Kate and William in India

[Stickyuptail]

I’m wondering Why they (and other royals on visits to different countries) are rigged out in versions of traditional styles of dress? William in a sherwani and Kate in a dresses based on traditional shalwar kameez.

Why Is doing this seen as a respectful nod towards the country they’re visiting and not cultural appropriation? If I started a thread saying I’m white British visiting Pakistan should I wear shalwar kameez and DH a sherwani wouldn’t the majority of replies be on the lines of ‘why would you? It’s not yours to adopt’. Surely it would be better for royals to wear their normal on duty outfits? I don’t understand why this is a ‘thing.’

I think there is a very delicate balance when it comes to the concept of cultural respect versus appropriation. I do not know the "rules". On one hand it often appears that an offended majority on Twitter dictate these unwritten rules. But on the other hand (and less cynically), I can see that it makes us evaluate the difference between showing respect and blindly taking bits of someone's culture that would be upsetting.

I’m wearing jeans at work today and DMs, as a Pakistani in Britain should I not do this as it’s cultural appropriation?

I wear a shalwar kameez (or a saree, but they're more difficult to manage - I need a lot of safety pins) if I go to an Indian event. They are lovely!

@Mrsjayy
Baby wearing can be seen as cultural appropriation what confused do people really wring their hands about a sling?

Yes I have seen this a few times, one example springs to mind is a young blonde mum wearing her baby on her back in a simple towel/blanket doing housework.
The woman was slated because she was appropriating Africa culture, until another woman pointed out her child looked to be of dual ethnicity and therefore she was probably doing what she had been taught by the presumably African dad and his family and honouring his mixed heritage.
I've seen people be slated for using an onbu carrier for similar reasons as it's appropriating a certain culture.
It's pretty bizarre.

maybe she should have turned up wearing a tiara

Well that is just weird about baby wearing

Thanks everyone. I’m really not offended at all but just wondered why this is seen as ok and respectful when generally anyone wearing other culture’s clothing and hair styles is jumped on as appropriation. Really interesting hearing British Asian posters views. I’m not a royal fan but think Kate’s outfits on this trip look beautiful and very elegant.

I wondered this too OP. Justo Trudeau got a lot of stick for doing similar last year

I'm assuming the Canadian PM flower what did he do and who gave him stick

Although seems like the criticism was because they overdid it actually. Whereas Kate looks very elegant.

Yeah sorry typo! Google Justin Trudeau India. It looks like the criticism was because they went too far though.

Oh I googled him he does seem a bit of a twat about the whole thing

Yeah, Justin Trudeau just took the whole thing too far. I believe he even attempted Bollywood dancing. Visitors to Japan often wear kimono or yukata. It’s just seen as a bit of fun, I think.

Gosh do people really spend time thinking about what a pampered princess wears on her working holiday? That’s the least of what is wrong with the royal family!

Yes they do Samosauras and so do you obviously.

@JaneJeffer Ha touché! Well I clicked on the thread out of curiosity in case something major had happened as I am on a self imposed news blackout until Brexit is resolved one way or another :)

@ BlackCatSleeping - Canadian Indo-Pakistani culture is different to the UK ones - less traditional in some ways and more traditional others. They often have entirely scripted and choreographed Bollywood / Bhangra dance routines at weddings / births etc - Troudeau’s routines were really appreciated by Canadians because it’s a fact of Indo-Pakistani life there.

Fair enough Samosaurus. Royal fashion analysis is a good distraction from all that stuff

I think she looks gorgeous in whatever she wears. Wherever she goes. The blue outfit was amazing on her! She must feel so lucky every day.

British Asian here of Pakistani origin. Kate looked superb in all the outfits she's worn so far. It's very hot in Pakistan at the moment (my DPs are currently there). It's crucial to wear loose comfortable clothing, which is why Kate's outfits will have been carefully selected to suit the weather. I don't know of any Pakistani who is offended by her clothing, in fact it's widely appreciated that she made an effort to understand the culture and dress appropriately. Having said that Diana chose to wore skirts up to the knees whe she visited Pakistan and it was totally fine, everyone adored her and she left a lasting impression. I think most people can see through the BS and whether someone is genuine or trying too hard. In Justin Trudeau's case I think he meant well but.forgot he is on business and not on holiday so the media ripped him apart.

It is cultural appropriation. Perhaps without the intent of doing so. It is the adoption of elements of one culture by members of another culture. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from disadvantaged minority cultures. This explains why an south Asian person wearing jeans in Europe is not cultural appropriation. The title of the thread, “Kate and William in India” did make me chuckle though; lets just lump all south Asians as Indians!!!!

I'm British Asian and thought Kate looked amazing in all her asian outfits. My non-Asian friends all wore Indian outfits to my wedding as a surprise. They all looked spectacular and it was considered very respectful by elderly relatives.

I lived in Pakistan for 12 years. In some aspects of Pakistani society conservative western clothes are appropriate but not all. Shalwar khameeze is actually well designed to be cool in the heat yet modest. I would bet a lot of Pakistanis are delighted that they are wearing Pakistani clothes.

I have issues with the fact that we have a royal family, or the horrific things that the British did during the colonisation of India during the Raj. But I don’t think our royals wearing local dress in this situation is cultural appropriation.

Justin Trudeau did take it a bit far in India and the pictures made me feel embarrassed but I can’t really work out where the line between the two is.

This stuff will all have been worked out at Foreign Office level. They are not going to let them turn up and wear clothes that will offend the local people.