What do we see when we see a head scarf?

It evokes the fashions of the faraway cultures we see on the nightly news: the brilliantly coloured sarongs worn by graceful African women; the head scarves Muslim women drape over their hair for modesty’s sake; the shawls female foreign correspondents wrap themselves in to respect their conservative subjects. It is exotic, easy, adventurous and casual, perfect with jeans or techno-chic layers.

The head scarf is at once modern and traditional; motherly and sexy; modest and adventurous. If this is the case, we must next explain why is it the case? Why does a scarf on the head of a Westerner evoke conflicting or opposing codes?

posted from SLOG news & arts