tribal fashion

native american styles have always been a favorite of mine. the turquoise jewelry, fringe boots, camel colors and suede tops. american indians were stylish to the extreme, and they might not have even known it. or at least they might not have realized the trends they were about to set afire. 

with fun geometric cross-stitched patterns in bright colors, woven bags, furry and fringed boots, and over sized belted dresses, native american fashions are unique and stylish--but still comfortable. 

the background and traditions of american culture might have caused some of the appeal, but these people have such a strong heritage that has managed to hold strong through the tough times of the past. 

their art and jewelry nests some of the strongest traditions and culture of the native americans. fashions that are centuries old are now hitting the runways, celebrities and even mainstream and street styles. 

asian invasion

as all parts of the world have their influence on american fashion, so does asia. its bright bold colors and prints, plus rich textiles have carried over to runways and ready mades. japanese and asian fashions have a completely unique touch; therefore, making it easily recognizable when it is reworked into modern western fashions. 

color being a huge part of asian style, the once all black american fashion staple is now changing. western fashion has seen that it's not all about the dark colors, vibrant hues can be good too. red is a very symbolic and metaphorical color for china and japan. so the asian red became a huge accessory to the color black, and it still is.

the high neck collars on tunics, pulled over flaps on coats and shirts and kimono style sweaters or jackets are all over the market these days. these sophisticated and traditional clothing styles worn by chinese or japanese women for generations, are now being weaved into western fashions for that classy mod look. 

even hairstyles from eastern traditions are being seen on models and fashion trendies. the high and tight bun is traditionally very asian, it is being seen on women every day in the western hemisphere. very simple and classic styles have been pulled from the east and brought to the west. of course some of these styles are overly embellished for runway fashions, but a more every day look can be generated as well.

keffiyeh... where did it come from?

so i know the triangle scarves have been the new trend all over the fashion market, but when i first saw them, they reminded me of my childhood right away. i spent 6 years growing up in riyadh, saudia arabia, and while living there all i saw were these triangle scarves--and that was over 14 years ago. 

i guess the saudi men were way ahead of the game... 

so when did such traditional scarves become so trendy? and why? here's a little history of where the triangle scarf stemmed from. 

the keffiyeh (arabic), also known as the yashmagh (turkish), ghutrah, hattah, or mashadah is a traditional headdress arab men wore. it was a square shaped cotton cloth folded and wrapped into a triangle, or other various styles, around the head. it was worn to protect from sun exposure, as well shielding the mouth and eyes from dust and sand blowing in the air. the distinctive woven check pattern originated in an ancient mesopotamian representation of fishing nets or ears of grain. 

in palestine, red and black colored scarves were usually worn--but 

from experience, black signified palestine, and red signified saudi or jordanian heritage. bedouins have used the scarf as a symbol of honor and tribal identification for centuries. 

the western world started adapting versions of the keffiyeh when people saw arabs as part of allies of world war I. so the scarf started becoming a part of theatrical wardrobe in western films. in the 1980s. girls started following arabs in the west who were wearing scarves proudly to represent their arab heritage. the keffiyeh became fashionable and was seen on famous people like the lead singer of nine inch nails and models. bohemian girls started wearing keffiyehs as scarves around their necks--so i guess the 80s really is back, in more ways than one. 

urban outfitters was one of the first stores to promote the keffiyeh fashion, but after some controversy pulled the item. the controversy was because the scarf was supposed to me more than just a fashion trend, to arabs (especially palestine with the war going on) it was a sense of nationalism and cultural pride. other controversies dealing with the keffiyeh have come up as well; some of which were righteous, some not. 

balenciaga's 2007 line set the scarves on fire, causing them to really hit the fashion world by storm--everyone wanted to wear them. different colors like purple, green, blue, and yellow started appearing as well. and now not only are keffiyeh's in fashion, but so are all kinds of triangle scarf versions...