The 'My Culture Is Not Your Costume' meme originated as a serious social media campaign aimed at preventing cultural appropriation during Halloween. However, it achieved legendary meme status in 2018 after a Twitter user criticized a teenager for wearing a traditional Chinese qipao to her prom. The phrase 'My culture is not your goddamn prom dress' became a viral copypasta, leading to a massive wave of ironic parodies. Users began pairing the phrase with photos of inanimate objects, fictional characters, or bizarre fashion choices that loosely resembled specific aesthetics. Today, the meme is used both for genuine social discourse and as a humorous way to mock over-sensitivity or aesthetic gatekeeping in pop culture.