Can I wear this dress as a white woman?

[4fingerKitKat]

I found a secondhand dress and I was really drawn to the bold print. It’s by the designer Kemi Telford who is of Nigerian heritage and her clothes are very influenced by this.

I love the dress in abstract as an item of clothing but trying it on I’m not sure I feel completely comfortable wearing it.

The dress similar to this one:

https://kemitelford.com/collections/dresses/products/green-vine-button-down-dress

Is it cultural appropriation? Or just too jarring? Or is it fine? I don’t know.

I had some amazing dresses from Samoa and Tonga which I stupidly gave to a charity shop when o moved house and thought I’d ever get a chance to wear them again. I really regret as they were beautifully handmade and the fabric prints were gorgeous.

What a lucky find! I have a KT dress and I love it. Wear it and enjoy it!

Why would you even think that? If you like a dress, you like a dress. I've bought allsorts of styles, my preference is ethnic and bohemian, never once have I thought about cultural misrepresentation. Strewth is this what the world has come to, so sad and totally pointless 😔

Yes, this. My friend (a white woman) wore this at an event she hosted and my other friend ( a black woman ) complimented her and asked for the name of the designer.

Support black women designers yay win win!

Wear it and enjoy it!

Thanks for the input -I obviously missed the memo about Kemi Telford (I don’t follow influencers etc) so haven’t seen that she’s been popular with/promoted to white women. Vast majority of what I saw from a quick search was worn by black women.

I tend to think that (whoever has created them) there’s a line between things which are influenced by other cultures and wholesale mimicry - like the difference beteeen appreciation and appropriation maybe?

The dress I have isn’t that one, it’s not even that similar but it feels like it draws the same amount of influence from Nigerian styles with a lot of volume in the skirt and a bold African style print.

Nigerian friend brings me fabric back every time she goes home.
I make all sorts with the beautiful colours and designs.
Been wearing these fabrics for more than 30 years and no one’s every commented negatively.
I also love sari fabrics and regularly buy from our local shop.

I think this print/colour would look lovely against red hair.

YABU because it’s so expensive. You can find one that’s similar for £100 or less.

It’s not that exact dress and I bought it second hand for a fraction.

Please dont wear it with the same trainers as the models. Dress totally ruined.

And like others, what a terrible indictment of where society is that someone asks a question like this .

Kemi is Nigerian! I hope she sees this thread. I'm sure she'd be gutted if she thought white women were scared to buy her clothed.

I've got several Kemi Telford skirts and a fabulous dress. Bought years back before she became more known and expensive. I love them.

Incidentally, I'm in France where the shops here are awash with these sort of vibrant prints. Our local Monoprix has loads of these styles at great prices. These prints are very mainstream here.

It’s fine. The shirt style is pretty ubiquitous on the high st. The pattern is arguably not that African too. It’s just abstract. My DH is west African and I get a lot of clothes gifted. I feel the same as you re cultural appropriation but the truth is that his family would be offended more if I didn’t wear them to events like weddings when we visit!

Ps I wouldn’t wear the dresses from my in laws here though but they are FAR more African in terms of print and the style of tailoring etc.

Looks like a nice comfy dress, Id wear it.
Lets face it, cultural appropriation has gone too far in some peoples minds. I mean stay away from outfits/items that have very significant religious or cultural meaning but surely wearing everyday clothes from other cultures is plain old appreciation!