Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Prom season

What is it---prom season? So far this year, one girl has made it into the news for taking a cardboard cutout to the prom. That decision will haunt her for the rest of her life. Another girl has been attacked for wearing a Chinese dress---for cultural appropriation. And she and her friends were photographed doing this:


They shouldn't have done that praying hands thing. It's believed they were mocking the Chinese. But why were the other girls going along with it? Surely the world doesn't revolve around that girl just because she's wearing a Chinese dress.

[The girl's mother said this was from some sort of internet meme unrelated to the dress.]

She said she found the dress in a second hand store.

"My culture is not your prom dress," tweeted one critic. 

Well, no, that definitely was her prom dress.

If she were a dress designer stealing a traditional Chinese design it would be a problem, but I'm not sure that buying an actual Chinese dress should be an issue. She wasn't wearing some sacred vestment as evening wear. She wore it as intended, not as a costume.

Prom dresses aren't terribly attractive in general, and the boys' outfits are no picnic, either. I'm impressed that they own their own suits, but this is a common problem with teenage boys----their parents buy them one suit or sport coat and since they have only one, it has to be suitable for weddings, funerals and any other occasion. A Chinese or Chinese-style shirt would have been a less stodgy alternative to a dress shirt and tie.


I myself have taken to wearing a Nepali shirt as a dress shirt. I don't know if it's a traditional or an avant-garde Nepali design, or if the design has nothing to do with Nepal, but I've gotten nothing but compliments. 

1 comment:

  1. What is the best prom dress color/style?
    ‘Best’ is such a subjective term. What is best for you is completely different than what is best for someone else. Here is a list of things to consider when trying to figure out what works best for YOU:

    Your body type - different If you want to learn more about this site: Best Prom Dress silhouettes look better on different body types. Choose a dress silhouette that flatters your figure by showing off your best assets and downplays the parts of your body that aren’t your favorite.
    Your skin tone, hair color and eye color - colors can make a huge impact on whether a dress looks great on you or not. Choose colors that complement your skin tone and hair color and steer clear of those that aren’t the best for you.

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