Martha Stewart’s Halloween costume sparked outrage, and then her ‘idiot’ reasoning made it worse

People were stunned by Martha Stewart’s “out of touch” Halloween costume, but moreso when she attempted to explain her reasoning behind it. 

Each year, there are a handful of celebrities who cross the line with their Halloween costumes. For instance, Julianne Hough did literal blackface in 2013; Chris Brown dressed as the Taliban, and countless famous people thought it was okay to slip into Native American garb for the holiday. This time, it was Martha Stewart’s turn to feel the internet’s wrath. 

In a post she quickly removed from her social media channels, the celebrity chef was seemingly dressed as a homeless person. She had dirt on her face and was dressed in tattered clothes, all whilst holding a sign that read: “I am hungry. Help me!!”

Obviously, it generated a lot of outrage on the internet, moreso because it came from someone with a net worth of $400 million. 

“She’s f**ked up for this omg,” one person wrote. 

Martha Stewart shared photo seemingly dressed up as a homeless person for Halloween.

She has since deleted the post. pic.twitter.com/PzTX1BoDhK

— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 1, 2026

Another said: “Smart enough to delete it, but not smart enough to realise that the internet is forever.”

Martha soon spoke out to clear up confusion, but I can’t say it’s made the situation any better. 

Here’s Martha Stewart’s explanation for her Halloween costume 

Speaking to Page Six after the maelstrom of backlash online, Martha Stewart claimed she wanted to draw attention to a major issue in America. 

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She explained: “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. 

“Homelessness continues to remain one of America’s greatest challenges and ongoing crises, something that I care deeply about and I have spent a significant amount of time and effort supporting charities that combat this ongoing social epidemic.” 

Martha Stewart apologizes for dressing up as a homeless person for Halloween:

“It’s hard to admit when you’ve really screwed up. My earlier statement didn’t go far enough. I know many people are suffering economically. Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny.… pic.twitter.com/PI3ooASqyd

— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 2, 2026

People quickly pointed out that there are far better ways to draw attention to social issues, especially as a celebrity with millions of followers. Others simply didn’t buy what she was trying to sell. 

“She knows damn well she wasn’t spreading no awareness,” one person said, as another called her an “idiot”. 

Another argued: “If she wore an item that advertised a website or foundation to go to learn more, like a homeless service or her charity or put that info on the sign, it would’ve hit. Else it’s a shocking costume that only works with her explanation.”

“That’s why she quickly deleted it. Awareness lol,” someone else added. 

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Featured image credit: Martha Stewart and J Mayer/Shutterstock