Believe it or not, this story actually has a Harlem connection. Remember, Harlem stays on top of fashion trends.
The photo above is of Rachael Ray pushing you to drink a delish Dunkin Donuts Iced Latte. Notice what she is has around her neck. Why yes, that is a stylish silk scarf that we see commonly worn around town. You might even own one or two that you picked up off a street vendor’s table on a particularly chilly winter day.
In they eyes of the “conservative blogger” set, Rachael’s stylish accessory is seen as a political statement. In the polysyllabic words of Rach herself…Puuuhhleeeesssse! I mean, as if we would really take any political statement Racheal made seriously.
So, what is the Harlem connection, you ask? Well, apparently young people have been going to stores on 125th asking for “A-rab,” “Taliban” or “Bin Laden” scarves” after seeing high profile figures like Kanye West, Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown sporting the checkered Middle Eastern scarf in recent months.
“People like Jay-Z, Jermaine Dupri and other mainstream hip-hop guys wearing it is the new development,” said Ted Swedenburg, a professor of anthropology at the University of Arkansas who has studied the kaffiyeh and its place in American fashion. “The tendency is towards diluting the political message.”
-Source: Columbia News Service
Fashion hit or fashion miss? Is this similar to the glorification of guns that we’ve seen or are most folks just “clueless?” Let ‘em rip in the comments section.
Related: Boston.com :: NYTimes :: Jewlicious :: MikeyWalley ::
Anonymous
May 29, 2008
Yeah, I bought one of those scarves in college, in ’89. I had it for years, used it as a window covering even!
anon
May 28, 2008
…and they have been worn in the ‘burbs since the early 80s when i was in high school
narmer
May 28, 2008
“Keffiyeh” have been worn as neck ware in the ‘hood since the late 90′s.
Anonymous
May 28, 2008
the trend is obviously not new but the stink being made is. Urban Outifitters sold them for months and no one said anything until now. I remember those types of scarves being a timeless accessory — especially paisley and Burberry patterns.
stalherz
May 28, 2008
Yeah, nothing new. I mean kids from the ‘burbs are starting to wear these. Soon, Gap will roll them out in their new line for fall.
Is it the same as the guns? Not at all. In fact, this could produce cultural understanding. Guns are never in fashion.
-Stal
anon
May 28, 2008
People are such lemmings. These scarves have been in and out of Western “fashion” for decades. There is absolutely nothing new or original about this. Just a bunch of followers taking their “style” cues from pop culture yet again.