Martha Stewart apologises for homeless Halloween costume after backlash over first statement

The photo and the backlash

Martha Stewart, 85, posted a photo of herself on Instagram on 31 October 2026, dressed as a homeless person for Halloween. In it she wore torn jeans and a beanie, had a dirty face and held a sign reading 'I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!'. According to TMZ, the image sat in a carousel of photos promoting her candles sold on QVC, and the caption read 'My QVC candles are perfect for Halloween!!!'. Users criticised the picture quickly, and Stewart deleted it shortly afterwards. One commenter asked why poor people dying at the roadside were being treated as a costume, and the criticism spread across social media.

First statement defends the costume

On 1 November 2026, Stewart issued a statement to media outlets including Page Six and People. In it she explained that the outfit was meant to draw attention to homelessness, which she called one of America's greatest challenges and ongoing crises. She also pointed to her long support for charities working against homelessness and said she had spent decades teaching others how to celebrate Halloween. The statement offered regret over the reaction but did not contain an apology, which drew further criticism online.

“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.”

Second statement apologises

Hours after the first statement, Stewart posted a second message on Instagram that contained the apology the earlier text had lacked. She conceded that the first statement had not gone far enough and acknowledged that many people were struggling financially. In the post she described wearing the costume as insensitive and not funny.

“It's hard to admit when you've really screwed up. My earlier statement didn't go far enough.”

The message closed with the words 'I'm very sorry'. The timeline below traces the sequence of posts and statements.

Reactions and background

Reactions split between critics who said she seemed out of touch with people living without homes and defenders who recalled that similar costumes were widespread in the 1970s, a point made by a fan cited in 20 Minuten. On Reddit, commenters said the apology amounted to regret that people were offended rather than regret for the costume itself, while users on X called her disrespectful and hurtful. Her wealth became a further focus, with Celebrity Net Worth estimating her fortune at US$400 million and 20 Minuten reporting that she was once a billionaire. Stewart, born in 1941 in New Jersey, built her public profile from the 1980s with cooking, decorating and gardening tips, a career that earned her the nickname 'best housewife in America' according to Spiegel Online.