ASA 141
Week 6
In the article "It's hip to be Asian", Parminder Bhachu focuses on how the diasporean aesthetics of Indian culture govern their fashion styles. He talks about how the British love Indian culture-- from the food to the clothes. His main focus is on the salwar kameez. This outfit was generally seen as being for "immigrants" or "low class". However, after people like Princess Diana donned the outfit themselves, the status of the salwar kameez shifted to being "high class" and "fashionable".
This article spoke to me personally, because as a South Asian myself, I am very familiar with the salwar kameez. I love wearing them, but I do admit that I only wear them on religious holidays or celebrations. I would not wear it on a regular day, because, yes, it can be seen as "too ethnic". What sparked my attention was that the salwar kameez was only deemed fashionable after the white people would wear them. If a South Asian person wore it around, they are viewed as immigrants or it is not viewed as a fashion statement. Why is it that South Asians cannot wear their own cultural clothing on a regular basis? Why is it that so many people of various cultures do not feel comfortable wearing the clothes of said culture on a regular day?
On social media nowadays, I have noticed many more South Asians take pride in their culture and share our colorful backgrounds with the world. I believe this is a big step in reclaiming our culture and our fashion as well.
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