Also known as "shemagh."

Unless you’ve never made it out of the boonies, you’ve no doubt seen girls and guys walking about town with woven check scarves around their necks, commonly paired with a pair of Chuck Taylors and skinny jeans. Officially known as a keffiyeh, they are much more than a fashion statement and their history has brought about a fair amount of controversy in the United States.

The keffiyeh originated in the Middle East as a comfortable shield from the arid conditions. Often worn by peasants working outside, most of the world associates the scarf with the former President of the Palestinian National Authority, Yasser Arafat, who always wore a black and white keffiyeh.  As a result the scarf became a symbol of the Palestinian liberation movement in general.  Additionally, organizations known for terrorist acts, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, are often portrayed wearing keffiyeh.

This link to the Palestinian movement, in combination with the surging popularity of the keffiyeh in the United States, created a few misconceptions and some conflict. Most notably, Urban Outfitters was forced to pull their version of the item from their shelves in 2007 amidst accusations that the clothing chain was supporting terrorism.

Despite these charges, the keffiyeh remains incredibly popular as a fashion accessory among teenagers and young adults in Western nations. For the majority of these scarf-wearers, the keffiyeh does not represent solidarity with the Palestinian liberation movement, and has instead joined the ranks of other garments associated with combat (camouflage and khakis, anyone?) as simply a hip thing to wear.