O'siyo Oginalii Tsilugi (Hello Friends Welcome!)

You  may have noticed that I am an accomplished fan of The Doors and Jim Morrison. One dormant interest the Lizard King has sparked in me is my intrigue for the American Natives. The use of Buffalo for absolutely everything including fuel, clothes, weapons, shelter, the huge grand feather head dresses and the seemingly fearless way of life. I remember at the age of 14 or 15 I discovered Dream Catchers and jewellery only to be found in insense suffocated Hippie shops, of course I had seen Dream Catchers before but they had never grabbed my attention or particularly intereted me. I recall buying some earrings with feathers made from copper on them and a necklace made of leather, with a minature Dream Catcher and real feathers (most likely from a Chicken!) dangling from it. Years past and further obsessions took the place of Native American culture, namely Kate Bush, Adam Ant and anything a little off kilter.
I recently acquired a rather interesting dress, taking a risk in ordering a Vintage Job lot, a sixties tight fitting knee length wriggle dress, it has a pattern on it somewhat resembling something of Aztec design. I decided after 'trying it on' that I wasn't going to sell it and indeed kept it. I then quite soon after this came across a pair of Moccasins which in usual circumstances I would find completely unfashionable and unattractive, but these ones were so well made, they were lovely, unfortunately I did not have the funds to pay for said shoes! Regret.

On a recent shopping trip I became uncomfortably aware of the current trend, I was in the jewellery section of H&M, when I suddenly noticed that I was surrounded by beaded necklaces with feathers and skulls hanging from them, beaded Mayan design bracelets, leather belts with tassles, bags with further tassles and Native embroidery, high heels with Mocassin style stitching. I even saw two feather head dresses. Every shop I went into had gone nomad mad! I won't deny that much of it was authentic looking and I did actually buy myself a pair of brown feather earrings in Topshop, but if it's the real thing you're after, would you feel a phony buying from such retailers? The Arcadia Group for example, stock some amazing clothes and are always top at the retail fashion shops, I am fan of Topshop (not always its pricing) and you can pretty much guaruntee if you're after something special, they'll have it. But does it actually mean anything? Although all the tribes were very different in life style and ideolgy, the few things many of them did have in common was their religious beliefs in spirits and reicarnation and their non wasteful approach to life. You could argue that the Fashion Industry is capitalising on something that is really at the opposite end of the spectrum as far as commercialism is concerned.

I saw a bag yesterday in Urban Outfitters that I absolutely loved. It was printed and woven, large enough to fit EVERYTHING in it and I very nearly bought it.

The reason I didn't buy it was a) it was £28 which on its own is ok but I really, really wanted to get a book and the two would have been too much and b) I recalled a Native  American girl last week I saw in another nearby shopping centre, selling bags and jewellery. The bags were amazing and at the time I didn't really have the money for one (especially after buying a triple Joan Baez album, Poems by Allen Ginsberg and 'Beyond Good & Evil' Nietzsche). I stood there holding the faux Native bag and thought "do I really want this? Or would I rather wait a bit and get a real one with some meaning, time and talent behind it? I opted to put the bag back on the shelf.

Ironically, whilst we were out yesterday, we came across two Musicians/performers busking outside with Pan Pipes dressed in their full costume. They were also selling Dream Catchers and bracelets. I'm not going to pretend I knew where they were from, they may well have been from South America. But there it was, the dimensions right there in front of us. I had just walked out of Topshop and bought a pair of feather earrings for £7.50, straight back into Phillip Green's pocket (no offense, a businessman has to make money), walked outside and there were these two playing their Music and selling their own traditional, hand made items to earn money for themselves.

I did wonder why this style has hit the Fashion world, I have a sneaking suspicion it may be down to this End of the World theory everyone's questioning. Some bright spark in an office somewhere has come up with this idea as somesort of theme and now people are going out and buying it. Buying necklaces with Symbols on that they don't understand or have the interest in finding out about. Why?

I bought a Hamsa Hand recently, because I looked at the meaning of it and the reason behind why people wear it. I will never understand why so many people have no sense of personal interest in their style and how their own style is dictated by what the shops stock. But, it's only Fashion isn't it?

Hau.