Native American Style

[Cult Icon]

Koda Kumi's new single DDD (Jpop) made me take notice of this.

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Feathers, fur, beads, etc. Being 1/4 Native American myself, I can dig it.

I think it's a pretty cool, rock n' rollish look. What do you guys think?

 

[TheSoCalledPrep]

I like it. This particular example is a little too much too rock for just the daytime, but I like it.

 

[june gloom]

This comes to mind for me first, of course

Diva Dompe of blackblack, pictures by thecobrasnake.com.

 

[VintagePearls]

I like it

 

[saann]

do you mean clothes that are similar to folklore..

because I really like that..

 

[emobaby]

That's sort of... weird. And mildly offensive. If my Comanche grandpa saw some random model wearing a ceremonial warbonnet, I think he'd probably pass out. Wear moccasins if you want, but leave the religious items alone.

 

[Kimkhuu]

Looks kind of fake.... Not a fan....

 

[Spacemiu]

I really love native american clothing, I think it's so beautiful and natural.

 

[AlexN]

That's sort of... weird. And mildly offensive. If my Comanche grandpa saw some random model wearing a ceremonial warbonnet, I think he'd probably pass out. Wear moccasins if you want, but leave the religious items alone.

Yeah, I have mixed feelings. I like it because it's beautiful, but it's wrong to exploit such things in fashion.

 

[VainJane]

I like the earthy look of this trend

Wear moccasins if you want, but leave the religious items alone.

I understand where you're coming from--- then again, a lot of people wear crosses, stars of david, symbols of budhhism (sp) as part of a fashion trend...
( ex: I have a Native Canadian Indian Totem Pole necklace that I love to wear...)

 

[AlexN]

then again, a lot of people wear crosses, stars of david, symbols of budhhism (sp) as part of a fashion trend...

That's just as dumb, IMO. I just can't imagine wearing a bunch of religious symbols if I didn't actually understand of follow them. I'd feel like such a complete fake. But I guess a trend is a trend to empty-headed people.

And no, I'm not saying that everyone who follow trends is empty-headed.

 

[stratagem]

AlexN I completely agree with you, not only is it disrespectful but its yes as you said DUMB.
What next..swastikas necklaces?!

 

[Lena]

i simply love those pics posted.. i can see a potential trend growing there (i'm such a 'follower' of the native indian culture so i guess i'm biased..)

here my fave film director -sofia coppola- going her native indian thing at the recent Mark Jacobs season party in NY , source style.com

native headress by Anna Sui

 

[emobaby]

Well, a warbonnet is different from cross necklace in the sense that a warbonnet is more like... I don't know, a priest's robes and a general's medals rolled into one. Which is why it strikes me as so bizarre. Men have to earn the right to wear them, you can't just put one on like a necklace. They aren't pure decorations.

And, lordy, that Sofia Coppola pic - the equivalent to that ridiculous "Injun" get-up SC has on is like, blackface and watermelon. And if any white girl wore that, everyone would be up in arms about it. She might as well be running around doing a fake warcry, for God's sake. I guess I just don't understand why it's considered ok to caricature one racial group, while it's not ok for another. Because that is a caricature (that 'how' hand sign? do not get me started)- you cannot convince me she put that on to show some sort of deep respect for Native cultures. I'd love to see her show up on a reservation wearing that - the reaction would be enough to tell you 'cool' that outfit is.

I just can't help but think that people who would wear this as fashion would also think it's cool to call native women squaws, or something equally dumb.

ETA - I just read my post through, and just wanted to say that I'm not trying to inflammatory at all, honestly. I just get a little heated over this topic...

 

[Gincat]

I totally agree with you on this one, emobaby.

 

[mellowdrama]

Native American Fashion

It'd be great if the fashion was made by and benefitting Native Americans. I don't think it's offensive, but it's silly to see someone appropriating someone else's culture, the whole "wannabe" issue. But if you go to a pow-pow, genuine article Native Americans will sell you genuine article, Native American stuff. I mean, they know you're not Indian. Just don't go fooling yourself. I mean, I've got the "blood quantifying" crap, too, but I'm a white girl, always will be. No amount of turquoise or fringed leather will make me otherwise.

Beadwork, by the way, was brought from Europe. Natives used porcupine quills for dyed stitch work before the Europeans came. That seems hard to believe, just like when I told an Irish friend that potatoes originally came from South America.

As for the "swastika necklace" comment, swastikas were a common fashion and religious motif before Hitler coopted the symbols in the 1930's. It was even a Native American motif:

"The SWASTIKA is the world's oldest complex symbol and was used for centuries by many cultures before Adolph Hitler adopted it as a symbol for the Third Reich prior to the Second World War. What followed, resulted in the destruction of countless people and treasured property of inestimable value, and also altered the ancient symbolism of the swastika forever.

"The Greeks, Romans, Hindus, Celts, Chinese, American Indians and others treasured the symbol. The swastika was interpreted by some as four "L's" meaning Love, Life, Luck and Light. For others it seems to have originated as crossed lightning bolts symbolizing a source of great power. To the Romans the swastika meant "Peace". To the Hindus it meant "Good Fortune"'. To the American Plains Indians it meant "Good Luck". To all cultures it was symbolic of something good until the Nazis turned its meaning around completely, to signify evil,death and destruction. They converted the world's oldest and most loved symbol to the most hated and feared of all."

http://www.birthplaceofhockey.com/hockeyists/swastikas/swastikas-story.html

 

[arlekindearrabal]

i agree 100% on this too... i mean, all cultures deserve respect and admiration, specially the native american cultures, who are themselves very respectful of nature and other points of view... i'm sure she was doing it just for fun, not meaning to be disrespectful

 

[AlexN]

Disrespectful or not, Sofia looks like a moron.

 

[Spike413]

Seeing this thread makes me think of some of John Galliano's older collections....he definitly has a fascination with Native American clothing.

I don't understand why people would find borrowing from Native American cultures offensive, unless they find borrowing ideas and themes from any culture disrespectful. If that's the case then aren't tiered skirts, flamenco ruffles, saris, batik prints, kimonos, cheongsams, ponchos, tribal motifs et all equally disrespectful as far as fashion goes?

Yes, those are different from a headdress in the sense that they are worn as clothing, but they are just as much a part of those various culture as a headdress and feathers are to Native Americans. I think as long as it's used respectfully, and by that I mean not in a derogatory way, it's perfectly fine to borrow things from other cultures for fashion.

 

[hokte]

I would have expected Sofia Coppola to know better than to wear that. With most of the items it's not so much that they are borrowed, but somewhere along the line a negative element usually comes up. Maybe it's because so much time, effort and love goes into native american regalia, and the copies just never do the authentic pieces justice. Obviously the eagle feather has great significance, but even the symbols represented in the beadwork, and quillwork. Then when people try to copy this, they have no idea of what they're doing and it ends up being more offensive than honorable.

And yes, i've seen many swastika on buckskin dresses and etc. I'm sure it could be quite confusing to people who don't realize the other side to it.