Would it be considered rude to dress in the ethnic apparel of another culture routinely?
I mean along the lines of a person from the west wearing a Sari or other clothing typically worn everyday but also typically worn by a certain ethnic group.
If you are from India would you be offended if you saw a white woman in a Sari?
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February 8th, 2010 at 7:01 am
Nope. I am from India originally and I do not get offended seeing that. Although, where are you going to go in Saree here in US.
In India, in a professional atmosphere, women wear multiple kind of attires like pant suite, Salwar kameez, as well as a descent saree.
In US though, if you show up in a Saree in a uptight office, your fellow Americans may get offended.
February 8th, 2010 at 7:01 am
It depends on where you are. It is typical for people to dress in the custom observed by the locals of whatever place they are visiting.
Haven’t you ever seen the picture of Angelina Jolie donning a headscarf when she visited Sierra Leone? http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0512/jolie1217.jpg
February 8th, 2010 at 7:01 am
It might prompt questions, naturally, which you can always answer with something along the lines of "Isn’t it beautiful? I was so excited to find this sari in this color!"
Staunchly refusing to acknowledge that the remark is anything but a compliment, will remind people that no other type of commentary about someone’s clothes is appropriate.
You can do this in response to any question about your outfit, no matter how intrusive. Your refusal to participate in the critique will stop the inquiries right there.
for example: "why are you wearing that? you’re white!" (duh) can be responded to as "Oh thank you! I just love this color"
The fact that it doesn’t logically answer their question is done intentionally.