An Australian pin-up model has claimed that she was being targeted by other parents for wearing revealing, ‘inappropriate’ clothing as a mother. The mother alleged that she often received disparaging comments in reference to her wardrobe of tight, short dresses and sky-high heels.
When Bella Vrondos, then 33, uploaded a photograph of her children at school to her social media, she could not have predicted the social backlash she received. Speaking with the Caters News Agency, the mother informed reporters that fellow parents took issue with the fitted, nude-colored dress she is pictured wearing.
“People were commenting, saying [that] I had my boobs out and I shouldn’t have worn that dress,” she told the news agency. As well as a model, Vrondos is also the mother of three kids: Alyssa, Kiera, and Connor. All of the children were under the age of 10 when she first uploaded the photo.
Vrondos, who lives in Sydney with her partner and their kids, claimed that her family has no problem with how she dresses: “My children love me the way I am, if I was to change my appearance, then I wouldn’t be their mum—I wouldn’t be me.”
“My kids think that I am the best person on the planet, they look at all the other mums and they wonder why they’re not like me,” she said to news outlets. As a micro-influencer and fashion entrepreneur, Vrondos routinely uploads pictures of herself wearing either form-fitting dresses, brightly-colored workout gear, or even her own brand of bedazzled lingerie.
The exasperated mother continued by alleging that people have suggested she dress more conservatively, in a style that Vrondos was told resembled “appropriate parental clothing.” Tired of hearing, “Aren’t you a mom?” the boutique owner wants to spread the message that there is no “right or wrong way” for a parent to look.
“Being a mum doesn’t mean you have to give up your whole self-being, I am trying to create awareness about that,” Vrondos explained. She defended her sartorial choices: “’If I wear heels to the shopping mall, people will look at me because you’re expected to dress down. I love wearing skirts, dresses, and high heels.”
The trendy mother named a well-known reality star as one of her fashion inspirations: “I love Kim Kardashian, she’s sexy but classy. I love wearing whatever she wears, but I’m never distasteful, my hair and makeup are always done. Dressing up and doing my makeup makes me feel good about myself.”
“People see me, and they think I’m a mean girl, there’s a lot of judgment,” Vrondos disclosed, and added that she believed that her choice of personal style often means that she is regularly “viewed differently by society.” According to Vrondos, this prejudice had led to uncomfortable incidents, such as when a stranger advertised her likeness on Craigslist for an escort service.
Because of these preconceptions about her character, Vrondos said she regularly received disparaging comments from other parents and even strangers. “Someone said to me that they’d rather spend their money on their children, but just assuming I don’t spend my money on my kids is ridiculous,” she shared.
The lingerie designer confessed to journalists that she frequently felt excluded by the other mothers at school. “I’m not included in any of [their] groups or cliques. One of the first birthday parties I took my daughters to, all the mothers were sitting together and eating lunch, and I was there to fend for myself,” she recounted.
Despite the criticism, Vrondos is proud of her looks. An interview published in the Daily Mail detailed how the model shed 52kg as a busy mother, reducing from a women’s size 16 to a size 4. “Looking back now, I’m barely recognizable, and I hope my story gives other people hope,” she reflected. “My aim is to give everybody the same kind of confidence that I have achieved within those years of looking after myself.”
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This article was produced and syndicated by TPR Teaching.
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