Your Afropunk Primer

Words: Maxinne Mboweni | Illustrator: Nena Maree

The annual arts festival celebrates and unifies the cultural cornerstones of AFROPUNK through music, film, skate, and art is coming to South Africa! 

Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, is the place to be 30 Dec – 31 Dec 2017, with Solange and Anderson .Paak headlining. 

Use these five steps as your Afropunk primer. 

Step One: Get Educated 

The beauty of Afropunk is not only the mesmerising overload of fashion, art, music and beauty seen at the festivals but also the safe space the festival allows for marginalised groups to celebrate their individuality and identity. For those not in the know, Afropunk the Festival was borne from a movement that was spurred on following the James Spooner directed documentary Afro-punk. The film challenged the ideals surrounding the Punk phenomenon, which although intended to be an expression of rebellion and youth anger against capitalism and mass consumerism was ironically racially exclusionary. Thus, at its inception Afropunk was intended to parallel the punk rock movement ideals with the inclusion of people of colour. Fast forward many years and today Afropunk is still arguably seen as a celebration of liberation, culture and proud individualism. And is finally coming to South Africa!

Step Two: Strategise your look

Assuming you’ve done your due diligence and at least conducted even the briefest of background checks and research, then you’ve probably gathered that Afropunk is perhaps the single best-dressed festival out there. For every look, you’ve mentally constructed in your head, you’d have probably stumbled on several even more visually breathtaking looks. Now comes the struggle of finding an outfit that is both aesthetically pleasing, flattering and good enough to bask in the warm glow of Solange.

Step Three: The Search

If you are going for the free-flowing goddess look then we say a good style direction to take would be flowy and colourful dress. For those who fall into the maximalist-leaning style camp, don’t be afraid to pile on the accessories – the more the merrier.

Step Four: The Search continued

Alternatively, you could also keep your look simple and add statement pieces to really make your look really pop. For those that are really clueless as to “how to statement dress” – just ask yourself what item is least likely to match whatever look you currently have on? Usually the answer is the solution.

If there was ever a time to break style rules it would be Afropunk. Although we should add that clashing is a major 2017 style trend so there is also that. So, don’t be afraid of fun shapes, fabrics or exaggerated silhouettes.

Step Five: Do you

Essentially there are really no true “how to for Afropunk”, as the whole idea is to forsake the rules. Afropunk is the perfect end to 2017 and an absolute must – especially for people of colour. So, whatever you do wear just make sure your there!