The Sartorialist Incurs The Wrath Of Instagram

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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We've all heard it before—be careful what you post on your social media outlets because shit can get you fired, or at the very least, the Internet will be pissed as fuck at you. No one's immune to it. From Weinergate to Kenneth Cole and their Arab Spring controversy, famous people just love being inept at social media. This time the world's most famous street style photographer has gotten himself in hot water over what appears to be a misunderstood comment to a photo he posted on Instagram. Scott Schuman, aka The Sartorialist, posted a photo of a dress code policy alleged to be from this fine Brooklyn establishment. The sign read, "NO WIFE BEATER, NO TEE'S (WHITE), NO DU RAGS, NO SAGGING PANTS, NO BASKETBALL SHORTS, AND NO HOODIES," and Schuman was quick to add this little comment beneath: "No black people." It was this comment, not necessarily the photo, that aroused the ire of his Instagram followers sparking dozens of accusatory replies citing racism and bigotry. And it's probably for this reason that he's since deleted the original comment, but people are still upset, and offended.

We're pretty sure his comment was meant to interpret what he thought the dress code implied—that the club was saying blacks are not welcome, and not Schuman's own opinion. But it's also a double-edged sword here. While that may be true, his idea that only black people wear these kinds of clothes is what's really troubling his followers, and yeah, that line of thought is sort of bigoted. He comments later that the website to the club "actually makes the conversation a bit more interesting and calls into question what is racism," which is another error on his part. Just because their website has a Jay-Z track on autoplay and is peppered with photos of African American partygoers doesn't necessarily make his argument any more significant or validate any of his actions.

So the lesson to be learned here, folks, is that du rags and sagging pants are not exclusive to a particular race. I wore both in high school (that's a story for another time, which I hopefully will never have to tell) and I'm Asian.

NO CHINESE PEOPLE?

Lead image courtesy of robyn in real time

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