Simpson and Boyle wear headdresses

Jessica Simpson Wears the Controversial Native American Headdress

By Raechal Leone ShewfeltJessica Simpson spent her 35th birthday Friday kicking back and relaxing with family and friends on a two week-vacation in St. Barts. But it wasn't all cocktails and bikinis.

Among the Instagram shots she shared was a black-and-white one of her in a feathery headdress that angered some of her followers. "Native American traditions are not fashion statements," one posted. "My culture is not your costume," wrote another. Then there were comments that people were just being too sensitive about the subject. It got kind of ugly.

Simpson wasn't the only one who sported the controversial look over the weekend. On Sunday, British singer Susan Boyle wore a similar headdress as she attended the T In The Park music festival in Perthshire, Scotland.

Both women must have missed Pharrell's fiasco last summer, when he was photographed for the July 2014 cover of Elle U.K. wearing a headdress. The "Happy" singer's photo shoot spurred a hashtag of #nothappy on Twitter, and he eventually apologized. "I respect and honor every kind of race, background and culture," he said. "I am genuinely sorry."I think Simpson claims to have a Cherokee great-grandma, so it's okay.

Simpson Really an Indian?

No, it was a great-great-grandma, but Simpson said only "Native," not Cherokee.



Susan Boyle wears feathered Native American headdress for eccentric T in the Park outfit

Note that Boyle is making pseudo-Native gestures: a "woo-woo" sound, a "How!" greeting, and a "My people" or "Great spirit" type of opening. Pure stereotyping, yet this article doesn't call her out for it.

Jessica Simpson, Susan Boyle Wore Feather Headdresses Over the WeekendOn Saturday, Jessica Simpson shared a photo of herself wearing a Plains Indians-style feather headdress, sometimes called a "warbonnet," with her 1.7 million Instagram followers. According to Yahoo News, the snap was taken at her 35th birthday celebration in St. Barts. The picture has sparked a comment war on the Instagram page. While many of Simpson's fans are all too happy to rush to her defense and bemoan "political correctness," some more sophisticated voices have managed to get a word or two in edgewise.

"Wearing a headdress like this is like wearing military medals and a uniform you didn't earn," said one recent commenter. "It's racist."And:Boyle and Simpson might both benefit from Rick Mora's recent statements about the sacred regalia they're treating as accessories.

"Women wearing headdresses? Not okay," Mora told members of the New Zealand press. "Never okay."