arabic scarf???

Arizona · Newbie Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 3 Smiles: +1 44

the new trenddd??

I HATE ITTT.
my mom is arabic and i find it ridiculous tht ppl are wearing them like they are
fashion items...

they are a symbol of independence , not style.
everyone at my school is wearing one..

http://www.kaboodle.com/hi/img/2/0/0/50/6/AAAAAgC-AMEAAAAAAFBoPw.jpg

its this one.

electricpearls · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 8:00 pm Post subject:

I like them, and thus, I wear scarves all the time!

It's a great way to spice up an outfit from blah to fab. Why on earth is it ridiculous that its become fashionable? If they look nice, there's not a problem with people starting to wear them. Saying that they represent independence is like saying only one or a few people can wear it, otherwise no one can at all. If it looks nice, I say wear i!

My mom is Somalian (and Muslim) and she wore them all the time before too. People wear them now; they look nice, no big deal. She wears them as both scarves and hijabs (head scarves). I guess factoring in the religious affiliation brings justification for your independence argument, but people wearing them as an accessory wouldn't represent religion, it would represent fashion. It's like almost saying Muslims can only wear the "Arabic scarf". No, everybody that wants to should have that right wear it. Also, considering that it looks nice, why not? It's also like saying that wearing it would be a premise to disrespect Islam. Of course not (if this is what you are implying with the independence thing). I understand the purpose of the hijab, I know people who wear hijabs, they have no problem with it.

If you weren't implying the basis of Islam (and head scarves) to the use of such scarves as a fashion accessory, then just completely ignore my argument

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seasunsky · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject:

What makes those scarves "arabic" and not just any other print or any other scarf? I've seen people wearing them around in the fashion sort of way, but I can't say I've noticed arabic women wearing them otherwise. And what do you mean by "independence"?

Although, if it does have a religious affiliation I can understand. I remember when it was popular to wear rosary beads as necklaces, and that definitely doesn't fly with me. I found it so disrespectful. Yes, they are pretty, but they're an instrument for prayer, not an accessory. (if it was just a cross, that's different, though)
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electricpearls · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 9:06 pm Post subject:

The difference between wearing rosary beads as an accessory to "Arabic" scarves is that rosary beads even have crosses on them... they carry that symbol of religion, they are used for the purpose of prayer.

I see no religious ties to a patterned or solid-colored piece of fabric someone ties to their neck except that Muslim women cover their hair with fabric, but in my honest opinion, individuals wearing such fabric as an accessory aren't offending anyone, and if someone is offended by that, I find it absurd (coming from an individual whose parents are Muslim).
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dbee · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 1:18 pm Post subject:

i just think the trend in general is ridiculous, it doesnt even look good.

it also bothers me that arabic people wear it as a symbol for their country and people wear it, oblivious to the meaning or message theyre sending out as theyre wearing it.
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electricpearls · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 3:28 pm Post subject:

The trend isn't even worn in a remotely similar way that Muslims wear it for religion - Muslim women wear it as a head scarf, to cover their hair. The trend is focused as wearing it as an accessory... a scarf.

It's a scarf, guys. A piece of fabric. Wearing it around your neck isn't a symbol of religion, it's a a fashion accessory.

If you were wearing it as your head, then I'd see it as something different.

For example, when "turbans" were a trend on the runway, I thought it was absurd and offensive. But this isn't similar, IMO.
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angela · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 1:58 pm Post subject:

^ I agree with you. We aren't wearing them offensively, and i do not think they are nessecarily only arabic. Little old babushkas wear them too on their heads, and it holds not religious meaning behind it.

And yeah it would be different if it were a turban a rosary or whatever. I understand that is a sign of independance but scarves like this have been around for a loooooooong time, so it would be unfair to label them as only arabic. From the perspective of it being an accecsory, i like them and i wear them all the time.
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Shanti · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject:

I see a lot of Korean guys wear it...
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jod; · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject:

ummmm...its just a scarf Confused

im not expert, but i do agree - i think its only "offensive" if you wrap it around your head

or maybe you're talking about the design on the scarf??
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angela · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 3:08 pm Post subject:

^ I think its the fact that they wrap it around their heads, which most of us dont do.
The pattern would be a silly argument cause they dont just come in one pattern.
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dbee · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 5:12 am Post subject:

emcee · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 12:14 pm Post subject:

I don't really understand how it is different from the rosary thing. Just because a rosary has a cross (a symbol that is commonly associated with the Christian religion) and the Arabic scarf (or what the proper term is, I don't know sorry) lacks an obvious religious symbol really does not eliminate the fact that individuals of this particular religion may be offended by the idea that other individuals who do not know what this scarf may signify wear it with pretty blatant ignorance.

It's the fact that there is invested religious/ethnic/cultural meaning to this accessory and that people are wearing it without the knowledge of such meaning that is offensive I think; the scarf carries a political message but people are wearing these scarves (and thus, projecting this message) with no knowledge that they are.

And as dbee said, I'm certain that some Arabic people wear it around their necks, I've seen it in newspapers and the news..
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seasunsky · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 1:48 pm Post subject:

^but what are the scarves supposed to say, in arabic culture? there hasn't been a clear answer to that yet. "independence" seems pretty general and vague compared to purpose of rosary beads. The thing about rosary beads is that they are not a necklace, but people wear them as such. They are purpose related, only; they're used in prayer. If people are just wearing an embelished cross, I think it's different, because its not actually a rosary, and crosses are common to society as a whole, and I think it'd be silly and naive to try to limit them solely to christianity.

But is the scarf purpose-related, or is it just something that happens to be common among arabic people? From what I understand, I sort of feel that it's the latter, perhaps similar to how, I dunno, cool urban kids in New York all have really cool shoes, or how all surfer-kids on the west coast have those sort of wooden necklaces. Sorry if I'm totally wrong.
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emcee · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 8:41 pm Post subject:

^ Well I figured out what they're actually called, "keffiyeh". And they hold cultural signifiance to the Palestinian people; as it was used to differentiate them against the Israelis I believe - thus, it's used (at least traditionally) as a symbol of Palestinian nationalism. Something doesn't necessarily have to have a "purpose" in order to convey meaning, and even if objects did have to have purpose, wouldn't fashion and clothing be included, seeing as the way one dresses and the items they choose to wear are a projection of their identity?

And it's most definitely not limited to the Arabic people, but the Palestinian people, and it's not worn solely for cultural purposes, but worn, at least initially, to create a distinction between themselves and the Israelis. In addition, the keffiyehs' pattern carries meaning - I searched it around on the internet and discovered that certain patterns and colours also sometimes represent certain political groups, some which are terrorist and military in nature. That in itself raises questions I think. Personally, I think if you understand what you are wearing and get that you are transmitting such a message, it isn't as big of a deal, but people are wearing it without considering that it has political/cultural meaning.
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