Turbans: culturally fashionable, or fashionably cultured?

I was reading the new york times, and came across and article on turbans and I found it very impressively written by Simone S. Oliver. Wearing a turban demands confidence. You have to believe, truly believe in your look. You ahve to commit- it's a turban, after all. And if you use hats to hid uncooperative hair or to keep a low profile, the turban is not a smart choice. Recently, the turban trend has resurfaced to style, and branded designers such as Giorgio Armani used turbans in their collection in Milan, P.Diddy, Jay-Z wore turbans everyday during NY Fashion week and even Kate Moss, the trendsetter showed up at a Costume Institute gala with Marc Jacobs in a turban. Young women have related and embraced the style and sophistication linked with Hollywood glamour of 1920 and 30's. Items like the harem pants and turbans are strongly associated with Arab dress, hence in someway it can be seen as an attempt to connect with the Middle East, making strong political statements.

I find it interesting how trendsetters learn to borrow what is part of others and their cultures and turn it into something fashionable and internationally appreciated. There are rarely fashion lines which are evergreen, thus it is undoubtly a difficult task for passionate trendsetters like Kate Moss, and also those who make a living out of fashion and style to stand out seasonly. Studs, military style jackets, blazers, doc martens high-waisted,denim items;one keeps seeing fashion bloggers trying their best to dress more like a boy than a girl. Then it went on to lacey, flowy items, maxis,harem pants, leggings of bizzare sorts, boots, thick black-metal-wood wedges, crotchet, knitted items. Turbans used to be a significance of woman who was educated and worldly, and now a fashion statement. This leads me to wonder whether people of the Middle East feels uncertain about turbans nodding its way into style, after all, it is a cultural significance. Bringing it to style, might dismiss its cultural importance when suddenly you see almost everyone in the streets wearing it. Personally, I feel that it depends on the societal view to determine whether it should be widely advocated as a fashion trend. You can never be surprised that one person stepping up to talk about the turban and its dismissal to cultural importance could lead to the disappearance of turbans in the fashion zone. Or rather, some may view it as away to connect different cultures together as a global effort.

Admist all this quick-paced fashion flow, it's exciting when it keeps me wondering what would be in next.

Credits: x/x

"Fashion is mute until we give a voice, that's the guts and energy of this whole thing"

-the new york times