know. Perhaps the reason they are attracted to the pentagram is because of some shared memory of its meanings in the collective unconscious.
Or perhaps fashion is just fun and I’m getting way to Jungian. Sigh!
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This is such an interesting post… My basic reaction is that you can wear whatever the hell you want, as long as you rock it… I bought an awesome (and very cheap) pair of faux snake-skin leather cowboy boots earlier this week without being at all worried that I might be offending any real cowgirls by wearing them…
BUT…
I have long long long adored both the concept and the aesthetic of the Claddagh ring, but I have never worn one because my Irish heritage, while indisputed, is a fair way back, and I guess I feel like it would be an attempt to appropriate a culture the significance and heritage of which I don’t really share or understand…
Having said that, obviously by wearing your bracelet you are in no way trying to suggest that you are Indian…
I guess I think it depends on whether the thing you’re wearing as fashion actually has a spiritual/cultural significance to the culture that it comes from, or whether it is just the ‘fashion’ of that culture… if that makes sense…? -
well, see, i do wear a claddagh ring, and i’m not irish at all, unless i somehow absorbed some from my step-father, which is unlikely. but i adore what the ring symbolizes, and i don’t feel bad wearing it at all.
i guess it’s just a personal issue as to whether or not you wear something for what it stands for or if you find it beautiful, regardless of where it comes from. i personally agree with the latter. everything can be interpreted by different people in different ways. so if you found the beauty in that bracelet, then wear it with pride!
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Wendy B – Spoken like a jewellery designer I’d say… I guess it is all decoration in the end isn’t it?
Moxie – I’m becoming more and more fond of the bangle as this thread continues!
Selina – I’m from Canberra, Australia which is a sort of a University city so we are quite diverse in our cultures. We do have plenty of Indians here but most them are Australian Indians (having been born here) and are therefore are just as Australian as me! The woman in the shop wasn’t wearing traditional attire. It’s a shame though because I actually really love the shop and I want another bracelet like this to wear at the same time. I love symmetrical jewellery. I might brave the shop again… I’ll let you know how it goes!
Bronwyn – Thanks Bronwyn! I’m totally not even close to guilty anymore thanks to all the lovely encouragement I’ve received. In fact I’m wearing it right now! 🙂
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Jess – I think most people agree that research is the answer. So as to avoid offending people and therefore being able to continue to wear the symbols of other cultures with their blessings.
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Natunia – wow I never even thought of that! How the behaviour of the wearer could effect whether or not it’s offensive. You’ve opened up a big can of worms with that one girl! 🙂
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I think that you should do your research. Some items may signify something whether good or bad and you would not want to offend someone by not doing your homework. Some customs have deep meaning behind it and people have to go through certain ceremonies to even have the honor to wear or use it. So to just wear/use the item in the name of fashion in my opinion would be disrespectful. Rather than being rude to you the woman in the store could have stated the meaning (if there was one) behind the bracelet.
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Oh lord. It’s just a bangle. The woman was being a random bitch. Don’t worry about it. Fashion segregation is not necessary.
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Diva and O.S – This was the best I could come up with in terms of research.
http://www.come2india.org/indian-bridal-jewelry.html
The jewellery worn at weddings is supposed to symbolise the woman’s wealth and set her up for a fruitful life. The jewellery is also designed to highlight the beauty of the woman. They both sound quite lovely to me!
What are your thoughts on this?
Emma – Thanks for clearly that up! I did a quick seach on it and it came up as the symbol for Satan. How irritating that the top search was incorrect. I hope someone can answer your questions!
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In general I don’t see any harm in emulating fashion from other cultures. If it’s something like a bindi, a religious symbol, or something else with a deep meaning, I think it’s important to realize what that symbol conveys so that you understand the message that you may be sending to others.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the bangle though, it’s lovely!
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i’m quite shocked. is there are large indian community in your area? at home in birmingham, white is a minority and there must be hundreds of indian shops, but i never see anyone in traditional attire, just bring western clothes. it should be celebrated that you are delving into new cultures and styles. the lady was obv. just snooty and doesn’t even know you or how you appreciate style. i’d try somewhere else or go back and ask her real opinion. i do however think there is a limit if something sends out a message like those keyeffiah (spelling??) scarfs that represent islamic nationalism
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I think you have a fabulous, creative, individual style – who cares what the shop lady thinks! I hope you don’t waste any more time feeling guilty. I hope you wear and enjoy the bangle as a sign of something of your own creativity and style that you love.
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A keffiyeh is generally considered a symbol of Palestinian nationalism, and is frequently worn as a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
I think that to wear the important spiritual (or other) symbols of another culture without an understanding of what they mean is ignorant and disrespectful….not to mention the fact that you are then representing yourself in a way that you don’t understand and perhaps do not intend. It’s kind of dangerous water. Not to say that we should never wear the symbols of another culture…but I think we should try to understand them and maintain their meaningful-ness. Something sacred or meaningful shouldn’t just be worn as a fashion statement, IMO.
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I agree with this others.. this is really interesting and i don’t think that there really is a problem… unless its something Religiously bad… sacrilegious like wearing a rosary and snorting coke and binge drinking… that might catch a few death stares. hah!
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Sorry to go all the way back to my previous topic, but I wanted to clarify.
The inverted pentagram is widely believed to connote evil, primarily because of it’s association with an inverted cross (which was used at one point by Crowley and thus became associated with the ‘dark side’ of magic. Although there is a longer story to this one too…) However, the inverted pentagram is also worn by Gardnerian pagans to signify that they have reached the second stage of initiation.
I’d love to hear from a Gardnerian as to whether they are offended by the common uses of the inverted pentagram.
