Martha Stewart, 85, Deletes Halloween Photo After Widespread Backlash and Issues Apology Admitting She 'Really Screwed Up'

Martha Stewart's Halloween post disappeared after drawing widespread criticism online. The lifestyle mogul later acknowledged that her first attempt to address the controversy had not gone far enough.

What began as a holiday Instagram post quickly became a debate over homelessness, economic hardship, and the line between raising awareness and making light of a serious issue.

Stewart first explained what she said she had intended to accomplish. Then, after further criticism, she returned with a far more direct admission about what had gone wrong.

Martha Stewart's Halloween Post Sparks Backlash

Stewart, 85, faced a wave of criticism after sharing a Halloween post on Instagram that she later deleted.

For the costume, Stewart dressed as a homeless person. She wore tattered clothing, had what appeared to be dirt smeared across her face, and held a sign reading, "I Am Hungry Help Me!!"

The post also promoted Stewart's QVC candle collection. Its caption directed followers to purchase the candles, describing them as "perfect for Halloween!"

That combination drew a sharp response from social media users, many of whom objected to homelessness being presented as a Halloween costume.

One commenter wrote, "what in the tone deaf is that omg." Another said, "Poverty is not a costume. About 35 million of the US live below the poverty line."

"This is just repugnant. Wow," another person wrote, while someone else told Stewart, "Read the room Martha." Other reactions included, "I can't believe this is real. 😢" and "In this economy of all times. How disgusting."

"Wow, I have no other words," one commenter added. Another simply asked, "What is she thinking?" Not everyone responding to the controversy criticized Stewart. One person wrote, "People are so sensitive and want to be mad."

Another defended her, writing, "Im sure she didn't mean any harm. Shes a sweetheart." The disagreement continued on Facebook. Beneath a Page Six post about the controversy, one person suggested Stewart's goal may have been to draw attention to the issue.

"She brought awareness to it. That was probably her plan. She is a smart cookie so I can't imagine her doing it to be heartless." Others remained puzzled. "Why would she do this? 😟" one person asked, while another wrote, "Did she really do that?"

Stewart Explains What She Intended

As the criticism continued, Stewart responded directly on Instagram. "Hi this is the real Martha Stewart Just to let you know my " she wrote in one comment, which ended there.

She followed it with a longer explanation of what she said the costume had been intended to do.

"My costume was designed to bring the homeless and the hungry to everyone's mind and boy it certainly did!!! But not in the correct way , because I did not explain it and I am so sorry I care and I support causes who care . Do all of you???"

Stewart subsequently deleted the original Halloween photo. She then issued a more formal statement addressing the criticism and explaining her position on homelessness. According to Page Six, Stewart said she was distressed that the costume had offended people.

"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," she said.

The businesswoman also addressed the broader issue behind the costume, describing homelessness as one of the country's major ongoing challenges.

"Homelessness continues to remain one of America's greatest challenges and ongoing crises, something that I care deeply about and I have spent a significant amount of time and effort supporting charities that combat this ongoing social epidemic," Stewart continued.

She said she was "committed to continuing to make a difference." Stewart also described Halloween as "one of [her] favorite holidays of the year."

She noted that she had spent decades showing others how to celebrate the holiday through recipes, crafts, entertaining ideas, and hosting tips. But that statement would not be Stewart's final word on the controversy.

A Second Statement Goes Much Further

After her initial response, Stewart issued another statement through her Instagram Story. This time, she directly called the costume insensitive and apologized for it.

As CNN reported, Stewart began her second statement with the admission referenced in the headline: "It's hard to admit when you've really screwed up." She then acknowledged that her earlier response had been insufficient.

"My earlier statement didn't go far enough. I know many people are suffering economically. Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny. I am very sorry."

The second statement marked a clear change from her earlier explanation. Rather than focusing primarily on her stated intention of raising awareness, Stewart acknowledged the problem with the costume itself and apologized.

The controversy added another highly publicized moment to a career that has kept Stewart in the spotlight for decades. It also came months after she addressed a very different kind of public scrutiny: persistent questions about her appearance and speculation that she had undergone a facelift.

At the time, Stewart was equally direct about what she said people had gotten wrong.

Stewart Recently Shut Down Facelift Rumors

At 84, Stewart got tired of the facelift rumors and decided to shut them down for good. In an interview, the lifestyle icon gets candid about what she has—and more importantly, has not—done to maintain her famously youthful appearance.

The lifestyle mogul forcefully shut down persistent rumors that she’s had a facelift, telling People exclusively, "Everybody insists that I've had plastic surgery and I have not ever had plastic surgery."

Instead, she credits her famously youthful appearance to a combination of healthy living, diligent skincare, and the help of her dermatologist for non-invasive treatments.

Frustrated by the speculation, Stewart doubled down on her denial. "I'm the most honest person on earth — but if they won't take my word for it, I don't know," she said. "How can they not take my word for it? That's the truth!"

The One Exception

Stewart did recall the one and only time a plastic surgeon has ever touched her face, which she firmly categorizes as a medical repair, not cosmetic surgery.

About a decade ago, she had a frightening accident with one of her French bulldogs during a blizzard. "I leaned down in my dark kitchen to kiss the dogs goodbye," she recalled, when the startled dog "bolted up" and bashed her lip into her tooth.

The injury was severe, splitting her lip almost to her nose. After a harrowing drive to the hospital, a plastic surgeon gave her what she remembers as 16 stitches.

"I can't call that plastic surgery, that is a repair," she insisted. "You cannot see. I healed so well. That is the extent of a plastic surgeon working on my face."

Her Real Secrets Revealed

While she hasn’t had a facelift, Stewart has always been open about her philosophy on aging. "I don’t think a lot about age, but I don’t want to look my age at all. And that’s why I really work hard at it," she said on her podcast in February 2024.

That work includes a combination of non-invasive procedures she has discussed with her dermatologist, Dr. Dan Belkin.

Dr. Belkin explained that he uses fillers "very conservatively" on Stewart, preferring bio-stimulatory products like Sculpture and Radiesse that help stimulate her own collagen.

She has also undergone ultrasound-based skin tightening treatments like Ulthera and Softwave to help with skin elasticity.

Stewart even admitted that while Botox didn't work well on her forehead—making her eyebrows "go up in a V"—it has "really, really helped" combat the "jowly" jawline that runs in her family.

A Holistic Approach

Beyond any procedures, Stewart is committed to a healthy lifestyle that includes weekly pilates, yoga, and weight training.

She also credits her glowing complexion to her new skincare line, Elm Biosciences, pointing to a recent unretouched selfie as proof.

"You can't see any scar and no lines. I mean, hardly any imperfections in my skin," she told People. "This stuff is really working."

Ultimately, while Stewart is firm that she hasn't gone under the knife for a facelift, she embraces a thoughtful and modern approach to aging. As Dr. Belkin noted, her appearance is the result of "minimally invasive things for a long time in a really thoughtful, excellent way."