Asian dress prom style

One Utah teenager's prom dress has sparked a heated debate on the controversial issue of cultural appropriation. Keziah Daum, an year-old senior at Woods Cross High School, Utah, received backlash after she posted photos of her dressed in a red qipao, a traditional Chinese dress, on prom night. After she posted them online, many on Twitter were quick to criticize her choice of wardrobe, accusing her of appropriating the Chinese culture, given she is not of Chinese descent. At the time, she said, she was only focused on the modesty and subtle elegance of the dress. On prom night, Daum said she received compliments from everyone, including her friends, advisers, fellow students she has never met and even waiters at the restaurant they ate at that night. Some people online are calling her actions thoughtless and even reprehensible, while others are jumping to her defense.

When Utah teen Keziah Daum finally found her prom dress, she had no idea of the controversy it would cause. She found "the one" at a vintage shop in downtown Salt Lake City, where the year-old is finishing up her final year of high school. It was really special. But photos of Daum in the red dress recently caused an uproar on social media, where many people accused her of cultural appropriation. My culture is NOT your goddamn prom dress. The tweets kicked off a conversation about cultural appropriation in fashion , and whether Daum's dress went too far.

Keziah Daum appeared on Good Morning America to discuss the backlash on social media since she wore a red qipao to her high school prom and shared photos of her and her friends posing with prayer signs on Twitter. And, despite what she considers her best intentions, Daum was criticised on Twitter for her choice of dress, which many found offensive, racist, or guilty of cultural appropriation. The qipao, or cheongsam, was traditionally a loose-fitting garment for Chinese women to wear while carrying out domestic tasks. It was then updated to have a tighter fit, and worn as a symbol of femininity and confidence. You can find our Community Guidelines in full here.

After Ms. Daum, 18, shared pictures on social media of her prom night, a Twitter user named Jeremy Lam hotly responded in a post that has been retweeted nearly 42, times. Some Twitter users who described themselves as Asian-American seized on Ms. Other Asian-Americans said the criticism was silly.