Khloé Kardashian struck back at some of her critics on Wednesday, the day after she stirred up outrage on social media with her striking Bratz doll Halloween costume.
However, the 39-year-old Kardashians star only responded to criticisms that she made herself look unrecognizable, rather than addressing more concern claims that she had engaged in a practice known as Blackfishing.
The term refers to white or non-Black people using makeup or other cosmetic changes to make themselves appear to have darker skin.
Khloé, who spent the rest of Wednesday sharing her children’s adorable Halloween costumes, took to her Instagram Stories to partially defend herself.
She reposted an earlier video that showed her removing some of the facial prosthetics that helped give her and her sister Kim Kardashian their appropriately plumped up, plastic look to make them look like Bratz dolls.
Partial reply: Khloé Kardashian, 39, responded to criticism over her controversial Bratz doll costume from Halloween, though she avoided responded to the most concerning claims
Mum’s the word: Khloé explained how her costume was created in response to fans who blasted her for making herself ‘unrecognizable,’ but she ignored numerous complaints that she engaged in ‘Blackfishing’ with the costume
Khloé and Kim’s costumes were perfectly timed, coming just over two months after their younger sister Kylie Jenner released her own doll collection in collaboration with Bratz.
However, Khloé — who is of Armenian and European ancestry — was slammed on social media for the costume, as some of her fans and followers thought her skin had been darkened for the look.
‘You’re not black end of, be your own colours which is white,’ wrote one incensed person.
‘Nope, pretending to be a black or brown woman ain’t it,’ added another, while a third joked: ‘OMG black fishing bratz doll I don’t remember that one.’
Another person claimed that her skin was ’10 times darker’ in the photos she posted to Instagram on Halloween.
It’s unclear from the original photos if Khloé had darkened her face with makeup, or if the dramatic contouring of her features and her significant lip overlining may have created the illusion, leading to the Blackfishing charges.
But Khloé pointedly ignored those claims, instead focusing on people who had accused her of making herself unrecognizable.
‘Not only did we have silicone prosthetic lips on, We also blocked our brows,’ she explained in a caption overlaid on the video, which showed her dramatically pulling off the lip prosthetics. ‘We concealed our natural brows and we painted on fake eyebrows much higher than where are real EyeBrows would be [sic].’
Controversy: Blackfishing refers to using makeup to darken one’s skin, or using clothing or other accessories to make non-Black people appear to be Black. Khloé was joined by her sister Kim in creating the Bratz look
Thumbs down: ‘Nope, pretending to be a black or brown woman ain’t it,’ wrote on person, while another joked: ‘OMG black fishing bratz doll I don’t remember that one’
Body horror: Khloé reposted a video of herself removing her lip prosthetics dramatically while explaining all the things she did to make herself look like a Bratz doll
Confounding factors? It’s unclear from the original photos if Khloé had darkened her face with makeup, or if the dramatic contouring of her features and her significant lip overlining may have created the illusion of Blackfishing
‘This gives our eyes the effect that they are much larger than they are. So we would look more like a doll,’ she added matter matter-of-factly.
Because her response came in her Insta stories and not in a regular post, Khloé’s critics couldn’t easily register reactions or quiz her on the unaddressed Blackfishing claims.
However, Khloé is likely used to the critiques, which have dogged her and her sisters — particularly Kim and Kylie — in recent years.
Kim had been publicly blasted multiple times, including on multiple occasions when she wore cornrows and braids that are typically associated with the Black community.
In a 2021 conversation with the the acclaimed playwright Jeremy O. Harris for i-D Magazine, the reality star was adamant that she ‘would never do anything to appropriate any culture’ in her style, which is sometimes influenced by her oldest daughter, North West, who is biracial. She shares North and her three younger children with her ex-husband, the rapper Kanye West.
‘Honestly, a lot of the time it comes from my daughter asking us to do matching hair,’ the reality TV icon said.
She explained with measured candor how she has addressed the issue with North in the past.
‘I’ve had these conversations with her that are like, “Hey, maybe this hairstyle would be better on you and not on me,”‘ she said.
Family issue? Khloé completely ignored the Blackfishing accusations, but her sister Kim has previously responded and denied trying to make herself look like she is Black
Insight: In a 2021, Kim said her occasional use of traditionally African braids was because of her daughter North’s desire to match her mother, though she now tries to steer North away from getting her to wear braids
‘But I also want her to feel that I can do a hairstyle with her and not make it that big of a deal either if that’s something that she’s really asking for, and really wants.’
Kardashian pointed out her own cultural background, noting that ‘there’s also a history of braiding hair in Armenia, and people forget that I am Armenian as well.’
In the chat with the publication, Kardashian said she has ‘definitely learned over time, and … tried to pass that culture of learning onto [her] kids too.’
Like Kim, Khloé shares two biracial children with her former partner, the NBA player Tristan Thompson.
