Social media sensation Kat Clark stepped up to defend her 13-year-old daughter, Deja, after the teen’s recent red-carpet look became a hot topic online.
The Australian mother-of-two, known for her relatable family content and massive TikTok following of 6.7 million, co-hosted the 2024 TikTok Awards in Sydney alongside Robert Irwin last week.
Joining her at the star-studded evening were her husband Jonathan and daughters Latisha, 20, and Deja, whose bold outfit quickly stole the spotlight.
Kat Clark stepped in to defend her 13-year-old daughter, Deja, after her bold red carpet outfit sparked online debate
Deja’s ensemble—a midriff-baring two-piece paired with furry boots—was a tribute to South African pop star Tyla’s iconic Water performance.
While many praised the teenager’s confident nod to pop culture, others were far less complimentary.
Fans on Instagram called the look “teen pop perfection” and applauded her for representing Tyla.
“Deja’s outfit is giving Tyla,” wrote one fan, while another said, “She represented Tyla soo well.”
Deja’s midriff-baring look, inspired by South African pop star Tyla, was praised by fans as “teen pop perfection”
@thedejaclarkkk Congrats kàladé//#fyp #viral #viral #blowthisup #dejaclark #latishaclark #winter #aussie #clarks @Kat Clark @latishaclarkk @mostdefinitelynotdeja ♬ Originalton – Deja Clark
On the other hand, critics called it “str*p club” attire and labeled it “inappropriate.”
“She’s 13 and needs to cover up,” said one harsh critic, while another wrote, “Sorry but as a mother I would never have let my 13 year old daughter wear that outfit. There are so many creeps out there and it just wasn’t appropriate at all.”
“I think it’s crazy she’s 13 dressing like that for award shows,” read one comment.
Another said, “(13) year old’s shouldn’t be dressing like that.”
Some netizens criticized the mother-of-two and deemed her teenage daughter’s outfit “inappropriate”
Following the backlash, young Deja spoke about the outfit and why she wanted to pay tribute to the singer.
“I love Tyla, she inspires me to be myself, she’s South African like me, we have the same skin colour, she always shows her natural hair and I wanted to do the same,” the teenager told news.com.au.
“I saw her wear this outfit and I just wanted to wear it to feel confident in myself too. And I did,” she added.
Kat staunchly defended her daughter’s fashion choice and urged people to “be nice instead of mean girls.”
“It’s actually quite sad seeing so many women dragging other women down who are just trying to do their best,” the influencer said in a video posted after the event.
“I love Tyla, she inspires me to be myself, she’s South African like me, we have the same skin colour, she always shows her natural hair and I wanted to do the same,” the teenager said after the award show
@katclark Having a good relationship with my kids is important to me ❤️ #family ♬ original sound – Kat Clark
“Not just bringing women down but bringing teenagers down too. So many people had a problem with Deja’s outfit and it just blows my mind,” she went on to say.
“I never have and I never will control what my children choose to wear,” she added. “One of my main roles as a parent is to make my children feel confident in their bodies.”
In one of her videos, the 38-year-old mother said she may not be the most “perfect” mother but still stood by her parenting choices because she has “the best relationship with [her] kids.”
Kat and Deja were joined by the TikTok sensation’s husband Jonathan and her 20-year-old daughter Latisha at the 2024 TikTok Awards
“A lot of people have their opinions on how I parent my children and I understand there are different parenting styles, but to have an onslaught of strangers sharing their opinion on my daughter’s outfit just blows my mind,” she told news.com.au this week.
The content creator said she grew up in a “strict” home with a lot of rules and didn’t want her children to feel the need to lie to her like she sometimes had to.
“I was brought up in a strict household where I had a lot of rules around everything, including what I wore and that did not lead me down a positive path and I always felt like I had to lie,” she told the outlet.
Kat revealed that the Tyla-inspired outfit was modified to suit Deja and urged critics to stop tearing down women and teenagers online
“I want my kids to have an honest relationship with me so I tend to just block out everyone’s comments,” she continued.
The Gold Coast influencer said people who are still upset about her daughter’s red-carpet outfit should “get over it.”
“The main issue people had with Deja’s outfit was that the original design was worn by an adult and Deja is only a teenager,” she said.
“I actually had the original design altered into a skort and we also added more frills at the back to give her more coverage. Teenagers wear shorts and crop tops all the time, especially on the Gold Coast,” she continued.
The 13-year-old daughter aspires to be a model someday, with her mother proudly supporting her ambitions
@more.dejankat @Tyla ♬ original sound – cnfys
“Parents know what’s best for their kids and I just have to keep reminding myself that, but it doesn’t feel good to read the comments and I try to block it out.”
The proud mother said Deja wants to be a model someday, and for now, the teenager has a social media account that she will continue to share with Kat until she’s old enough.
“Deja is doing great. Deja is a happy girl, we have a great relationship and we always talk about how she might be feeling,” the TikTok star said.
“She wants to be a model one day and she understands not everyone will always like her outfit choices,” she added.
“Get over it,” Kat told detractors as she firmly stood by her parenting choices
