Kimberly Feliz’s get-ready-with-me video began like any other. Sitting casually in her car, the 29-year-old social media influencer touched up her makeup and shared her favorite beauty products. The loose-fitting one-shoulder dress she “threw on” wasn’t meant to steal the spotlight — until body-shamers hijacked her comments section. What started as a routine video quickly turned into a “hate fest.”
“There were a lot of emotions,” Feliz tells PEOPLE about seeing the “extremely offensive” reactions to her dress and appearance. Among the swirl of feelings, she says she was “shocked, appalled, and confused” that an outfit making her feel “empowered and unapologetically” herself would spark such negativity. “I was speechless.”
The comments escalated to the point of being “disrespectful and distasteful,” prompting Kimberly to respond, especially to someone who assumed she was a “breast cancer survivor” based solely on the dress’s fit. Kimberly emphasizes that her response wasn’t a “clap back,” but a way to “take away power from negative comments.”
Woman Responds to Body-Shaming
“I wanted to focus on the fact that we don’t want to tear people down over minute details. What I aim to bring is positivity and showing that confidence is possible at any size,” she explains. “There was no ill intent or defense on my end; I just wanted to address it.”
“It’s funny because this isn’t the first video of mine to blow up and receive a lot of ‘weird’ comments. I don’t typically respond with a video, but I do occasionally stand up for myself in the comments, in a tasteful way.”
Kimberly describes her style as “bold, maximalist, and risky,” evident in her love for the colorful — and now viral — dress. “I’m here to stand out. I don’t dress for anyone else and I wear what makes me feel sexy and comfortable,” she says. “I don’t conform to what people think I should be wearing because I know that whatever I put on, I make it my own.”
Her journey to self-confidence hasn’t been easy; Kimberly was bullied as a child.
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“My confidence wasn’t built overnight, but wearing bold colors, prints, florals, and what some might call unflattering clothing brings me joy,” she shares. “I remember a time when I felt I didn’t deserve to be seen and hid behind dark clothes to appear slimmer. Over the years, I’ve found the confidence to embrace my body, love myself, and appreciate who I am.”
Woman Responds to Body-Shaming
Kimberly’s message of self-love shines brightly, and she encourages others to adopt the same approach.
“You don’t have to ‘earn’ self-love by changing your body, waiting for a goal, or meeting someone else’s standard of beauty,” she says. “I want my content to remind people that confidence is a daily choice. It starts with showing up for yourself now, not waiting for someday. Your body deserves to be celebrated in every season and at any size. Wear what you want, wear it your way, and wear it with confidence.”