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Came here via Bits and Bobbins…and have really enjoyed your interesting discussion! Lady Snaggle, I think your initial instinct and feeling of unease about something being not quite right was correct. There *is* an ethical issue involved in ‘ethnic’ fashion. A few of you have emphasized this already, but one big difference between ‘catwalk’ fashion and ‘ethnic’ fashion is the degree of religious meaning embodied in the garment. I think a lot of us living in big cities and working in office jobs or whatever lead fairly secular lives (or at least I do), and this is in sharp contrast to how, say, some South Asians live their lives (like say how my mother-in-law does), which can be seeped in religious rituals and observances. The Palestinian keffiyeh is a really intentionally strong and clear mark of affiliation and support for a cultural and political group, so that is a pretty easy example of the power of cultural associations with clothes, but the bindi is also a very strong symbol of religious devotion and aspiration, and this meaning is totally disregarded when worn strictly as a fashion statement. One confusing thing for me, when I first came into contact with Hindi culture and Hindi diasporic cultures, is how aesthetic beauty IS a part of religion; this is really at odds with a Christian/Calvinist/Puritan aesthetic of restraint, simplicity, and plainness that I was more familiar with growing up. So it is actually really striking that this discussion of South Asian fashion associates all that gorgeousness only with Bollywood and media, and not with any religious meaning. And I think this might be at the heart of the shopkeeper’s hostility towards your purchase (sorry everyone, I don’t think she was a b* although I wish she could have figured out a nicer and more constructive way to express her disapproval). The basic issue which has a residual link to colonial times, is that people (even now and certainly 100 years ago) in “developed countries” frequently think they don’t have to pay attention to ALL (or even some of, and especially not the religious and political) layers of meaning in a garment or a custom or whatever, but the reverse does not apply to people from “developing nations”. For example, if one is going to an interview for a job in a bank, it is not acceptable for a man to wear sandals with a suit, even though that might be the most comfortable or even stylish; the rules of THAT world’s clothing are pretty intense, so I think there might be a certain anger when one’s own religious and traditional practices are treated as unimportant and ignored – ‘ethnic’ as just a look, and not a whole set of cultural meanings. Basically, there is a power imbalance reflected in cultural appropriation. I’m really struggling with this issue too, because, unfortunately, I don’t think research alone is the answer; you still have to decide if you want to honor the original context and culture, or if you just want to be informed, and still disregard it, as, for example, people who wear a bindi knowing roughly what it symbolizes, but do not seriously follow any dietary or meditative practices to aspire to reaching the religious state that the bindi represents. Or maybe that is too easy an example too…how about when you think a headscarf used in a certain culture to express wifely modesty is really beautiful, but totally disagree with its connotations for female sexuality? Argh! So hard! And a final question I really can’t figure out – when someone from outside the culture takes up a certain garment or look and incorperates it into their big-city, secular look, is that actually degrading the original culture, or is it opening the way for a greater dialogue and appreciation of the culture from which the look was taken?
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Hi, I hopped over here from bits and bobbins.
It’s a really interesting discussion, and I think you’ve asked a valid question.
I live in Singapore, and it’s pretty common to see elements of another culture ‘borrowed’ in most people’s outfits. (Especially nearing and during ethnic holidays such as Chinese New Year and Diwali). I wore a Vietnamese ao dai to my grad night, no less, and I’m Indian! 🙂
I don’t think the bangle had anything to do with the saleswoman’s attitude. I mean, it could’ve been something like a wedding bracelet, but from your description of the situation, the woman simply seemed xenophobic.
Personally, I feel that as long as the person wearing something from my culture is wearing it respectfully, I just feel that it’s cool that they thought to explore other cultures through their outfits.
My (very long) two cents worth!
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Wow, and we could go even MORE off topic and speak about people who get tribal/traditional tattoo’s to adorn their body. Like this guy I met once who was Samoan and had ‘Tribal’ tattoos. But they were in NO way samoan-culture related, & when I asked him what tribe he belonged to he laughed at ME!?
I was like, you’re laughing at ME while you’re the Samoan guy wearing stencil-style, flashbook-found ‘tribal’ tatts?! Ca-razy!
His tattoo’s meant absolutely nothing to him other than he liked the way they looked. They were a derivative from many different REAL ‘traditional’ tattoos that had been washed-down and put into a tattoo flash book.I find it Really sad when people don’t have any REASON for their tattoo when they get it out of a book on the day.
anyway! sorry, rant rant rant!x
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i think it is okay to wear an item from another culture/tradition if it is done in the utmost respect and reverence. but it can be very sensitive because for many cultures, religion is intricately entwined and thus, it becomes offensive if an item is worn as a form of fashion, especially if one does not believe in the religion.
so i think it takes a lot of discernment and understanding of the significance of the item before it can be worn so that it does not become frivolous.
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I am glad you have posed this question. I think it is very important to be aware and respectful of fashions in cultures other than your own because there are meanings and symbolism that you may not understand. What is just a pretty bracelet to you may be adornment for a particular ceremony such as a wedding or symbolic of religious devotion. I personally choose to wear specifically cultural pieces only if I have personal understanding of what it means to me.
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The bracelet could have symbolized something important. I have seen white women buy Indian wedding bracelets, bridal bindi’s, even wedding sari’s “for fashion” and it makes me want to spit because those are deeply meaningful to Indian women. You could have simply asked if it had religious, spiritual or cultural significance. Approaching another culture with knowledge is the key to understanding how to respect it.
Not for the bracelet buyer but a few others out there:
Appropriation is not an “honor” as someone poorly stated, and please stop trying to divorce Bollywood from Indian culture. Other cultures are not a trend for your “ethnic fetish”.-
Author
Thanks Rani, I did actually do some research before hand and I couldn’t find anything about it. I should have asked but she didn’t seem very happy to answer any questions.
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