Why Kimberly Feliz’s Dress Sparked Unexpected Backlash
Kimberly Feliz recently faced body-shaming online for wearing a dress that made her feel “empowered.” Instead of staying silent, she decided to speak out. Her message to the haters is clear: confidence is a choice we make every single day.
Kimberly believes that how we feel about our bodies should never depend on strangers’ opinions. She chose the dress to celebrate herself, and it worked. “It didn’t just fit my body,” she wrote on social media. “It fit my spirit.”
@kimmfeliz Replying to @jordancrob the full outfit – dress is @FARM Rio I bought back in Summer2023 and @Havaianas platform flip flops #ootd #ootdinspo #summerfashion ♬ original sound – Kim Feliz
In her post, Kimberly Feliz shared that every time haters comment, she turns the negativity around. She wears the dress again, smiles wider, and remembers that she is the one who gets to define beauty for herself.
Her story is a reminder for anyone who’s ever felt judged: showing up for yourself is the best rebellion. Wear the bright colors, the daring cuts, and the confident smile. Kimberly’s daily choice to be proud is proof that the loudest voice should always be your own.
@kimmfeliz Replying to @Chitowngrl guys relax, you are getting weird in the comments now. #ootdinspo #ootd @Nippies US ♬ original sound – Kim Feliz
Kimberly Feliz latest “get-ready-with-me” video seemed to start like any other. Chilling in her car while dabbing mascara and talking favorites, the 29-year-old social media star wasn’t worried about her outfit. She poured on a loose one-shoulder dress and rolled the camera. The dress wasn’t the focus—until the outfit was slammed by a wave of body-shaming trolls. That’s when her comments section turned into a mud pit of hate.
“There were a lot of emotions,” Feliz tells PEOPLE today, looking back at the “extremely offensive” flood of judgment on her body and the way the dress hung on her. She felt “shocked, appalled, and confused” because the same dress made her feel “empowered and unapologetically me.” “I was speechless,” she adds.
When the comments tipped into “disrespectful and distasteful,” Kimberly Feliz decided she had to say something. One user guessed she was a “breast cancer survivor” just from the dress’s shape, and that crossed a line. Kimberly insists her reply wasn’t a savage “clap back,” but a way to yank the power from nasty remarks. “I wanted to focus on the fact that we don’t want to tear people down over minute details,” she explains.
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What I want to share is good energy and the message that you can feel fierce no matter your size, she says. I had no bad motives and I’m not trying to defend myself too hard; I just felt it was time to speak up.
This is actually the second time a video of mine went big and got a pile of strange comments. I usually don’t video reply, but I will jump into the comments to stand up for myself when I can, and I try to keep it classy.
Kimberly Feliz calls her vibe bold, wild, and a little risky, which you can see in the colorful dress that blew up the internet. I’m not trying to blend in, she explains. I dress for me, in what feels sexy and comfy, not for anyone else. I don’t let the world decide my style; the moment I put on a piece, it becomes my piece.
Getting to this. place of self-love took time. Kimberly remembers the kids who teased her when she was younger.
“My confidence didn’t appear in a day, but putting on bold colors, wild prints, and florals—plus things others call ‘unflattering’—makes me happy. I remember a time I thought I didn’t deserve to be seen, so I hid in dark tones that shaped me smaller. As I’ve grown, I found the confidence to push past those worries, love myself, and enjoy the body I have.”
Kimberly lets that love “shine so bright” she isn’t bothered if it makes other people “uncomfortable.” She hopes others will do the same.
“You don’t have to ‘earn’ self-love by changing your body, waiting to hit a goal, or squeezing into someone else’s idea of beautiful,” she says. “I want my posts to show confidence is a daily choice that begins when you show up for yourself right now, not someday. Your body deserves a round of applause in every season and at every size. Wear what you want, in your own way, and wear it with confidence.”
