January 9, 2009
Also Known As A Keffiyeh
Some Other Guy modelling the shemagh scarf.
If you’ve walked the streets of Cape Town, you would no doubt have noticed how every man, woman and their dog have been sporting these checked Middle-Eastern looking scarves.
It’s called a “Shemagh”, or a “Keffiyeh” and has been around for a while now, having first become fashionable on a mainstream level back in early 2007. Not surprisingly, it’s only taken about 18 months for it to reach our shores, and yes, that is sarcasm on my part.
You usually get it in black and white, but there are also various other colours to choose from, such as red, purple, blue and yellow.
Using something called “Google”, I was able to extract the following information for you, which I will now share whilst using a smaller font :
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The keffiyeh, also known as a (ya)shmagh, ghutrah, ḥaṭṭah or mashadah is a traditional headdress for Arab men made of a square of cloth (“scarf”), usually cotton, folded and wrapped in various styles around the head. It is commonly found in arid climate areas to provide protection from direct sun exposure, as well as for occasional use in protecting the mouth and eyes from blown dust and sand. Its distinctive woven check pattern originated in an ancient Mesopotamian representation of either fishing nets or ears of grain. [via] |
Wow, so it’s actually meant to be worn around the head, to protect yourself from the sand, the wind as well as people with hellitosis. Anyone who has spent time in dry, arid conditions, without easy access to water will know the daily perils of dealing with bad breath.
Here, we see a quick and easy demonstration of how to correctly wear one of these shemaghs.
Seems simple enough, but when did this all become fashionable then? I quickly did some more digging, before The Girlfriend walked in on me and made me promise to stop picking my nose.
Then I found the following info:
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As with other articles of clothing worn in wartime, such as the T-shirt, Fatigues and khaki pants, the keffiyeh has been seen as chic among non-Arabs in the West. Keffiyehs became popular in the United States in the late 1980s, at the start of the First Intifada, when bohemian girls wore keffiyehs as scarves around their necks. In the early 2000s, keffiyehs were very popular among youths in Tokyo, who often wore them with camouflage clothing. The trend recurred in the mid-2000s in the United States, Europe, Canada and Australia, when the keffiyeh became popular as a fashion accessory, usually worn as a scarf around the neck in hipster circles. Stores such as Urban Outfitters and TopShop stocked the item. In spring 2008, keffiyehs in colours like purple and mauve were given away in issues of fashion magazines in Spain and France. After Balenciaga’s 2007 Fall/Winter collection, the scarves became a fever around the world. In mid-2000s New York City, non-Arabs tended to wear keffiyehs in one of three ways. Pro-Palestinian activists wore them loosely draped over their shoulders. World-music aficionados wore them as regular, bunched scarves around their necks (as did girls in the 1980s). Finally, hipsters folded them in half to make a triangle, then gathered the scarf around the neck to leave one point facing down in the center of the chest. New keffiyeh designs with Israeli motifs are sold since 2007. [via] |
Christ, so this really is quite an old trend, that has only really caught on in South Africa recently.
Fashion trends do tend to take a while to get here though, and just as long to leave. (Just the other day I saw a guy wearing a black Bomber jacket, holding the hand of his girlfriend, who was wearing a Ra-ra skirt. No jokes.)
The shemagh is a rather practical accessory and can be used in various other guises. We roped in Some Other Guy to model and show some of these off for us.
Morning Breath Protector: Can be worn when you have just woken up, and have stinky morning breath.
Bad Hair Days: when you just cannot be bothered to style your hair.
Karate Head Band: when you're in the mood for a good scrap at the bar, and are wanting to intimidate the patrons.
Preparing to Eat: and you don't want to mess pasta sauce on your new blouse.
Haunting: when you need to scare off the kids who keep leaving bags of dog shit on your front porch.
So there you have it, done and dusted. If anyone asks about these scarves at the dinner table, you can now sound impressive and slightly pompous, informing them of it’s history and tradition.
You’re welcome, and I love you.
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Awesome Shaun.
The Haunting technique can also be used to scare old people when they start talking shit.
Oh my.. you had me in stitches!! Ever so informative and I love the photos!!
Best wishes to you for tne New Year!
Cape Town’s favorite son at his absolute best!!!
They have them at Pick N Pay for R29,95.
Deal!
@Craig,
That’s right, in packs of threes next to the scours and Sunlight Liquid if memory serves.
Hey, that guy eats the wrong way round?!?
@Francois,
Yes, I believe Some Other Guy is left handed. Well spotted.
And even on Gumtree: http://capetown.gumtree.co.za/c-Stuff-for-Sale-clothes-accessories-arabic-scarf-W0QQAdIdZ75189215