Is wearing West African prints cultural appropriation?

[CrayCrayMum]

I love bright colours and prints... I have seen some beautiful stuff online that comes from west Africa and I would love to wear some of it. BUT... Is this cultural appropriation? I have a dress that I bought in South Africa and had the same conversation with the shop owner, who thought I was mad, but I realise wearing prints might be seen differently by the African diaspora in the UK. Before anyone climbs into me for being too woke or whatever or having first world problems, you are right! I am and I have. This is a genuine request. I am just trying to not step on anyone's toes and trying to navigate the world with some sensitivity.

I also like clothing from brands like Kemi Telford and Heritage Clothings. I would have no issue wearing something with a print like this https://www.heritageclothings.com/collections/quiet-power-collection/products/titilayo-floral-maxi-dress or https://kemitelford.com/products/amina-dress-in-blue-wave-dutch-wax. Kemi Telford has models of all ethnicities on her website. I don't see it as any different as wearing prints/patterns strongly associated with other parts of the world, you are not cos-playing a West African woman. (Disclaimer - I am white British and appreciate others may have different perspectives).

I don't think cultural appropriation is a thing. It's just contact with other people(s).

No

Well no doubt designers and manufacturers of cloth from Africa would be sorry to lose you as a customer. Do you ever buy anything French?

Thank you so much! You and I are living on the same shops...my credit card is starting to burn. I am white British/South African (should have mentioned that!).

Would you think it was cultural appropriation if a west African person wore tweed or tartan or a Welsh wool print?
If you’re talking a full on African style dress with a head wrap maybe not, but just a print/regular clothing is fine

I have the same worry op. I love the prints so much. Same worry with kimono style things. Neither of these are a part of my cultural heritage.

The thing is, this sort of avoidance of ethnic businesses for worries like this harms people more than wearing a print ever could. Your custom can help individual creators/business owners and that helps the local economy.

In my view, buying the dress and wearing it because you like it is fine. Setting up a shop and making a buck off of the cultural styles, prints, colours, is not ok unless you are of that culture.

The term cultural appropriation should be confined to things like pretending you are native American and making a living out of that, i.e. fraud.

The adoption of different culture's food, dance, dress, fashion etc is a normal part of life that has always happened, and has happened for thousands of years. I went to an event where the taiko drummers were all white and the scots celidh dancer was east asian. I think that's brilliant and how life should be. It makes life richer.

Having said that, if you are the sort of person who constrains your life for fear of others taking offence then don't wear the dress. Because some people will be offended.

No one on here can tell you ' its fine no-one will care' because someone will.

You have to decide whether to live life by your own values and on your terms, or on other people's. That's the choice you are really facing.

Also to add - I'm Scottish. If I got my knickers in a knot every time someone wore tartan, I'd be permanently furious.

I've bought some beautiful West African printed bags and scarves, sold by West Africans at fair trade stalls and the sellers are very happy to sell them to anyone, regardless of ethnicity, and also to talk about how they were designed and produced. There's a couple of stalls I see regularly at 'makers markets' and occasionally as pop ups in big malls.

I think it's an issue if large companies rip off designs for profit, with no money going to the original designers or country of origin - that would be cultural appropriation. But not buying direct from designers; if people only ever bought from designers who were of the same ethnic origin as themselves, it would be very limiting.

Those dresses are amazing!

Thank you if you have commented on this post. I am off to purchase a dress that I have wanted for ages!!

To add - what DOES offend me as Scottish is when tourists go to one of the "fun" photo shoot places which used to exist on the Royal Mile and all get dressed up in tartan outfits to pose with bagpipes and haggis and other tropes. This sort of thing. Now THAT is cultural appropriation (and downright tacky). I would judge people who spend money on this sort of shite to high heaven.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186525-d12778393-Reviews-Lawnmarket_Old_Time_Photos-Edinburgh_Scotland.html

@CrayCrayMum Do white South Africans wear the South African heritage clothes? Never seen it personally - so maybe you are looking at the clothes through these eyes?

I guess the makers would want to sell to anyone. It’s discrimination not to!? They just need to make money. I personally don’t like many of the prints but what I think would really matter is what the garment actually is. A skirt that doesn’t shout West African print, teamed with a plain cashmere pullover, would be fine. Full length immersion and full on prints, no. However I don’t get why people could be offended really. We can buy kilts, kimono style dresses, French berets, Norwegian knitted hats, silk Nehru jackets and few would care. They are accepted styles in many countries! The Japanese I can assure you, really won’t care if anyone has a kimono style jacket! So I’d buy carefully and make it look stylish on you instead of copying a total look.

Cultural appropriation is profiting from art, design, and traditions that belong to another culture whilst also benefiting from any privilege that might come from your own cultural heritage. A good example is the type of 'wellness' influencers who promote 'golden milk' or 'turmeric latte' instead of acknowledging that haldi doodh is an ancient Ayurvedic remedy.

Wearing wax prints because they are beautiful is cultural appreciation. Wearing them with a gele (headdress) would be a bit much unless you were attending a Nigerian wedding, for example.

I don't believe in cultural appropriation. It's fashion, all fashion is culture based. Nobody gets upset at African people wearing 'western clothes' do they? Everyone should be free to style themselves how they wish.

Wear what you want.

Is this really what people are worrying about???

This is very 2010

Years ago I'd buy fabric from a local shop that sold material made in India, then mum would make me a skirt or something with it. Never gave anything a thought, just a shop that sold stunning fabric, far better than anything I saw ready made and I admired the beauty of it.

Enjoy your clothes OP!

😂

An African colleague gave me some beautiful Nigerian fabric. I don't think she wanted me to hide it in a cupboard...

Sigh. There's always one fashionista bore who I bet is sat at home in her primark onesie.