ASA 141
Week 2 Blogpost
I have always been skeptical of the concept wearing another’s
traditional or cultural attire as a tourist attraction, since these types of
clothing and the material used, often hold value and significance. When these
pieces are worn without regard to any of this and rather for a picture or to “look
cool”, the attire is devalued, and the meaning is lost. But I also believe fashion
can be a communicative medium and way to share and bridge cultures, as Michael
Hurt highlights in his article “Clothing, social empathy and the power of stepping
into someone else’s shoes”.
This is why I was conflicted about wearing a Dirndl when I attended Oktoberfest in Munich. Even though all attendants of Oktoberfest were encouraged to wear the traditional Dirndl or Lederhosen, in order to have the “real” Oktoberfest experience, I didn’t want to wear the traditional Bavarian dress with the mindset “I’m attending Oktoberfest, so why not”. I acknowledge that comparing Germany to, in this case, Korea is extremely different. This goes back to power dynamics and colonialism. For so long cultural attire from Asia was seen as a symbol of distinction between the inferiors and subordinates and was to some extent, seen as exotic. And I think wearing a Hanbok can rub people the wrong way because throughout history Asian colonial subjects were pushed towards assimilation to Western values and attire rather than embracing their own culture. However, now it is seen as something hip and trendy, without acknowledging all of the history.
Hurt also discusses the concept of “hot authenticity”, where one can feel empathy for others when walking in someone else’s shoes, especially through dress. And based on my experience, I think it does. In the moment, you feel connected to the people and the country around you and you can better appreciate the culture. But as the tourist, you do have some sense of responsibility to understand and appreciation for the history and significance of the clothes you are wearing.
But I think at the end of the day, there is an exact right or wrong answer to whether wearing traditional cultural attire for tourism is okay. It is determined by the intent. If tourists are wearing it to understand the culture better, or out of admiration for the culture then it is okay; it is fostering this sense of interconnectivity. But if tourists are doing it for a picture to look cool and band-wagoning, then that is where problems begin to arise. If there was no social media space to share travel photos (like Instagram) would wearing the Hanbok still be as appealing to tourists? And would this topic be just as debated if there was no intention of taking and posting pictures in that attire?
This is why I was conflicted about wearing a Dirndl when I attended Oktoberfest in Munich. Even though all attendants of Oktoberfest were encouraged to wear the traditional Dirndl or Lederhosen, in order to have the “real” Oktoberfest experience, I didn’t want to wear the traditional Bavarian dress with the mindset “I’m attending Oktoberfest, so why not”. I acknowledge that comparing Germany to, in this case, Korea is extremely different. This goes back to power dynamics and colonialism. For so long cultural attire from Asia was seen as a symbol of distinction between the inferiors and subordinates and was to some extent, seen as exotic. And I think wearing a Hanbok can rub people the wrong way because throughout history Asian colonial subjects were pushed towards assimilation to Western values and attire rather than embracing their own culture. However, now it is seen as something hip and trendy, without acknowledging all of the history.
Hurt also discusses the concept of “hot authenticity”, where one can feel empathy for others when walking in someone else’s shoes, especially through dress. And based on my experience, I think it does. In the moment, you feel connected to the people and the country around you and you can better appreciate the culture. But as the tourist, you do have some sense of responsibility to understand and appreciation for the history and significance of the clothes you are wearing.
But I think at the end of the day, there is an exact right or wrong answer to whether wearing traditional cultural attire for tourism is okay. It is determined by the intent. If tourists are wearing it to understand the culture better, or out of admiration for the culture then it is okay; it is fostering this sense of interconnectivity. But if tourists are doing it for a picture to look cool and band-wagoning, then that is where problems begin to arise. If there was no social media space to share travel photos (like Instagram) would wearing the Hanbok still be as appealing to tourists? And would this topic be just as debated if there was no intention of taking and posting pictures in that attire?
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