Another day, another influencer faces controversy over their attire: This time, Brazilian influencer Jaiane Lima claims she was asked to leave a shopping center for wearing what was deemed “inappropriate” clothing.
“Yesterday I went to a mall, and I was humiliated,” Lima expressed in a post to her 479,000 Instagram followers, where she frequently uploads pictures showcasing her style.
“I know my outfit stood out, but I love it,” she told Jam Press.
According to Lima, the recent incident happened last week while she was filming a video for social media at a mall in the coastal city of Santa Catarina. Lima said she chose to wear a top that she felt was suitable for the weather, which had reached 86 degrees.
However, despite the temperature, Lima didn’t specify why she also wore long sleeves and knee-high stockings. She believed her clothing was fairly modest. “The video was filmed on the escalator, and you can see it was nothing too much,” Lima declared. “It was filmed from the front.”
Lima managed to film only one video before being approached by security. “That’s when a man, about 6’6” tall, arrived and started yelling at me. He wanted to seize my mobile phone and called two other security guards,” she recalled. “The whole mall was looking at me, and it seemed like I had committed some kind of crime.”
The security guard’s words were, according to Lima, “As soon as you arrived in those clothes, I was watching you.”
The security guard and his colleagues then took Lima to a back room. She started to film them, and the footage was featured in her Instagram clip. Unfortunately, Lima said that once in the back room, they forced her to delete all the photos on her phone.
“Thank goodness I managed to save some to the iCloud, but many were lost,” recounted Lima, who said she was upset with the man’s “abusive conduct.” She felt their behavior was excessive given that she hadn’t filmed storefronts, done anything inappropriate, or broken any laws.
Instagram commenters sympathized with her situation, with one writing, “Who cares if you’re beautiful and stylish, society can’t handle it.” Another commented, “Are we living in a different era?” while another remarked, “Absurd, take the appropriate action, it’s unacceptable that this has happened to you.”
However, other viewers sided with the security guards, with one critic arguing, “These influencers want to become famous at all costs.” Another stated, “Shopping centers are not a place for inappropriate clothing.”
Lima deemed the incident an example of how “women suffer.” She stated, “For people to respect women, they need to understand that they can be whatever they want. Whether she’s a housewife or wearing something stylish, we all deserve respect.”
Lima joins a long list of social media stars who have faced criticism for their clothing choices in public. Many of the most high-profile cases have occurred at Disneyland, where influencers have complained about getting flagged for wearing certain tops and then being forced to cover up with an official company T-shirt.
The House of Mouse appeared to have stopped providing these T-shirts after influencers allegedly started wearing certain clothing intentionally to receive a complimentary tee. In 2022, a TikToker’s attempt to exploit the system allegedly backfired after cast members forced her to buy a T-shirt.
Lima’s experience highlights the ongoing debate over personal expression and societal norms in public spaces. As influencers continue to push boundaries with their fashion choices, incidents like these are likely to spark further discussion on the balance between personal freedom and public decency.
