Whose Aesthetic Is It Anyway? ✦ On Borrowing, Owning, and Wearing with Care
Not every look should be a vibe. Some deserve context.
Welcome back to the Muchier universe ✿
There’s a dupatta discourse on TikTok right now—people are calling out how Western women are wearing traditional South Asian scarves as fashion pieces, without credit, context, or even the right name.
And honestly? That’s the whole newsletter.
Because what does it mean when something deeply cultural, spiritual, or familial is suddenly just an aesthetic? A colour story? A “vibe”?
Fashion has always borrowed. That’s not new. Inspiration moves in cycles, across borders and time periods. But what we’re seeing now—especially online—is how often that borrowing strips away context and credit.
It reminded me of how in the 2000s, the Palestinian keffiyeh scarf became a hipster staple in Western cities, worn like a boho accessory, completely detached from its political and cultural roots. People wore it to gigs, not knowing it was tied to resistance and survival.
And now? Once more we’re watching history repeat itself, just in better lighting and on a Pinterest moodboard.
✦ From Culture to Trend, and Back Again
When an item goes from “too ethnic” or “too much” to “on trend,” something gets lost.
What was once mocked suddenly becomes desirable, but only when rebranded, renamed, or recontextualised through a Western lens.
✨ Big hoops and long nails are edgy now.
✨ Headscarves are minimalist chic.
✨ Henna is an Instagram filter.
✨ Du-rags are called “silk headwraps.”
It’s not just rebranding. It’s erasure.
✦ Inspiration vs. Appropriation
There’s a difference between wearing something with intention and respect, and treating it like a costume.
The difference is credit. Curiosity. Care.
You can appreciate something without claiming it. You can admire a look and still name where it came from. You can wear a garment and uplift the communities who wore it when it wasn’t cool.
There are creators and brands who do this well, who honour the culture while embracing the style. Who see fashion as storytelling, not just styling.
✦ A Better Way to Borrow
Before jumping on a trend, ask:
Who made this beautiful?
Who was mocked for wearing it before it was fashionable?
Am I celebrating, or just replicating?
You don’t have to stop dressing expressively.
But you do have to think about what you’re expressing—and who it belongs to.
Not every look should be a vibe.
Some deserve context.
Some deserve reverence.
Here’s to culture AND style ✌️
✿ Muchier