Martha Stewart Apologizes for Halloween Costume, Calls It Mistake

NEW YORK — Martha Stewart said Thursday that wearing a Halloween costume depicting a homeless person was "a mistake," telling NBC's "TODAY" co-anchor Craig Melvin that she had acted without thinking through the reaction it would provoke.

"I'm aware of all those social issues…and I care desperately about all the problems facing us, but I made a mistake. I was stupid," Stewart said during the sit-down interview, according to TODAY.

The appearance came after days of criticism directed at the businesswoman and television personality over the costume choice, which drew objections from viewers who said it trivialized homelessness. Stewart did not detail the specific costume elements in the portion of the interview published by the network, but she repeatedly characterized the decision as an error in judgment rather than a deliberate statement.

What did Martha Stewart say about the costume?

In the televised exchange, Stewart offered a direct admission rather than a lengthy defense. She told Melvin she understood why the costume upset people and acknowledged that her stated concern for social issues did not excuse the choice. "I made a mistake. I was stupid," she said, according to the network's account of the interview.

Stewart's comments stopped short of a point-by-point explanation of how the costume came together. The published segment focuses on her acknowledgment of fault and her broader claim that she takes issues facing people experiencing homelessness seriously, even as she conceded the costume itself was wrong.

Why did the costume draw criticism in the first place?

According to TODAY, Stewart's Halloween costume this year portrayed a homeless person, a depiction that generated backlash described by the network as having lasted "days" before Stewart addressed it publicly. The source material does not specify where Stewart wore the costume, when photographs or video first circulated, or which individuals or groups led the criticism. Those details were not included in the TODAY segment or its accompanying text.

What is documented is the outcome: sustained public criticism prompted Stewart to sit for an on-camera interview with Melvin to respond directly, rather than issuing a written statement.

Did Stewart apologize to Craig Melvin specifically?

Yes. Separate from the costume apology, Stewart also apologized to Melvin for an earlier claim she had made — that he had spilled chocolate on her, which she said had forced a last-minute change to her costume. Stewart told him that claim was "a joke," according to TODAY's account of the interview, walking back the chocolate-spill explanation as a factor in her costume decision.

The network's description does not clarify whether the chocolate-spill story had circulated publicly before Stewart retracted it in the interview, or whether it was raised by Melvin himself during the conversation. Those specifics were not included in the available source material.

When did this interview take place and what happens next?

TODAY published the segment, titled "Martha Stewart Apologizes for Halloween Costume: 'I Was Stupid,'" on Nov. 6, 2026. The network's description frames the interview as a response to criticism that had built over the preceding days, following Halloween, which fell on Oct. 31.

Timeline

• Oct. 31, 2026: Stewart wears a Halloween costume depicting a homeless person, according to TODAY's description of the controversy.
• Nov. 6, 2026: Stewart appears on "TODAY" with Craig Melvin to apologize, telling him, "I made a mistake. I was stupid," and separately retracting her earlier chocolate-spill claim as "a joke."

The source material does not indicate whether Stewart plans further public comment, whether any business partners or media appearances have been affected, or whether advocacy organizations focused on homelessness have responded to her remarks. No additional statements from Stewart's representatives, NBC, or outside groups appear in the available reporting.

The interview, as published, stands as Stewart's primary on-record response to the controversy to date. TODAY's video segment remains the original source for her remarks and is available in full at today.com.