Shailene Woodley’s stylist has something to say to all the haters.
Karla Welch posted a response on Instagram after conservative mouthpiece Megyn Kelly’s meltdown over Woodley’s ensemble at the 2026 Emmy Awards. Woodley, 34, donned a look made by Balenciaga, helmed by designer Pierpaolo Piccioli. The actress, who was nominated for her role in Paradise, wore voluminous gold pants, a plunging halter-neck top, burgundy-toned gloves, and a gemstone necklace.
Kelly was among several critics of the outfit, but her assessment was far more inappropriate. The 55-year-old MAGA figure offered a sexist critique of Woodley’s look and body-shamed the award-winning actress in the process.
“The top looks slightly like a wrestling singlet,” she said on The Megyn Kelly Show. “It’s extremely low-cut, and it almost doesn’t look intentional. It almost looks like she got attacked with some scissors or something. I’m not sure, but it’s very, very low-cut.”
Kelly continued: “I think there’s an attempt to distract us with the cleavage, but I’m just going to say only the Halle Berrys of the world can really do that. But unless you’ve got, like, an absolutely stunning rack, it’s probably not a great idea to show that much of the boobs. Like, that much of the girls.”
The Trump-obsessed podcaster went on to say, “I’m sorry. I like you, Shailene. I blame your stylist, not you.”
Woodley’s stylist has now fired back at her critics on social media. On September 14, Welch wrote on Threads, “Love or hate something fine but it’s an opinion and it can even be a conversation but being super rude and mean and taking glee from it, well that says a lot more about the mouths it’s coming from.”
She then shared an image of Woodley’s look on Instagram, facetiously accompanied by a “Trigger Warning.”
Woodley’s choice for the Emmys sparked widespread sartorial debate across social media. Some suggested, “her stylist must hate her,” while others called the red-carpet look “a huge letdown.”
Others backed both Welch and Woodley. “The whole point of fashion is to play and try new things and be adventurous!” wrote one user on Threads. “Most are too scared to! Most importantly, she looked so happy and at ease, and like she was having so much fun and feeling like the best version of herself!”
Welch, a Los Angeles celebrity stylist, has worked with A-list clients like America Ferrera, Greta Gerwig, Gal Gadot, Matt Damon, Sarah Paulson, and Olivia Wilde.
She frequently styles Woodley, who has not broken her silence on the discourse. The actress took home her first Emmy Award at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmys for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She won the accoloade for her role in Hulu’s post-apocalyptic political thriller, Paradise.
Kelly has routinely targeted women’s fashion and bodies in the past, with arguments that have had little cohesion. The podcaster once slammed MAGA-coded actress Sydney Sweeney for using her “enormous breasts” to grab attention. She later backtracked once MAGA embraced Sweeney, theorizing that the controversial American Eagle campaign images “say ‘hotness is back,’ and that is important in 2025.”
“Finally, we have an actual woman with amazing breasts and an obviously kick-ass body who is in her jeans, and it is wonderful,” she said on her show.
She has previously attacked Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Jenner, Oprah, and several other female public figures for their aesthetics.
The Daily Show’s Desi Lydic pointed out her hypocrisy and that Kelly can’t help but go after other women.
“That’s right, women: You listen to Megyn Kelly and hide your sexuality!” Lydic joked last year. “Unless your body makes liberals mad, in which case it’s a kick-ass body, hell yeah, go girl! You motorboat those liberal tears! Not so much that it threatens Megyn, or so help me God, she will destroy you hoebags.”
