North West is a free spirit in fashion, no matter what anyone thinks.
The 12-year-old daughter of Kim Kardashian and Ye (formerly Kanye West), who’s drawn online attention for her daring style, showed off a bold new look in a series of photos shared on TikTok on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
The slideshow showed West wearing fluorescent blue braids with a black graphic T-shirt and matching shorts at an apparent concert event. For accessories, West donned a bundle of chunky silver necklaces, blue eye contacts, a pair of temporary facial tattoos and a henna tattoo on her hand.
In a seeming nod to the multicolored aesthetic of “The Powerpuff Girls,” West’s friends wore complementary looks, with one pal wearing pink braids and eye contacts and the other sporting neon green ones.
This isn’t the first time West has raised eyebrows with her unapologetic style. In August, the tween socialite divided fans and pop culture onlookers when she wore a corset during a trip to Italy with Kardashian.
Similarly, in 2022, West put an alternative twist on schoolgirl chic at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week when she paired a nose ring chain with a pinstripe vest and skirt ensemble.
Kim Kardashian defends daughter North West’s ‘creative’ fashion
During an Oct. 15 appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Kardashian opened up about her daughter North West’s button-pushing style.
“I’m like, ‘Babe, if you want blue hair, it is what it is. It makes her so happy. I would never take that creativity away from her,” Kardashian told host Alex Cooper. “I’m doing the best that I can, and my babies are good babies. So, I just urge everyone not to be judgmental and to have grace.”
As for navigating public scrutiny, the reality-TV star and media mogul said her daughter remains unfazed by criticism of her fashion choices.
“She’ll be like, ‘Mom, I saw this, and I don’t really care if someone says they don’t like my blue hair, or like my this or that,'” Kardashian said. “And she’s really confident and is like, ‘I probably wouldn’t be hanging out with those people.'”
The problem with criticizing North West’s fashion
Ongoing criticism of North West’s fashion is a prime example of how mainstream media tends to treat celebrity children, experts previously told USA TODAY.
The public often denies “their childhood innocence and subjects them to a sexualized gaze,” Melvin Williams, associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University, explained.
“What honestly strikes me most is not actually North’s clothing choice but the intense media scrutiny around it,” Lauren Downing Peters, PhD and author of “Fashion Before Plus-Size,” added. “The commentary we’re seeing online in recent days reveals our collective tendency to project meanings onto clothing, often in ways that tell us more about our own anxieties than about the garment or the wearer.”
Williams also pointed out the racial elements at play in criticism of West, noting that “Black girls are often sexualized and stereotyped on the basis of fashion choices, a factor that makes North West’s critics empowered to label her as ‘inappropriate’ or ‘too grown’ for simply adorning herself as an aspiring fashion designer.”
“Ultimately, people should focus on their households and allow minors to comfortably and safely experiment with fashion under parental supervision,” Williams said.
Contributing: Jay Stahl and David Oliver, USA TODAY
