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By Megan Cartwright
Associate News Editor
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Martha Stewart is facing criticism after sharing a Halloween costume depicting a person experiencing homelessness, complete with ripped clothing, dirt on her face and a sign saying, "I am hungry. Help me."
Stewart removed the image and initially told Page Six she was "distressed" that people were offended, saying she meant to raise awareness of homelessness.
She later issued a more direct apology on Instagram, saying her first response "didn’t go far enough" and calling the costume "insensitive and not funny."
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Stewart has spent decades making Halloween part of her lifestyle brand, regularly sharing costumes, recipes and craft ideas with followers.
Newsweek reached out to Stewart's representative via email for comment on Monday and awaits a response.
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How the Controversy Started
Stewart's picture in question appeared in a carousel promoting the lifestyle entrepreneur's candles before being deleted.
Reaction quickly followed online. On X, one user called the 85-year-old "out of touch," while another said the costume was "incredibly tone deaf, disappointing" and "childish."
"You get to take the costume off. Millions of people don't," added a third.
"I am distressed that my Halloween costume yesterday, which was intended to bring more awareness to the very serious subject of homelessness, has offended people, which was never my intention," Stewart said.
She added that homelessness remains "one of America’s greatest challenges and ongoing crises" and that she has spent significant time and effort supporting charities addressing the issue.
She also said she was "committed to continuing to make a difference."
Newsweek contacted the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the Coalition for the Homeless via email for comment on Monday and is awaiting responses.
Why Stewart Issued Another Statement
Stewart subsequently returned to Instagram with a more direct acknowledgment of the criticism and of shortcomings in her first statement.
"It’s hard to admit when you’ve really screwed up," Stewart wrote in the post. "My earlier statement didn’t go far enough."
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She then addressed the costume itself rather than focusing on her intention behind it.
"I know many people are suffering economically. Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny. I am very sorry," the statement said.
In the comments underneath Just Jared's Instagram post about the costume, Stewart doubled down on her remarks, adding: "My costume was designed to bring the homeless and the hungry to everyone's mind and boy it certainly did!!! But not in the correct way, because I did not explain it and I am so sorry I care and I support causes who care. Do all of you???"
In response, transgender actress Indya Moore said: "We all make mis takes [sic]. I certainly do. I try my best to correct them, not just with explanations but with more active support around the actual issue I may be contributing to. But this is a really tough one for me."
She continued: "Halloween has never been a time when people dress up as a demographic in need to raise awareness for them. Halloween is caricature: monsters, villains, idols. People do not dress up as groups who are in crisis. This is why your excuse is not believable for so many people. It actually seems like youre [sic] using the anger of people who have actually been hungry as proof your costume worked."
Halloween Has Long Been Part of Stewart's Brand
The incident came during a holiday Stewart has embraced publicly for years.
In her initial response to the controversy, she described Halloween as "one of [her] favorite holidays of the year" and said she has spent decades showing audiences how to celebrate it through recipes, crafts, entertaining and hosting ideas.
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Her social media activity around Halloween this year reflected that history. Stewart shared a throwback image of a haunted horsewoman costume from 2009 alongside other past looks, including one worn to Bette Midler’s 1998 Hulaween gala and a comic-book costume from 2017.
Another Instagram post compiled clips of Stewart cooking, crafting and dressing up over the years with the caption: "When someone asks if I like Halloween."
She also continued the food-and-entertaining side of the holiday with a recent appearance on the Today show, sharing seasonal recipes with viewers, including a no-bake spiderweb cheesecake and ghastly goulash.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Megan Cartwright and James Debens
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