Thursday, December 10, 2009

So that's why they wear those things...

Thanks to the shemagh John Shirley brought me from Afghanistan (and this handy instructional shemagh-tying video from U.S. Cavalry,) my nose stayed toasty warm and un-frostbitten while lugging the trash cans to the curb.

Thank you, John!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hah! Now you understand.

And you used to mock my Multigator!

Shootin' Buddy

Anonymous said...

There's a native version of those things: The woolen scarf

Chas S. Clifton said...

But if you just drape one over your shoulders (preferably the black-and-white model) in some "progressive" circles, it means you are pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel.

Tam said...

Anon,

Yes, but the shemagh has a thousand and one uses, because of its size and cotton fabric.

I had a nice scarf my first winter up here; Shiva only knows where it got off to...


Chas,

This one's sort of a dark blue, gold, and white, and it came from Afghanistan; college radicals wear black and white ones that came from Abercrombie & Fitch. Also, I've never just draped it over my shoulders like a fashion accessory; I usually use it to keep my neck warm.

Jay G said...

Tam, you don't have a good balaclava?

Tam said...

I could never figure out what was so "tactical" about putting a flaky pastry on my head. And the honey kept getting all stuck in my hair.

OA said...

No hoser hat? Take off, eh!

Dwight Brown said...

The tactical part: your enemy laughs himself silly. While he's doing so, you throw hot coffee in his face...

Bob said...

Of course, if you want to make sure that you aren't confused with a Palestinian sympathizer, you can order the Israeli version, which features a Star of David pattern instead of the houndstooth pattern usually employed.

Tam said...

Uh, I generally don't wear garments with foreign flags on them, not being foreign and all.

Actually, I pulled my ball cap back on over the shemagh; it has a subdued U.S. flag velcroed to the front. Do I get points for that?

Chas S. Clifton said...

A ball cap on top of a shemagh/kaffiya? That's cultural appropriation! Or something.

Brian Dale said...

Somebody referred to my billed, earflapped, Gore-Tex and fleece number as a "goofy hat" today. Hey, it's four degrees Fahrenheit, there's a breeze, and I can still feel my ears. Here on my side of the hat, I like it just fine.

Anonymous said...

A guy with a Georgia accent telling how to tie a shemagh?
That ain't natural.

Erik in Colo.

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty sure you scared/confused the crap outta your neighbors during this evolution...

"Abner! I TOLD you the blonde was up to something!"

Matt G said...

Keeps the grit out when it's dusty, too.

Matt G said...

And Dad and I got our shemaughs from the same place that you got yours. (Thanks, John! For this and SO much more.)

aczarnowski said...

I really like the idea of those things but I just can't bring myself to make wearing one my own. Every time I try, I get visions of Che t-shirt wearing undergrads in flip flops and designer jeans. Then I beat myself up a little over carrying about crap like that.

Repeat.

Maybe I just need to find one that doesn't have anywhere near a traditional pattern on it...

Thanks for making it clear I'm not the only one with cognitive dissonance over the whole head wear vs dessert thing!

Mattexian said...

I picked one up in "tactical" sage green and tan, like it much more than the plain tan'n'black (not to be confused with the Black and Tans!).

Noah D said...

Maybe if I could get one in red, white and blue?

Firehand said...

I've got a picture of son in the cupola of a MRAP, and he looks like he's wearing a stillsuit: no skin showing at all. Between temperature and dust and wind...

J.R.Shirley said...

Y'all are so very welcome.