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Michael Techmeyer

Keziah Daum, an 18-year-old high school senior, was looking for a dress to wear to her senior prom and found one at her local vintage store, Decades, in Salt Lake City, Utah. "I was looking for a dress that was going to be modest in the neckline but also unique," she says. "I’ve always admired the beauty and uniqueness of the Chinese dresses, so I went to that section. I saw that dress, and I was like, ‘OK, this is the dress.’"

But what she chose, a bright, traditional Chinese qipao (or cheongsam) dress, sparked an online debate when she tweeted the photos on April 22, the day after her big night, with the caption "PROM."

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One user found the images she posted and wrote a response that went viral, and Daum's photos found their way into a Twitter Moment.

On prom night, Daum says she received compliments from strangers, waiters at the restaurant she and her friends went to, and teachers, so she was sad and confused when she learned people were offended by her outfit choice.

"I definitely was not expecting it," she said. "I, in no way, was trying to be racist or show cultural appropriation. It was, in fact, cultural appreciation."

Many users came out in support of Daum, while others quickly denounced her dress as cultural appropriation. The qipao, in an early form, was baggy and worn predominantly by upper-class women during the Qing dynasty, which ruled China for more than 250 years until 1912, according to The New York Times. The style then began to merge with Western culture over the decades; it became shorter, featuring slits and tapered waists, evolving into the tight-fitting style that's well-known today.

"At first, I felt bullied, but my mom helped toughen me up, and I began to realize how many people there were who were supporting me in my decision and encouraging me," Daum says. "I learned that there’s always people who are going to hate and I can’t control that."

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Michael Techmeyer

And while Twitter is in an uproar about her prom dress choice, some people in China are supporting her decision.

“To Chinese, it’s not sacred and it’s not that meaningful,” said Hung Huang, a Beijing-based writer and fashion blogger, in an interview with The New York Times.

Some people took to Weibo, a China-based blogging platform, to write that Daum looked beautiful.

“Culture has no borders," wrote one user. "There is no problem, as long as there is no malice or deliberate maligning. Chinese cultural treasures are worth spreading all over the world.”

Daum says the controversy hasn't lessened her fun prom-night memories.

"I would, in fact, wear that dress again," she says. "I would buy others like it, because I think it’s a beautiful piece of clothing."

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Lauren Adhav
Associate Fashion Editor

I'm Cosmopolitan's Associate Fashion Editor and write about any and all trends, major celeb fashion moments, and why wide-leg jeans are basically the best. I originally moved to New York City to audition for RENT, only to find out that the play closed 10 years ago.