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‘It’s the freedom that people are scared of’: Florence Pugh hits back at criticisms over exposing skin

Imagine people getting upset because you're comfortable in your own skin.

Photo via David M. Benett / Getty Images

It’s been about a year since Florence Pugh wore a sheer pink gown to the Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 22-23 fashion show, and according to Pugh, people are still giving her grief about it.

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Pugh posted the photos on Instagram with the caption “Technically they’re covered? Thank you again, my beautiful team, for making my pink princess dreams come true.”

She got a lot of vulgar comments about the dress, and she decided to wear it even though she knew that would probably happen.

“If being loudly abusive towards women publicly in 2022 is so easy for you, then the answer is that it is you who doesn’t know,” she said. “Grow up. Respect people. Respect bodies. Respect all women. Respect humans. Life will get a whole lot easier, I promise.”

In an interview with Elle U.K., she talked about how she dealt with the all the hatred.

“​​When everything went down with the Valentino pink dress a year ago, my nipples were on display through a piece of fabric, and it really wound people up,” Pugh said. “It’s the freedom that people are scared of; the fact I’m comfortable and happy.”

The reason for the outrage, she said, is because people are “terrified of the human body.”

“Keeping women down by commenting on their bodies has worked for a very long time. I think we’re in this swing now where lots of people are saying, ‘I don’t give a s***.’”

She continued, saying that it’s unfortunate how scared people are of the human body that they can’t “even look at my two little cute nipples behind fabric in a way that isn’t sexual.” The thing people need to be reminded of, she said, is that “there is more than one reason for women’s bodies [to exist].”

Pugh also shared the message that she wants to embrace her own body and her flaws, and show that’s she’s overcome a lot of her own body issues, or is at least trying to. She wants people to know “I’m not trying to hide the cellulite on my thigh or the squidge in between my arm and my boob: I would much rather lay it all out.”

This of course didn’t happen overnight. Pugh said when she “first started doing red carpets, it was really tough. It takes ages to feel comfortable with 50 men all shouting, ‘Picture, over here!’” However, now she feels the most confident she’s ever felt in her body. “I think that’s hugely linked to the clothes I’ve been wearing.”

Pugh also turned heads in July during Fashion Week, when she wore a sheer lavender gown with gauzy see-through fabric.