Stacey Solomon has fiercely defended her right to wear whatever makes her feel good after a troll accused her of 'trying to be 20 years old'. The 36-year-old TV star took to Instagram with an unfiltered response after receiving a cutting comment about a recent dress haul, in which she had shared how 'pretty' the outfits made her feel.
Rather than ignoring the criticism, Stacey decided to tackle it head-on, questioning why women are expected to abandon certain clothes simply because they've reached a particular age. Laughing in disbelief as she addressed the remark on her Instagram Stories, Stacey admitted she couldn't quite get her head around the logic.
Stacey's message on age-appropriate fashion
'I… you know when you read something and you just think my God,' she began. 'I'm sorry but… says who? Like what is age appropriate? Anything over children's sizes, there is no age limit.'
The Sort Your Life Out presenter pointed out that clothes don't suddenly come with an expiry date once you reach your thirties. 'When I pick up a top it doesn't say, “Oh, thirty-five and under, you can't have this one.” What do you mean?? I was just minding my own business feeling really pretty in all the dresses that I picked up for myself. I wasn't thinking, “Am I too old or too young to wear these clothes?”'
Encouraging followers to ignore critics
Turning the moment into a wider message for her followers, Stacey urged people not to let strangers dictate how they dress or what makes them feel confident. 'Let me tell you something. If you ever see anything and you think, “Oh I really like that, I'm going to get it for myself”… get it,' she said. 'Don't even think about the people out there who are like, “Can't wear that”, “Oh it's too young for you”, “Oh it's not age appropriate.” Just don't even think about it. If you like it and it makes you happy, wear it.'
She continued: 'Never let anyone tell you you can't wear something, for any reason. Size, age, hair, colour, whatever. Wear what makes you happy. Anyway, that was my rant for the night.'
Fans praise Stacey's honesty
Fans have long praised Stacey for her candid approach to social media, regularly sharing everything from home renovation disasters to parenting realities and the less glamorous side of everyday life. Her latest video struck a similarly honest tone, pushing back against the idea that women should quietly dress according to society's expectations once they reach a certain age.
The outspoken response comes just days after Stacey made headlines for an amicable family outing with husband Joe Swash and her former partner Dean Cox. Stacey shares her eldest son, Zachary, 18, with Dean, whom she dated as a teenager before the pair went their separate ways. The blended family reunion won praise from fans, who applauded the trio for putting Zachary first and maintaining a positive relationship years after their romance ended.
Now, Stacey is making it equally clear that she's not interested in letting strangers decide how she should look either. If an outfit makes her feel confident, she's going to wear it – regardless of the number on her birthday cake.
