5 Times White People Have Columbus’ed Black Aesthetics

Source: Charley Gallay / Getty

The Kardashian Clan 

The Kardashians won’t admit to it but they are serial cultural appropriators. The bronzing and tanning of their skin, plastic surgery to mimic the curvaceous body and full lips that Black women have naturally, flaunting cornrows and wearing durags  is blatantly disrespectful to Black women. Kim Kardashian commented on the backlash she’s receives for wearing braids and said she was only wearing braids so she and her daughter, North West, could have matching hairstyles.

“I would never do anything to appropriate any culture,” she told  i-D. “But I have in the past got backlash from putting my hair in braids and I understand that… I’ve had these conversation with her that are like, ‘Hey, maybe this hairstyle would be better on you and not on me’. But I also want her to feel that I can do a hairstyle with her and not make it that big of deal either if that’s something that she’s really asking for and really wants.”

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Comme des Garçons Fashion Show

The Japanese brand Comme des Garçons appalled us all when we saw white models walking down the runway sporting hideous cornrow-styled wigs in their Fall/Winter 2020 menswear show. A rep for the brand issued an apology for the offensive act to Insider.

“The inspiration for the headpieces for Comme des Garcons menswear FW’20 show was the look of an Egyptian prince,” the statement read. “It was never ever our intention to disrespect or hurt anyone — we deeply and sincerely apologize for any offense it has caused.”

This wasn’t an attempt to pay homage. Cornrows and braids have been a protective style that Black people have rocked for centuries. Aspects of our Blackness are not meant to be worn as accessories.

Blackfishing 

“Blackfishing” is a term coined by journalist Wanna Thompson when she called out white social media influencers for “cosplaying as Black women.”

“Blackfishing is when white public figures, influencers and the like do everything in their power to appear Black,” Thompson told CNN. “Whether that means to tan their skin excessively in an attempt to achieve ambiguity, and wear hairstyles and clothing trends that have been pioneered by Black women.”

Women who have been accused of doing it include Iggy Azalea, influencer Emma Hallberg, Jesy Nelson, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Kylie Jenner and obviously Kim and Khloe Kardashian.

Source: Universal History Archive / Getty

Bo Derek

Actress Bo Derek wore Fulani braids in her 1979 film 10 and was praised for it. In 1980, People credited her for making the style a “cross-cultural craze” and a “beauty store bonanza.”

When asked about it in 2015, she didn’t think her being a white woman wearing cornrows was a big deal.

“It’s a hairdo! That’s all it is,” she told New York Magazine. “No, seriously, of all the important racial and cultural issues we have right now, people are going to focus on a hairstyle? No, no. I’ll save my efforts toward important racial and cultural issues.”

Cultural appropriation is a racial and cultural issue. But go off Bo.

Bling

Coming up, I always saw Black women around me accessorize with gold from head to toe. The gold chunky earrings, the gold nameplate chains, ankle bracelets and bangles were my personal favorites. During my younger years, wearing a lot of gold jewelry was seen as “ghetto,” but it was a part of my culture so I celebrated it regardless. Fast forward to the 2010s and the “ghetto” thing is glamorous and on-trend.

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Every Instagram ad I see for gold jewelry has a white woman donning gold hoop earrings, name plates, name earrings and name rings. In New York City, you could find these pieces only at sights like Jamaica Ave in Queens, 125th Street in Harlem, Fordham Rd in the Bronx, and Fulton Street in Brooklyn. Not on Fifth Ave where the whites went. It’s quite cringy to now see white women wearing something that was so representative of the hood and Blackness. It’s gone from being something synonymous with Black culture to another wearable part of our Blackness.

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