Western fashion media has a bad reputation for erasing South Asian traditions by either omitting credit altogether or appropriating it into a new name. There is beauty in every culture, so it is a shame we do not recognise said beauty for what it is and where it comes from. In no way is being inspired by a culture an offence, but this is completely different to flat-out renaming and not crediting traditional practices in an attempt to be ‘trendy’.
Some of the global trends we have now are inspired by South Asian traditions: from cultural pieces of clothing to beauty appliances, style is being redefined. As a Pakistani, I try to integrate fragments of my heritage into my fashion. If you relate to me and want to carry a piece of your background with you wherever you go, here are a few ways to incorporate South Asian culture into your style.
1. Henna
Henna (also referred to as ‘Mendhi’) is a product that has been used in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East for thousands of years. You may have noticed it on the hands of people at events as it is commonly used for ceremonial days like religious celebrations and weddings. The results are show-stopping every time as there are an infinite number of artistic designs to be chosen from: floral shapes, leaves, arches, dots, swirls, criss-cross lines and many more. The possibilities are endless with skilled henna artists being able to lay out a various array of patterns that travel up the arms. I have never gotten it done professionally, but my family have bought some mendhi cones to do it ourselves at home – practice makes perfect!
The most commonly used type is the natural henna formula; it comes out of the cone as a dark brown paste that sometimes has a reddish tinge to it. It will be quite dark during the first couple of days, and then fade to an orangey shade over time. The timeline of this will vary based on the quality of the henna, your skin tone and how often you tend to wash your hands. Some people also use henna to colour their hair which has the same results in the sense that the brown will fade, leaving behind shades of red and orange.
CAUTION: please read this part carefully
Generally, natural henna is considered safe; this does not mean that some people canât still be sensitive to it, so please check this before usage. I have heard of such a product marketed as âblack hennaâ, which is a henna substance with extra additives. It can seem appealing to a buyer, however, please note that it contains chemicals to darken the colour. It is very important to know that this can pose significant risks to health, for example, you could develop an allergic reaction to it, or have a skin infection due to usage. It is based on the individual, however, the dangers can be so severe that it may not be worth the chance. It is readily available in most henna store catalogues, so please do not be misled, instead know the risks.Â
This goes for any other colour of henna. Although they are not as warned against like âblack hennaâ is, the other artificially coloured hennas (pink, green, blue, white, etc.) may also contain harmful chemicals. Please read the packaging and do research to prevent a dangerous reaction to the product.
2. Outfits
There is nothing like the comfort of wearing a shalwar kameez: an outfit worn in parts of Central and South Asia, the shalwar is a loose pyjama trouser and the kameez is a tunic-like shirt. During the summer, this combo has the lightness needed for the hot weather, without sacrificing the fashionable look. Designed in many different colours, patterns, sleeve lengths and collars, there is a set for everyone.Â
In the winter, I personally find shalwars to not be too forgiving in the biting cold. Therefore, I reserve them for home attire because the ones that I have are of thinner materials. On the other hand, a kameez can be paired with another covering (shawls, cardigans, jackets) and a different set of pants, creating a fusion outfit inspired by Western and South Asian fashion. Denim jeans are trousers I see worn with a kameez a lot nowadays, slowly creeping its way into the closets of our stylistic fashion community.
You can also pair jeans with a kurta or kurti; kurtas are typically longer and past the knee in length whilst kurtis are often shorter than this.
3. Jewellery
I have recently gotten into wearing bangles (referred to as ‘Chooriyan’ or âChuriyaâ) with my outfits again. Some of my earliest memories involve painfully trying to get it onto my wrist without dislocating my thumb in the process – a universal experience that I guarantee has happened at least once to every bangle wearer.
Some people put lotion on their hands and wrists so that the bangles glide on much smoother. For me, this does not work too well. Thankfully, I still hold onto the ultimate bracelet life-hack shared to me years ago by my mum. If you put a plastic bag over your hand and then slide the bangles over it, it will be much easier to slip on and less likely to make your knuckles raw from all the scraping.
Adding bangles to my outfit allows me to pick up the small accents on my clothes, bringing together a gorgeous palate where the colours of my outfit compliment each other.
If you are from another culture, it is important to make an effort to understand where the practices come from before implementing it into your fashion. Respecting cultural attire is more important than getting lots of views on a video.
If you do end up using these ideas for inspiration, I hope that you fall in love with South Asian fashion just as I did growing up.