New age fashion raises questions about Culture Appropriation

Houston, Texas — any mention of cornrows brings to mind the image of beautifully coarse hair intertwined expertly into neat braids. These elaborate geometric patterns trace back along their african roots for centuries, much like the peoples who have been sporting them. For years, african americans have been scrutinized for their choice of natural hairstyles, often described by people of alternating races as “ugly” or “too ethnic” but that is seeming to no longer be the case in 2016. New york fashion week, along with most major fashion publications are now hailing cornrows as the style of the century.

Some accredit it to the Kardashians sudden flaunting of the style as though it was Gods personal gift to solving their styling sorrows while others whisper a more controversial theory that is socially defined as culture appropriation. Cultural appropriation is the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of another culture, it is often mistaken with culture assimilation; for example a person of color wearing jeans or straightening their hair”. Culture appropriation on the other hand is differentiated by the scrutinization of the original bearers or exhibiters of said culture and styles, which is theorized to be based on the color of their skin.

The bias and insult rooted in culture appropriation according to writer Nadra Kareem Little article “What is cultural appropriation and why is it wrong” is revealed in a quote that reads “cultural appropriation typically involves members of a dominant group exploiting the culture of less privileged groups — often with little understanding of the latter’s history, experience and traditions.” This theory implies that not only does the appropriating culture discriminate against and misjudge the latter culture but their further donning of their garments, appropriation of symbols and copycatting of styles is just adding salt to the wound .