Sydney Sweeney made a stylish statement on the streets of New York City this week, seemingly unbothered by a recent social media storm that criticised her appearance as channelling conservative 'MAGA' vibes.
The Glamorous Winter Outing
The 28-year-old Euphoria star was photographed in Manhattan on Wednesday, braving the cold in a sophisticated head-to-toe maroon look. Sweeney bundled up in a chic coat, pairing it with a matching dark red top and trousers. She accessorised with a polished brown handbag, black sunglasses, and a pair of pointed-toe burgundy heels that added height to her 5' 3" frame. Her signature blonde hair was styled in soft, bouncy waves.
The Social Media Spat Erupts
The fashionable outing followed a heated online exchange. The drama began after Sweeney's appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday. Internet personality Blakely Thornton posted an Instagram Reel taking aim at her style, suggesting it leaned into conservative aesthetics and labelling her hair 'the stiffest wig this side of the Mississippi'. Thornton captioned part of the clip, 'Sydney Sweeney's gays must be MAGA.'
Hours later, Thornton shared a follow-up Reel featuring alleged screenshots of a direct message conversation with Sweeney's longtime hairstylist, Glen 'Coco' Oropeza. In the messages, an account believed to be Oropeza's fired back: 'Wasn't a wig but you can't get my girl's name out of your mouth. You're obsessed.'
A second message from the same account read, 'Stiff where? You're doing a lot ... Take a breath, diva. You can keep trying to spin a narrative, but we all know you just need click bait cuz your content is TIRED.' Thornton retorted, 'I hope you get paid overtime for being a sycophant after 9pm PST.'
A History of Controversy and Transformation
This is not the first time Sweeney's image has sparked online debate. Earlier this year, an American Eagle ad campaign featuring her ignited accusations of promoting 'white supremacy' due to wordplay on 'good jeans' and 'good genes'. Furthermore, reports that Sweeney is a registered Republican have periodically fuelled discussion on social media.
The recent criticism also comes shortly after Oropeza discussed giving Sweeney a dramatic new bob haircut for a premiere, a process he said took four days. He revealed to WWD that while Sweeney considered bangs, he vetoed the idea, feeling it would be 'too much'.
As of now, representatives for both Sydney Sweeney and Glen Oropeza have not publicly commented further on the alleged Instagram exchange.
