Olivia Culpo speaks out on demure wedding dress controversy
Olivia Culpo shared her thoughts on the backlash over her modest wedding gown, telling Fox News Digital it "took a lot of mental gymnastics for people to get to the conclusions that they got to."
Olivia Culpo is sharing her thoughts on the drama that ensued after she unveiled her demure wedding dress to tie the knot with NFL star Christian McCaffrey.
Ahead of their wedding in June, the 32-year-old model told Vogue that she didn't want her wedding gown to "exude sex in any way, shape or form," a comment that sparked backlash on social media.
Now Culpo, who recently teamed up with PayPal for a new brand partnership, tells Fox News Digital that her words had been "completely spun out of context."
"Took a lot of mental gymnastics for people to get to the conclusions that they got to on that one," she said.
Olivia Culpo expressed her surprise that her demure wedding dress sparked controversy online. (Daniel Zuchnik/Variety via Getty Images)
"I don't understand that mindset," Culpo continued. "I would never be that person to someone. So to imagine why somebody would do that to myself is something I'll never know."
OLIVIA CULPO INSISTED THAT HER WEDDING DRESS NOT 'EXUDE SEX IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM'
"It's a weird world we live in," the former Miss Universe added with a laugh.
Among the critics of Culpo's gown was fashion influencer Kennedy Bingham, who uses the moniker Gown Eyed Girl on social media.
"I’ve been a bridal creator for four years now, and I have never said this before, but I do not like this wedding dress," Bingham said in a video posted on Instagram and TikTok.
WATCH: OLIVIA CULPO EXPLAINS WHY SHE ‘FEELS BAD’ FOR HER ONLINE HATERS
In her video, Bingham also accused Culpo of "marketing and pushing a conservative agenda," citing the remarks that the model had shared with Vogue. She referenced Culpo's comments about not wanting her dress to "exude sex" as well as a statement that "The Masked Singer" alum had made in which she had described marriage as a "covenant."
"It's very clear that this was not a wedding," Bingham said in her video. "This was a conservative campaign, and it wasn't even well done."
Culpo and Christian McCaffrey married in Westerly, RI on June 29 at the Watch Hill Chapel. (Marc Vasconcellos/The Enterprise/USA TODAY NETWORK)
McCaffrey responded to Bingham's commentary by blasting her for sharing an "evil" post.
"What an evil thing to post online. I hope you can find joy and peace in the world, the way my beautiful wife does," the San Francisco 49ers player commented on the Instagram reel.
WATCH: OLIVIA CULPO SPEAKS OUT ON DEMURE WEDDING DRESS CONTROVERSY
Culpo explained to Fox News Digital that she feels pity for her online critics.
"I feel like trolls [are] people who are so upset with their lives that they have to spread hate," she said. "Really, that's what it comes down to. You have to keep that in mind and feel bad for them."
"It's hard when you're on the receiving end of someone who wants to make you feel really bad," Culpo continued. "We have to imagine the head space that that person is. And when you really think about it, that's sad. That's sad for them."
"They have to live with themselves. You just have to look at it, and then you get to walk away. But they're stuck with themselves, so it's sad. I really do hope that there's a world where that doesn't exist, because it's really just an indication of that person suffering a lot."
Culpo said that she feels pity for her online haters. (Alena Zakirova/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Culpo says she has no regrets over her choice of wedding dress.
"Going back, I would re-select the dress that I chose," Culpo said. "I chose the style of that dress because I liked the style, and I could see it standing the test of time. There was nothing else outside of that motivated me to choose it."
"And I felt beautiful," she added. "So that's all that matters. That's all that you want for anyone on their wedding day."
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Culpo and McCaffrey, who began dating in 2019, married in a church in Watch Hill, Rhode Island on June 29.
While speaking with Fox News Digital, Culpo reflected on whether the pair's relationship had changed since they walked down the aisle.
McCaffrey and Culpo dated for five years before tying the knot. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
"I don't think our relationship is any different as husband and wife," she said before adding, "I think it's much more fulfilling."
"I guess our relationship — it is different — but it's not different," Culpo explained. "We've been together now for five years, but it does feel really nice. I have to say, being married, it's easy to romanticize the little things. Everything feels more special, because you're sharing it with somebody that you really love."
Culpo has previously spoken out about how one value that she and McCaffrey share is their devout Christian faith. In her June interview with Vogue, "The Culpo Sisters" star said that marrying in a church was the couple's "number one priority" when it came to wedding planning.
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While speaking with Fox News Digital, Culpo explained how her faith helps guide her when making personal and professional decisions.
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"You can lean into your faith in any capacity for any reason," Culpo said. "I think you can find a lot of answers through prayer and ‘ask and it is given.’ That's really how I feel."
"I mean, there are a lot of things you have to think over and your prayers will be answered," she continued. "That's my personal opinion. But for other people, it can be different things. It can be meditation, it can be journaling, it can be going for a long walk. But I get a lot of my answers through prayer, for sure."
Olivia Culpo spoke with Fox News Digital about the importance of faith in her life. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Celsius)
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The model, who joked with Fox News Digital that she is a ‘professional shopper,’ recently launched a new collaboration with PayPal.
"I'm a savvy shopper," she said. "The PayPal debit card makes it very easy to be savvy. You get 5% cashback in your chosen category every month, and there are additional cashback deals on the app. So I obviously chose fashion. I got 5% cashback on my Saks deal, and then I got an additional 5% cashback."
"It just makes shopping way easier," Culpo added. "And not only can you use this at home, but you can also use it out in stores. Just using your Apple Wallet makes it very easy, so it's exciting."
WATCH: OLIVIA CULPO DETAILS HER ‘EXCITING’ NEW PARTNERSHIP
