Olivia Rodrigo Defends Babydoll Dress Choices, Condemns Sexualization of Modest Clothing

Olivia Rodrigo is pushing back against the criticism surrounding her recent fashion choices for album promotion. The 23-year-old artist has defended her decision to wear babydoll dresses, which appeared in her "Drop Dead" music video and during a performance at a Spotify concert in Spain.

In an interview with Popcast, Rodrigo expressed frustration with how the modest garment has been perceived. "That's been making me so upset," she said. "Not even for me. People can say whatever they want. What's really disturbing is I have worn outfits that are maybe revealing on stage. I've been on stage in a sparkly bra and little shorts, which is my right, that's fun, I felt cool and comfortable in that. And like that wasn't inappropriate, but me fully covered up in a dress that people deemed to be childlike was inappropriate."

The singer connected the controversy to broader cultural issues, pointing to how society normalizes harmful attitudes. "It shows how we really normalize pedophilia in our culture," she explained. "Also it's just this rhetoric we're fed as girls since we're so little, which is, don't wear that because then a man is going to sexualize your body and it's your fault. It's so weird."

Rodrigo emphasized that she felt confident in the styling. "I didn't think that I looked sexy in that at all," she said. "I was like, this is so cool. I feel I look like Kathleen Hanna or Courtney Love, all these people who are my heroes, and I felt cool and comfortable in it. I just think if we start dressing in a way that's like, 'I don't want some f–king freak to think that I'm sexy like a baby' or some crazy thing like that, I think it's losing the plot a little bit."

The artist concluded by addressing her concerns for others in her position. "I'm just very protective of younger women, girls, and I don't ever want them to be fed that rhetoric."

Meanwhile, Rodrigo was recently spotted in New York City while filming an undisclosed project.