Cultural Appropriation

lafashtionistaavertie // Tumblr

Coachella is known best for its great music, art, entertainment and bucket loads of cultural appropriation! 

Believe it or not it IS possible to watch live music and be entertained and go on with your day-to-day business without wearing and exploiting items of another culture.

Why is Cultural Appropriation an issue?

1. It reduces people into bing just "exotic"

2. It groups the whole culture into one hug group deeming them as the same when that is simply not the case.

3.It steals the cultural identity of others in order to be deemed as "cool" "quirky" or my personal favourite "the need to self express".

Here’s a list of what NOT to wear at Coachella and in general (if you are not a part of the culture)

Native Headdresses

"In Native Cultures, both feathers and face paint are earned through actions and deeds that bring honor to both tribes and nations. Individuals (outside the community) who wear feathers or face paint were not given rights or permission to wear them" - Dennis Zotigh, Cultural Specialist

Rena Lovelis from Hey Violet

Dreadlocks

Please if you are not black do NOT put your hair in dreadlocks...Dreadlocks have a history, black slaves whilst on their way to America from Africa naturally grew dreadlocks but were quickly cut of by their slave masters who deemed them as "dreadful" when they reached America. Black people for years have been abused verbally and physically for having their hair styled this way therefore it is disgusting that non-blacks have the audacity to wear their hair this way in order to keep up with their #cool #trendy #hipster look for their tumblr followers! The fact that a black person with dreads is deemed as "lazy" "dirty" "druggie" compared to the reactions that most white people with dreads get is disgusting and appalling considering it is not their culture to take.

"It's embarrassing that white people tangle their hair and refuse to wash it for weeks on end to mirror a style that has cultural significance, especially when the whole point of black people reclaiming locs was an act against white defiance. It's also offensive that white people think that black people's hair = dirty hair because they avoid washing their hair which 1. black people don't 2. black people's hair doesn't get as dirty as theirs in the first place" - @springbreakors

Bindis 

Kendall and Kylie Jenner

Due to the rapid increase of Bindis being worn at Coachella many have rightfully taken to twitter in order to #reclaimthebindi. A bindi symbolises many aspects of Hindu culture, with a red dot on the forehead most commonly to represent married women. A bindi can also represent strength, energy and concentration it also means the third eye it is not just a "decoration" for your face. 

"[At First] I thought 'wow people are finally accepting indians! White people are accepting us!' then I realised that's not the case at all they are using it as a fashion statement whilst if my mum was to wear a bindi she would be harassed and people would laugh at the "red dot" on her head...white people are turning our culture into a fashion statement and that makes me sad. Hinduism/Desi cultures are SO beautiful and all people care about are the aesthetics and that just truly makes me upset" - @kingnyaz

Share

House Of Watches x Hazel + Kent

Hey guys, long time no blog (sorry I've been revising loads)

I received two gorgeous items to review recently that I think you guys are going to love!

The first item I received was the Casio F-91W from the lovely House of Watches .It comes in various colours but I chose black because it matches every single clothing item I own! At only £12.95 (bargain!!) you get this watch which is water resistant, includes an inbuilt alarm, calendar as well as a light for when you need to see the display screen in the dark (eg at concert or camping...moreso concerts for me). When I first received the watch I was a bit confused as to what each of the buttons do but the easy manual guide helped me to set the time and my alarm for the next day all in under 10 minutes flat! I’d definitely recommend this watch to anyone who likes an easy to use digital watch! If you prefer analogue watches House Of Watches has plenty to choose from!

The next item I received was Pasha Silver Plated Cut Out Flower Ring from Hazel + Kent. I can't express my love for this elegant ring enough! I've worn it every single day since I've received it and unlike some other Silver Plated rings it hasn't left my finger green, which I know you guys all hate too! At only £8.76 (currently on sale) you can get this lovely ring! I normally wear it on my middle finger because that's where it feels the comfiest but it fits on all my fingers - besides my pinky because thats just abnormally small for an 18 year old. I'd recommend this item to any one looking for an inexpensive ring that can dress up any item if not you can look at other accessories on Hazel + Kent because they have a HUGE range of items from £3,000+ - £3+!

Share

Reverse Racism...Does it Exist?

Simple answer: No it does not.

If only it was that simple to explain to ignorants who have never picked up a history book in their lives. To quote 'Dear White People'; "[People of Colour] cannot be racist [towards whites], prejudiced, yes, but not racist. Racism describes a system of disadvantage based on race. [People of Colour] can't be racist [towards whites] because we do not stand to benefit from such a system."

It is possible to be prejudiced against a white people and by no shapes or means is this ok, because of the very fact that no one should be treated differently or poorly just because the amount of melanin they hold within their skin. However, you must remember that prejudice acts that some People of Colour may have against whites are more often than not a response to oppression, they do not HATE white people they HATE their privilege. This is very different to racism. Racism is enforced by white people upon People of Colour.

Here are some reasons why reverse racism isn't real/why you can't be racist towards white people:

1. Racism = Power + Privilege. In order to be racist you must possess social and economic advantage etc for example the pay gap between women and men is existent however the gap between a white woman and a black woman is huge in itself, showing the systematic racism. White people will walk free from the same crimes a black person would get jail time for. This highlights how racism isn't just thinking one race is better than the other, it is a SYSTEM which has been built upon oppression for so long that it seems like the "norm".

2. White People are not oppressed. White People created a law where it was deemed that black people were only 3/5 human therefore it was okay to treat them how you want. They created a system where people could lynch my ancestors because of the colour of their skin. So don't you dare say you as a white person you experience racism just because someone calls your ignorant ass a condiment or a saltine snack because that doesn't have years and years of oppression towards your race linked with it. If you are a white straight cisgendered male talking about oppression you've "experienced" get out of my face.  

