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?

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This is really nice actually.

Yes! Or a white dress to represent a wedding dress.

Whereabouts in England are you from OP? If you’re from the north wooden clogs do have a proud tradition, thinking about it, and aren’t too much like dressing up. Or a flat cap…

What is she into outside school? What music does she listen to?

England’s greatest gift to fashion is surely the really well cut suit!

Queen of the May - pretty flowing dress, flowers in her hair. I'd have loved to dress up like that at 14 but I was a bit whimsical, she might loathe the idea.
Would there be anything wrong with just wearing jeans again?

I think the problem is that there are so many newer "culture" clothes in the UK that it feels like we don't have a traditional dress, because we didn't decide to make e.g. Regency / Tudor outfits our national costume.

I think you could legitimately dress up as Paul Weller and claim that as English culture but that may be too "fancy dress" for your daughter.

Good idea

Can he steal a diamond from somewhere?

Perhaps British culture means wearing what you are comfortable in. We don't express our nationality or ethnicity through clothing. I'm seeing this somewhat through the eyes of the mother of a DD who is mixed ethnicity. Not white but definitely British in terms of culture.

That sounds like a nightmare. We have south Asian heritage but DD wouldn't want to wear those clothes. It's not her and where she feels she's from

An England top, shorts, a can of Red Bull and a copy of The Sun tucked under one arm?

Dress as a punk.

Charles or Camilla mask from the coronation

Face like a wet weekend - Harry?

Flat cap,cigarette, copy of the sun/mirror/daily mail.

apron, curlers and head scarf, 1950s housewife, for added authenticity draw eyeliner lines up the back of the legs for stockings.

mini skirt or long skirt , lots of chains , twiggy drawn on eyelashes and flowers in their hair.

Just send her in non school uniform.

😂

What about a 60s or 70s style outfit? A mini dress and white tights. Or flares with a led zepp t-shirt. Or just a band tee with any british band tbh, black sabbath, blur, the beatles, stone roses etc etc.

Ok if not woad then Boudicca or Bessie Braddock 👍🏿☘️

Love the idea above about the 40s style dress as a WWII evacuee

Do you have a tweed jacket that would fit her? Something that celebrates British tailoring and fabrics might fit the bill.

Or approximating a Westwood style punk outfit, to celebrate British fashion design.

The UK is also known worldwide for its music, so maybe even dressing like a favourite British pop star could work.

A white maypole day dress with flowers and leaves in her hair as on May Day?

This is the most obvious.

When I see local 6th formers/college students I can kind of guess what music some of them listen to or what they are into due to what they are wearing.

If you aren't into anything in particular them normal everyday clothes are fine because that is modern British culture.

What about posh Chelsea girl style?

She doesn't want to dress up as a caricature, she hates dressing up. She should be able to go wearing something meaningful to her even if that is jeans and a Tshirt.

The more I think about this the more problematic the idea becomes

Representing modern British culture.