A Geordie is being criticised by social media users for posting an Instagram photo of her wearing a jacket during a night out on Tyneside.
26-year-old hairdresser, Cheryl Weedy, revealed her new look on Thursday night but her followers suggested her choice of attire was offensive to people from farther south than Chester-le-Street.
She was accused of cultural appropriation with many commenters demanding that she apologise for her insensitive look.
One Twitter user @cannylass said, “Some people are over reacting a little but it is cultural appropriation of southern soft shite culture. Soft coat wearing southern sissies from Leeds have the right to get offended.”
While some people saw Weedy’s coat as cultural appropriation, her Instagram post has more than 14 likes and a lot of support for the new look as well.
An individual called @onthatoon27 said, “She’s a bonny lass and it wor freezin on Friday but no excuse for gannin and wearin a coat on tha toon.”
Cheryl told the Rochdale Herald through a translator that the reports that she was wearing a coat have been grossly over-exaggerated: “I was wearing a stringy, strappy vest top but you couldn’t see my belly button and a small denim jacket. I think that’s what’s got people confused.”
“I put the vest top on because the forecast was for snow and ice and I thought I might try to keep warm. I hadn’t realised that being cold was just for southerners. It was -14C.”
“I’ll be more sensitive in future and just wear traditional Geordie clothes.”
