Chinese are OK with Utah teen's controversial cheongsam prom dress

Show Caption Hide Caption How prom trends have evolved over the decades Prom season is back and all your nostalgia needs are right here. Here’s how prom trends have evolved over the decades.

A Utah teen's decision to wear a traditional Chinese-inspired dress to her prom threw Americans into a tizzy over its cultural appropriation.

But it turns out people from mainland China are supportive of Keziah Daum's use of the traditional cheongsam, or qipao, which drew an uproar when she posted a photo of her red dress on Twitter last month.

ChinaDaily.com reported Daum was lauded on the Chinese social media website Weibo, where many complimented the dress and stamped out any negative suggestion of cultural insensitivity.

"It is not cultural appropriation, it's cultural appreciation," a user named Wuyiya wrote, China Daily notes. "Can anyone living in the US let the girl know that many Chinese people think she looks stunning in this beautiful dress?"

User Xiaoxiongnaicha told the Weibo world that, "As a Chinese, we all very proud and delighted to share our cultural fashions with anyone around the world. We all support her," China Daily reported.

The cheongsam: Chinese prom dress draws rage, but Utah student said she meant no harm

Mom explains: Mom of Utah teen who wore controversial Chinese dress explains prom photos

Vlogger Winston Sterzel, in a YouTube video posted Wednesday, walks through a street in China asking people whether it's OK if foreign women wear the qipao while showing them a photo of a woman wearing the dress.

"Totally OK," one man said. "It has a retro sort of classic feel." Another woman, looking at the photo, said it "looks really good."

The South China Morning Post quoted someone in the Wenxue City News as saying, "Really don't understand the people who are against (Daum), they are wrong!" The person added an invitation: "I suggest the Chinese government, state television or fashion company invite her to China to display her cheongsam!"

Daum, in an email to China Daily, said she has been "overwhelmed by the many people from China who have both reached out to me and have posted to social media their viewpoints. I thank them for the moral support regarding my decision to wear a qipao."

Follow Sean Rossman on Twitter: @SeanRossman