It's no secret that at festivals, people can accidentally be insensitive with their outfit choices, and appropriate other cultures.
We spoke to some Aussies from different backgrounds to find out how to avoid being problematic, because honestly, who wants to be problematic?
Firstly, recognise what cultural appropriation actually means.
Cultural appropriation is different to appreciation, but there is a fine line. Be aware.
It also really helps to understand how picking and choosing certain aspects of a culture can negatively affect people of colour.
So, basically just avoid wearing items of cultural significance if you don't belong to that group.
This means accessories like bindis and henna should be pretty much off-limits.
Be mindful of traditional dress, like the West African dashiki or the South Asian kurta pajama.
Hair styles from African cultures have also been reduced to festival fashion trends.
"The weight it bears is far too significant for it not to be considered," says FlexMami.
Chinese prints have more recently popped up in different styles, "often with amped up 'sexiness'," says Alice.
"I am reminded that I am a caricature to some people, and that whiteness holds my culture as something to be consumed as a trend and spat out," Alice says.
At the end of the day, it's important to check ourselves.
Remember that there are so many groups that feel targeted when elements of their culture are reduced to fashion statements.
If you're called out – listen, apologise, and don't be defensive.
throwback to when chris hemsworth called himself out for his ignorance and cultural appropriation for dressing up as a native american during a new year's eve party and then joined the protest to stop the dakota access pipeline and he has sincerely learned his lesson since then https://t.co/X5EpqqSFHZ
We all make mistakes, but as FlexMami says, the conversation around appropriation has been trending for far too long to be completely ignored. "Sometimes I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt, and presume they don't know – after all, I too have been guilty of appropriating other cultures in my youth. You don't know what you don't know."
And remember, not everyone in a cultural group has the same opinion on the matter.
You can still look fab and express your style without appropriating. 👊
Correction: This post originally used the term ‘African culture’ when in fact we should have said ‘cultures’ in the plural.