With the Middle East consistently the focus of world news, keffiyehs also known as scarves, which are commonly worn by Arab, have caught the eye of the fashion world.
Keffiyehs are generally white, square, cotton cloths that are wrapped around the head in various styles, but many have a checkered pattern in red or black stitched into them. The black and white checkered style became especially well-known during the 1930s as a symbol of Palestinian nationalism, and continues to be associated with Palestinian political sympathies, according to www.mfad.com.
However many argue the adaptation of keffiyehs as a fashion accessory is insulting because many people who wear the keffiyeh do not really understand what the keffiyeh stands for, namely a show of Arab solidarity.
Bryan Shinehouse, a freshman political science major, said, “I have not seen too many people wear keffiyehs. However if there is a chance that people are insulting Arabs by wearing it as a fashion accessory maybe they should not wear it, so we can peacefully co-exist with another culture.”
Now keffiyehs are commonly worn by people of all ages, especially in New York, at parties, art openings and clubs. The traditional Arab headdress has been now converted into a fashion accessory and serves as a scarf or skirt.
It is also common to see women with dangly earrings and long, side-parted hair to wear keffiyehs wrapped around their necks. The scarves are sold on almost every city street and in various department stores, according to villagevoice.com.
Although keffiyehs are a recent trend and have become popular, Michelle McArdle, a freshman pre-nursing major, said that she has not seen many Cabrini students wearing keffiyehs.
McArdle said, “It never would have crossed my mind that wearing a keffiyeh would offend or insult another person.”
Posted to the web by Brandon Edwards