3. I can't use the N-Word but they can call me a cracker!!! Double standard!!! Oh cry me a river! The reason for this is because there isn't a 600 year period of racism and oppression behind the word which was used solely by white people as they cracked a whip against the backs of blacks. So let us reclaim the word as our own...you've got white privilege why do you want this too?!

4. Racism vs Prejudice. They aren't the same thing!!! “Prejudice and racism are different. A joke about white people dancing has no impact on the lives of average white people, whereas jokes about black people and reinforcing stereotypes about black people do have an impact on the lives of everyday black people.” - Dear White People

Share

Top Two March 2015 Photoshoots

March is approaching and what better way to start a new month than with new magazine issues and photoshoots?! Here are my Top 2 Photoshoots for the month March, hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Wonderland March 2015 // Little Mix

Little Mix won The X Factor four years ago and have sold 7.5 million records so far and are still killing the game with this bubblegum chic photoshoot! 

Jade is wearing a fluffy yet stunning blue faux fur coat by Coach, a blue cotton top and skirt two piece by & Other Stories to go with the blue theme that she's rocking! Jesy and Perrie go with a bubblegum pink theme with Jesy wearing a vibrant pink coat by Moschino Cheap and Chic and Perrie posing with a pink and yellow piece from Shrimps. The stunning Leigh-Anne here is wearing one of my favourite outfits of the photoshoot, a green sequined embellished number from Ashish which works beautifully with her skin complexion.

VOGUE US // Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss

Ever since Lily Alridge introduced Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss they have been joint at the hip sharing everything from the VS runway to red carpets and now a Vogue issue!

The stunning Karlie Kloss wearing a woven Saint Laurent piece with a blue leather belt for some extra colour and the amazing Taylor Swift wearing a sequined v neck sweater and a black belt. This is probably one of my favourite Taylor Swift photoshoots to date because she's just being herself with her supermodel best friend with her. You can tell these girls will be friends for a very long time!

Desire // Years & Years

Share

The F Word

Feminism. A lot of people run at the sight of that word they run until they reach misogyny and ignorance. If you haven't realised already, this is going to be a rant on why we need feminism in this day and age. So clean out the ignorance in your ears, sit back and relax.

Definition: A feminist is a person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes.

Being a feminist has nothing to do with what you look like, who you date or how often you have sex. Being a feminist does not necessarily mean you HATE MEN. Feminism is an act trying to empower those within society who are oppressed, this does NOT mean that they are weak, feminists know this but they want society to wake up and see it too.

Why the word feminist? Why not equalist?

The answer to this is simple. By choosing such a vague expression that is "equalist" or "humanist" you are in turn denying the problem of gender, "it would be a way of pretending that it was not WOMEN who have, for centuries, been excluded" (Chimamanda Ngozi Achidie)

Why do we need feminism?

1. We need feminism because a new disease is sweeping the internet called "meninism". Initially this movement was a group of male allies to feminism but now it has become a mockery of feminism, highlighting that we can't have anything without white cis straight males making everything about themselves. Meninism doesn't do anything for men of colour, male victims of rape, homosexuals etc, all it does is boost the the white male ego whilst attempting to push everyone else in society below them

2. We need feminism because some people can't get it through their thick skulls that if a person does not give you consent then you do not try and convince them that "they want it". No consent means no.

3. We need feminism because psychological studies show that all rapists believe that other men are also rapists but they just haven't been caught yet. How disgusting and terrifying is that?

4. We need feminism because everyday women and young girls are getting murdered just because they've rejected a boy. We live in a world where many girls are worried about the reaction they will receive if they say no.

5. We need feminism because we teach girls at a young age to try and prevent rape, to watch their drinks, to watch who they speak to, to watch their surroundings at all time. Instead of teaching boys not to rape and to treat people with a mutual respect.

6. We need feminism because FGM (Female Gential Mutilation) still exists in 29 countries in the world little girls as young as 5 months old have their genitals mutilated in order to prevent them from having pleasurable sex..because obviously sex must only pleasure men?

7. We need feminism because in the USA only 20% of congress are women despite the fact that women make up half the population...why aren't we being represented to the same extent as men?

8. We need feminism because in China baby girls are thrown out on the street and left to die because they aren't boys, engraving the stupid belief at young age women aren't good for anything.

9. We need a better understanding of feminism because people still think they can be islamophobic, racist, homophobic and transphobic whilst being a "feminist". Little tip for you, if your beliefs in feminism aren't intersectional beliefs then you should rethink that feminist title which you so proudly hold.

Why do we need feminism? "Because you are still asking me that question" - John Whedon

Flawless // Beyonce

Share

stop stop go

Fall At Your Feet - Saint Raymond

How do I start? Tripping over my head and my heart. I'm not the first and I certainty won't be the last person to stumble over their words and just throw up a bunch of words in a barely coherent order.

Have you ever wished time would just stop so you could really think and appreciate your youth? I know I have, in fact I think every single person on earth has wished this one time or another. I remember when I was of a young age, at a stage in my life where I could have conversations with my friends about Pokemon and pretend to be Team Rocket without people questioning the strength of my mental capacity. Nowadays no one wants to speak of things that won't put them at the top of the "social hierarchy" whether that be in real life or on the internet. So many people are desperate to reach the top that they are willing to lose anything to get there especially their originality. I'm not sure where I plan on taking this blog but I am 100% sure that I am taking my originality with me.

Share