A mum has hit back at trolls who slut shame her and say her son will be bullied because of the short skirts, dresses and platform boots she wears on the school run.
Charlie Hayes, from Canterbury, Kent, says she attracts 'disapproving stares' from confused mums on the nursery run and mean comments from online trolls who tell her to dress like a mum.
The defiant 21-year-old says her three-year-old son Jasper Hayes isn't fazed by his mum's eclectic outfits and loves her colourful hair and make-up.
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"Negative comments mostly come from people online calling me a 'freak' or an 'emo' and saying 'dress like a mum, you're going to embarrass your son,'" Charlie said.
"I've had a lot of slut-shaming comments and someone even said my son will be bullied because I 'dress like a prostitute'.
"I also get some stares of disapproval from other mums on the nursery run but it doesn't faze me anymore - it would be a waste of time to dwell on it.
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"I'm a good mum so I'm walking proof that you don't have to wear certain types of clothes to be a good parent."
Charlie, who works as a social media influencer, is a fan of alternative fashion and says she has a great relationship with her son despite being labelled a 'bad parent' for her outfits.
Charlie said: "Some older mums might not take me seriously but I carry myself well and you can see that my son's happy so I don't understand why it matters.
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"Me and Jasper are really close, we're like best friends. He's totally unfazed by my style and doesn't even seem to notice that I stick out because it's all he knows.
"He says 'mummy's makeup is pretty. Sometimes mummy's makeup is pink, sometimes her hair is blue' - he loves it."
Charlie grew up in a small town where she says her 'alternative' outfits were frowned upon. It wasn't until she had her son when she was 18 and moved to a different area that she was able to fully express her style.
Her parents thought Charlie was going through a phase at first but they are now very supportive and proud of their daughter and her style. She even sends them photos of her looks most days.
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Since moving to a student area, the self-professed shopping addict has started to receive positive reactions to her bold style choices.
Charlie's boyfriend of almost two years, Sam Pritchard, 20, also loves and encourages her unique style.
"My boyfriend Sam loves it as well although he does keep asking me to sell some shoes because they're taking over the house.
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"My style has always been a bit of a rebellion so the negative comments just make me dress weirder."
Charlie now hopes to encourage other mums to embrace their own style and not worry what other people think of them.
Charlie said: "You can be the most perfect mum in the world and dress like the classic well-respected lady and people will still criticise you so what's the point of not doing what you want? It doesn't change anything except making you unhappy."
Featured Image Credit: KennedyTopics: Real, Life, Parenting, Real Life