The 66th Grammy Awards have come and gone, and one of the night’s biggest moments was a surprise appearance from the Carter family — Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Beyoncé, and their 12-year-old daughter Blue Ivy. While Jay-Z’s Global Impact Award speech has surely prompted a lot of discourse, there’s also been some unnecessary chatter surrounding his daughter’s choice of attire for the evening.
Dressed in a custom, off-the-shoulder Vivienne Westwood Couture midi number that had a corseted bodice and a Cinderella-esque puffy skirt with asymmetrical draping details, Blue Ivy was stunning, standing nearly as tall as her parents. Instead of complimenting the pre-teen on how beautiful she looked, critics took to social media to drag her parents over the appropriateness of the neckline, with some calling it “mature.”
“Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but Blue Ivy’s dress is totally inappropriate for a girl her age. I believe she’d 12,” an X user wrote.
“I love Blue Ivy’s dress but, she’s 12. Why are they dressing her showing cleavage? She’s 12,” said another. “Kids growing up too quick.”
I love Blue Ivy’s dress but, she’s 12. Why are they dressing her showing cleavage. She’s 12.
— Blue (@blueblooop) February 5, 2024
Kids growing up too quick.
“I only have one complaint about last night & that’s Blue Ivy’s dress but if her parents allow it, it’s nothing I can say but also since it’s their first child they don’t get it no matter how old they are. Famous or not, she should not be 12 with her breast showing & pushed up PMO,” another person complained.
I only have one complaint about last night & that’s Blue Ivy’s dress but if her parents allow it, it’s nothing I can say but also since it’s their first child they don’t get it no matter how old they are. Famous or not she should not be 12 with her breast showing & pushed up PMO. pic.twitter.com/ahs1mGJLV5
— 🫧💿🫧💿 (@TheRapBey) February 5, 2024
Not everyone was as critical. Many took to the young girl’s defense, checking the adults who felt comfortable embarrassing hip-hop’s most legendary nepo baby and calling them hypocrites.
“Those people complaining that Blue Ivy has too much ‘cleavage’ showing are the same people that dress their 2 y/o kids in two-piece swimsuits. Like what?” one person tweeted.
“Let’s keep it cute when it comes to blue ivy carter cause y’all don’t say nothing when other little girls be on the internet singing sexy red word for word but y’all have a lot to say when a 12 damn near 13-year-old wears a dress that barely shows cleavage,” another commenter fired back.
Another person tweeted, “Insanely weird how many people were sexualizing Blue Ivy’s dress. She dresses up in what’s basically a prom dress or ballgown you’d wear at a cotillion and people lose their minds.”
Insanely weird how many people were sexualizing Blue Ivy’s dress. She dresses up in what’s basically a prom dress or ballgown you’d wear at a cotillion and people lose their minds.
— Tyler Chick (@itstylerchick) February 5, 2024
Some just ignored the haters and celebrated Blue Ivy by referring to her as who she is — music royalty.
“Blue Ivy Carter Dressed Like Music Royalty in a White Princess Dress at the 2024 Grammys,” wrote a user on X.
Blue Ivy Carter Dressed Like Music Royalty in a White Princess Dress at the 2024 Grammys#GRAMMYs #GRAMMYs2024 #Grammy #GRAMMYs #BurnaBoy #OBO #Davido #Tyla pic.twitter.com/FpRpzCbOMA
— Runor🦋💖 (@Fae_d_introvert) February 5, 2024
Usually polite and well-mannered in public, Blue Ivy and everything she does seems to get an obsessive amount of scrutiny, which was a focal point in Beyonce’s “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” concert documentary.
To counter the narrative, King Bey, a producer on the film, did a great job of showcasing her parenting style by allowing space for the public to hear how Blue Ivy deals with the cyberbullying and negative comments she sees on social media and in the press about her.
One honorary auntie who came to Blue Ivy’s defense after hearing how Blue pushed through the harmful criticism was EGOT winner Whoopi Goldberg, who called the conduct from online strangers “shameful.”
Particularly since the girl is unlike most children you might ever meet. At just two days old, her voice was incorporated into her father’s track, “Glory,” securing her a Guinness World Record as the youngest individual to have a song chart on Billboard.
In 2020, she was featured on her mom’s track “Brown Skin Girl.” The project won her a BET Her Award, NAACP Image Award, and a Grammy for Best Music Video.
Blue Ivy is the second-youngest person to win a Grammy individually credited. Fans also cannot forget how she worked so hard to stand alongside her mother during the Renaissance World Tour, improving on stage night after night to prove her haters wrong.
To top all of that off, as a big sister, she also takes care of her twin siblings, Rumi and Sir Carter, 6.
At this pace, there’s no doubt that Blue Ivy Carter will continue to rack up accomplishments while naysayers continue to nitpick at her dress.
