Social media is buzzing after the 54-year-old fiancée of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos paid a visit to Godmothers bookstore in Summerland, California, on Nov. 14 to promote her new children’s book, “The Fly Who Flew to Space.” The businesswoman and author’s choice of clothing for the visit caused quite a stir when readers of The Daily Mail reacted to the tabloid’s coverage of the event a month later.
For the occasion — which was a talk she gave to a ticket-buying audience — Sánchez wore a burgundy sheer-mesh turtleneck that the tabloid described as inappropriate for the bookstore setting after Sánchez issued a second post about her day at the store on Dec. 15.
Pairing the see-through top with maroon pants, a thin black belt, and white sneakers, the former broadcast journalist navigated the bookstore’s shelves while discussing her upcoming talk about her book.
“I am so excited to be here with Godmothers,” she said in the video on her Instagram. “And look at this bookstore. It’s unbelievable. I’m doing a talk later tonight and I’m so excited, a little nervous, but I just wanted to give you a little view of what this bookstore is all about.”
“It’s, I have to say, a little piece of magic. You can bring your kids here and they have authors that come and talk about their books for kids,” Sánchez said in her video, highlighting the bookstore’s welcoming and “calming” atmosphere.
She enthusiastically pointed out children’s books by other celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Eva Mendez, showcasing her passion for children’s literature.
While the promo clip was intended to get people excited, when the Daily Mail posted a story headlined “Lauren Sanchez wears shocking see-through outfit during visit to children’s bookstore” about her visit, its readers responded in the story’s comment section with mixed feelings, with some predictably issuing pronouncements of disgust and others defending her.
“She has no self-awareness,” one person commented, adding, “People don’t pay attention to what she is saying because they are distracted by what she is (not) wearing. One would think she has a positive self-esteem, but I think it could be the opposite. Shows off her fake body for attention. Unfortunate.”
“Bezos should run fast and far!” said another.
Another remarked, “It’s actually humorous, this dichotomy between dating someone of almost unimaginable wealth, and having an appearance that yells out ‘multiple botched bargain-basement cosmetic surgeries’ and utterly tasteless, cringeworthy fashion choices.”
“i think it past time for jeff to take a page out of Don Jr’s book and tell this woman to get some class. It is awful and shocking seeing her almost all the time in clothes that are as bad as street,” another commenter wrote.
But then there were people who seemed to be fans of the pilot-turned-author.
“When she is dressed appropriately, and not like a blow up doll, she is stunningly beautiful,” one reader wrote. “IDK why she dresses 99% of time like trash. Additionally, this woman is intelligent and accomplished, why she chases the ‘celebrity’ status and vapid ‘it’ idiots to hang with is also a mystery. Disappointed.”
Some fans just thought all of the hubbub about her outfit was uncalled for, writing, “What are we Mormons now?” and “See-through outfit is a bit of a stretch. This is who Lauren is and how she likes to dress. Nothing wrong with it.”
One said, “I agree that the outfit is borderline. but all the hate is UGLY. She’s a pilot, author and has worked as a broadcast journalist. Engaged to one of the richest men in the world. She has shared about her dyslexia openly. I’ve seen her moved to tears about the shame she felt. My point is she’s a human being.”
This is not the first time that people in the public have come for her outfits. When the Bezos Earth Fund vice chair did a photo dump, fans destroyed her wardrobe, calling it “cheap,” and teasing, “all the money in the world cannot buy taste.”
Another controversy comes from her former friend and yoga instructor, Alanna Zabel, who accused her of stealing the idea for her book from one of Zabel’s earlier releases. However, no legal action has substantiated this claim.
Sánchez released “The Fly Who Flew to Space” on Sept. 10, further expanding her portfolio beyond business, philanthropy, and media. With wedding plans on the horizon, she seems to be soaring high. Despite the buzz around her outfit, Sánchez stayed focused on celebrating storytelling and inspiring young readers.
