What to wear to school “culture day” if you are white British?

[Whatcanshe]

My 14 year old DD attends a large state school in North London. It has a high proportion of pupils who are Asian and black. Last year for the cultural day the Asian girls wore saris and a lot of the black girls wore traditional Nigerian dress.

My DD is white and last year just went in jeans but is worrying about what to wear to this event on the last day of term. I have no idea what to suggest. We are not Irish or Scottish so can’t for eg wear a kilt.

I wish schools wouldn’t do this as it’s just a nightmare for some kids who don’t know what to wear. I know she is going to beg me to have the day off rather than have the worry of it all.

Any ideas as to what she could wear?

[CaptainMyCaptain]

I've never heard of this before. It sounds like a minefield including for children from a Asian, Caribbean or African heritage who feel British. She should just wear what she likes or go completely mad and wear something from English mythology like The Green Man.

[SirSamVimesCityWatch]

Morris dancer kit??

[badger2005]

Sorry not to be able to help... we have culture day at dd's school too. dd is actually 1/4 Indian but would probably be mocked if she tried playing that up! She is also 1/4 Irish, and ditto. The other 1/2 is English... not really sure that our family has a culture... but maybe I'm just losing track of what culture is!

[SaturdayGiraffe]

Light brown top, yellow bottoms, red hat: fish and chips with tomato sauce.

[Marsyas]

DS school makes it clear that “culture” can be very wide, so you can come in your karate kit, cycling gear, Pride colours, Scouts uniform, or whatever you feel you are part of. They did give lots of examples but I can’t remember what they were.

[CaptainMyCaptain]

@Marsyas

DS school makes it clear that “culture” can be very wide, so you can come in your karate kit, cycling gear, Pride colours, Scouts uniform, or whatever you feel you are part of. They did give lots of examples but I can’t remember what they were.

That sounds more reasonable.

[Whatcanshe]

I thought we’d left all this behind in primary but nope this secondary school is constantly organising non school uniform day with different themes. It’s horrific. My heart actually sunk when DD mentioned it to me. I have a son at the same school but he’s not bothered and goes in jeans but my DD is a worrier and so this stresses her (and me!) out

[MathiasBroucek]

England branded football/rugby/whatever shirt? (But not cheap, I know....)

[Chypre]

Waxed jacket and a flat cap, maybe a pair of wellies :)

[eveoha]

WOAD

[Beamur]

DD wore her Guide uniform
But really, wear whatever you want

[JanesBlond]

Tudor dress with a ruff? 😁

[Leah5678]

What in the self hatred am I reading are you implying the old bs about British people having "no culture"?
On a serious note she could wear an old Victorian dress or medieval British dress there's loads of options. If shes scared to go to school and is begging not to go in for that day she's probably being bullied just something to consider

[Whatcanshe]

DD is 14 so doesn’t want to wear “dress up” clothes, she’s not in primary. As a teenager she doesn’t want the rest of her class to laugh or take the piss out of her which I think they would if she wore some of these suggestions….

[CaptainMyCaptain]

@SirSamVimesCityWatch

Morris dancer kit??

Certainly English but I'm guessing that isn't part of the OPs personal culture. That's kind of what I was getting at with children whose grandparents originated from elsewhere in the world but they don't themselves feel a part of that. @Marsyas's DS's school has a better take on it.

[MariaVT65]

Does she have any clothes to make a red, white and blue outfit for the flag?

Doe she have any hobbies at all that she can represent?

Alternatively, I’d also have no problem with her taking the day off lol. Last days of school usually aren’t useful anyway

[HeddaGarbled]

Tattoos and a trout pout.

[CuteCillian]

It sounds like pupils from non-British cultures are wearing outfits they wear on notable occasions. Certainly the average Nigerian woman does not wear traditional dress to work. So how about the simple summer dress as worn by the attendants of the May Queen, or a Druid style gown?

[TheHandmaiden]

These things are beyond tedious - school uniform is fine and eliminates all the fuss.

[Theunamedcat]

School uniform its very British

[JanesBlond]

@Marsyas well it is true that there is no English national costume or traditional dress. Obviously we have strong culture in many respects but not really clothing it would seem.

[JanesBlond]

Sorry tagged wrong person - meant @Leah5678

[MaggieFS]

I'd just let her wear something normal & everyday.

[Whatt]

My daughter has one of the ww2 evacuee dresses that she used for a school dress up day. It actually looks really nice by itself without the costume bits.

Also added pics of flowy spring dresses that remind me of picking daisy's

[JamSandle]

Wear something historical like a Tudor dress or dress her like a member of the Royal Family, a pagan or a Viking. Britain has plenty of history and culture to mine.