Now, every one knows that fashion is one big retrograde hamster wheel with sequins, avant garde and exquisite hand-crafted artistry thrown into the mix every now & again to present it as a "new must-have/trend". However, there were always a reference to where this "new" idea originated. May it be commentaries such as "90s grunge chic" or "Elizabeth Taylor realness" we are reminded somehow or in some way where the trend began. But Elle, or particularly Danielle Prescod, decided to alert the masses of this trend without a single reference to Timberland’s popular and longstanding place in African-American culture. That feels like a slap in the face especially coming from a background where Timbs were my go-to boots before Uggs even entered the picture. A staple for the Fall/Winter months from when I was a kid and such said tradition carried into adulthood. Hey, let's not lay all the blame on Elle. They were just one of many offenders who've been feigning ignorance and dabbling in culture appropriation. Last month, during NY Fashion Week, Lucky magazine tried to rename gelled down baby hairs as "slick-down tendrils"; Marie Claire called Kendall Jenner's cornrows "epic" & "stylish"; a reporter from Los Angeles Times wrote a hairstyle article claiming braids were first seen on an actress by the name of Bo Derek from the movie "10".
Then finally, NY Times & Vogue decided to rediscover a section of a woman's body that us, women of color, don't really consider a "trend" but more of our anatomy:
Really? That's like re-discovering the Blues and calling it straight out Jazz. To add salt to the already festering wound, both articles reference Jennifer Lopez as the matriarch and founder of the voluptuous derriere. Then to continue this impertinent dance of obtuseness, NY Times takes another step by stating:
"Not that this is exactly new. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Jessica Biel, Rihanna, Serena Williams, Pippa Middleton and Beyoncé (who, on her tour that just ended, wore a bodysuit with the tush cutout) have all been praised for their behinds."
This only makes them look foolish and emphasizes the racial dissonance in the industry. Yes, these women have been praised for their backsides; (Jessica Biel & Pippa Middleton??? They were really reaching with those picks! Why not Shakira?Oh wait, she's Latina *sighs*) however, the author pretty much trapezed between giving diminutive attention to African-American culture without divulging too much. BUT (pun intended) you can't mention a song like "Baby got Back" by Sir-Mix-a-Lot and then in the same breath (well, article) mention only white women and A-list celebrities as the ones pioneering the big booty trend. So we are just going to ignore Erykah Badu, Pam Grier and, if you want me to take it way back, Sara Baartman?
In no way am I saying "Hey, white people! Stop taking our stuff! We see you! You're not slick!". Actually, quite the opposite. Culture appropriation is the heart of this country and it's definitely what makes us unique. All I am asking of Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, NY Times, LA Times and any other media outlet that they stop Columbusing our culture. Stop stepping over us and replacing prominent black figures with "mainstream appropriate" figures. Give credit where credit is highly due! Stop calling our style "ghetto", "urban", "untamed" then flip-the-script when those same items are worn by our white counterparts. Clearly there is no issue of recognizing culture since Elle published articles about being 'French-chic'. So why can't African-American culture get the same recognition and we are right here in your backyard? Either journalists are getting lazy or they just don't care. Whatever the reason, Blak Labels, Black Twitter, Jezebel, FashionBomb Daily and others are here to remind you!
Happy 'Columbus' Day everyone!
