Kim Kardashian slammed as North West’s corset outfit with explicit TikTok song sparks major parenting row

Highlights:

• North West’s punk-inspired look in Rome has divided fans online
• Photos show the 12-year-old wearing a corset, wig and platform boots
• Kim Kardashian criticised for allowing her daughter to appear “too grown”
• Kanye West has previously objected to North’s social media presence

Kim Kardashian is under scrutiny once again, this time over her daughter North West’s fashion choices. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was photographed with her 12-year-old in Rome, where North’s colourful punk outfit and corset drew criticism from fans. The incident has reignited conversations about parenting, celebrity culture, and the exposure of children to adult fashion trends on platforms like TikTok.

North West’s blue wig and corset look has divided opinion among Kardashian fans onlineX/Africanize

Why is North West’s outfit causing controversy?

North West, the eldest child of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, was spotted leaving the upscale Pierluigi restaurant in Rome with her mother. She wore a blue ombré wig styled into pigtails, a black corset top layered over a mini-skirt, steampunk platform boots, and a leather heart-shaped bag.

While some young fans praised the bold fashion statement, many social media users called it “inappropriate” for a 12-year-old. On X, one fan wrote: “The corset, the wig, the heels – can she be a child?” Another suggested a toned-down version would have been more age-appropriate, saying: “A black shirt with the corset over it would have been cute and age appropriate.”

Kim Kardashian with daughter North West, whose latest TikTok performance has sparked debateX/@Antunes1

What are people saying about Kim Kardashian’s parenting?

Critics argue that Kardashian is encouraging her daughter to adopt an adult image too soon. On Reddit, users accused the star of “blurring boundaries” between being a mother and being a friend, particularly as North is featured prominently on their joint TikTok account.

The backlash intensified after a TikTok video showed North dancing with her mother to the track If Looks Could Kill by Destroy Lonely. The lyrics, which contain sexual references and explicit language, shocked many viewers. North’s outfit and the song’s content left some questioning why Kardashian allowed the performance to be uploaded online.

One comment read: “She’s just a baby, this is disturbing at 12.” Another added: “I couldn’t imagine letting my child dress this way and post it for the internet, who is this really for?”

How has Kanye West reacted?

Kanye West has publicly voiced concerns about his daughter’s image and online presence in the past. The rapper has criticised Kardashian for allowing North to appear on TikTok, at times threatening legal action over what he described as lack of parental control.

West, who divorced Kardashian in 2022, has repeatedly said he does not want his children exposed to social media trends or music he considers inappropriate. His frustrations have resurfaced alongside renewed attention to North’s outfit, adding a whole other layer to the ongoing co-parenting tensions between the former couple.

Is this a pattern with Kardashian family children?

The Kardashian-Jenner family is known for pushing boundaries in fashion, from Kim’s daring red-carpet looks to Kendall and Kylie’s trendsetting outfits. Now, fans say the next generation is following suit.

Kim Kardashian and North West speak onstage during The Daily Front Row's Seventh Annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards at The Beverly Hills HotelGetty Images

North, born in 2013, is the most visible of Kardashian’s four children: Saint (2015), Chicago (2018) and Psalm (2019). With regular appearances on TikTok, photoshoots, and high-profile family trips, she is already seen as a budding style icon. However, the debate around her latest appearance highlights the fine line between expression and age-appropriateness when it comes to celebrity children.