Like many, I had seen snapshots and videos of the Afropunk festival — begun in Brooklyn in 2005 as a grassroots celebration of Black alternative music — throughout the years, but something seemed to always get in the way of me going. I didn't quite know what to expect at the festival, but I did know one thing: attendees would bring the fashion. Yes, the music at Afropunk is a draw for many — with artists including Teyana Taylor, Vince Staples, and Flying Lotus performing this year — but it's the fashion that keeps people coming back year after year.
Sheer joy radiated from the festival-goers. Their outfits ranged from punk rock realness to soft flower child vibes, but each person I saw looked so comfortable in their skin and their self-expression that the happiness was contagious.
I knew going into Afropunk that I would get a lesson in fashion, but what I wasn't expecting was a seminar in Black joy.
Here are some of my favorite outfits from this year's festival.