Sam Smith recently sparkled on stage at Capital FM’s Jingle Bell Ball on Dec. 11, but not just because of their show-stopping performance. The “Unholy” singer sported a silver sequined Valentino jumpsuit with black patent boots, a silver waist belt, and drop earrings. They wore the same outfit for a performance at iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball on Dec. 13.
In an Instagram post, Smith posted a photo of themself wearing the jumpsuit, writing, “You got me feeling like a movie star @maisonvalentino.” And while the fabulous onstage ensemble inspired many of us to add some sparkle to our holiday party outfits, some internet users used Smith’s appearance as an opportunity to spread hate online. Under a TikTok video of their performance, commenters made lewd comparisons and body shamed Smith for wearing the jumpsuit.
Fortunately, Smith fans were quick to speak up in support of the star, but this doesn’t negate the fact that cruel comments spread rapidly online. One fan tweeted, “It’s actually gross constantly seeing people tear into Sam Smith for their appearance when there’s a lot of us, myself included, who have a similar body type to them. God forbid a queer person dresses/expresses themself unapologetically, apparently only thin people are allowed.” Another commented that it seems Harry Styles, who has worn similar sequined jumpsuits on stage, is praised for his outfits, yet Smith is vilified purely because they have a different body type: “I see a lot of people trashing Sam Smith for wearing this fab jumpsuit but praising Harry Styles for wearing basically the same thing. Gross,” the tweet reads. Although this should go without saying, anyone should wear whatever makes them feel good, free from judgement or hate, yet once again, social media has proved a breeding ground to bring others down.
Among the comments on Smith’s outfit choice, conversations surrounding fatphobia circulated online, too. “Why do you all hate Sam Smith so much? They’re queer, non-binary and have literally said themselves that they are excited about the rest of their life to be exactly who they are. You don’t have to like their music, just let them live. Smells like fatphobia to me…”, a fan wrote. It’s also very likely that a lot of these negative comments around Smith’s body are rooted in transphobic and homophobic hate.
Smith, who previously said they’d been “so scared of fashion” in an interview with GQ Style, has been playing around with outfits and expressing their individuality of late. Fortunately, the cruel trolls are unlikely to cloud Smith’s stellar year. Their explosive single “Unholy” with Kim Petras (which inspired an all-important TikTok dance) topped the charts all over the world, and they have spoken about feeling more confident at 30 than ever before. With their highly anticipated album “Gloria” due to be released in January, somehow we think the Oscar, Grammy, and BRIT winner will have the last sequin-covered laugh.
