Instagram influencer says she was dress-coded at the Louvre: 'Picasso would have loved my outfit’
An Australian Instagram influencer is fighting back via social media after she says she was denied entrance to one of France’s most iconic cultural institutions.
Newsha Syeh, 25, told her 238,000 followers that she wasn’t allowed to enter the Louvre museum in Paris because of her revealing outfit. Syeh wore a low-cut black dress that stopped just below her seat and continued down to her ankles with sheer black material in unique patterns.
“An Australian witch in Paris,” Syeh captioned a photo of herself, which showed her enjoying a coffee at a cafe while wearing the risqué outfit.
View this post on InstagramAn Australian witch in Paris 🌙?
A post shared by Newsha Syeh (@mewsha) on Nov 5, 2018 at 2:23pm PST
“Yesterday at the Louvre, I was stopped at the entrance by a guard for my outfit,” Syeh later said in her Instagram stories, which were obtained by the Daily Mail. ‘He made the most disgusted and horrible gestures and facial expressions, swore at me to cover up, with hate filled eyes stopped me entering.”
Syeh added that she was devastated to be denied entrance, sharing that she “was heartbroken.” She also posted a screenshot of her Google search to determine whether the museum has a dress code.
She found an unofficial review that said, “There is no Louvre dress code, you can wear for visiting the Louvre what you want. Just have in mind that you are going to walk A LOT. Bring comfortable shoes. Dress in layers, like an onion.” On the museum’s website, no specific dress code is listed. However, in Section 1, Article 2 of the site, it does state that guests are not allowed to “wear swimsuits, or be naked, bare-chested or barefoot.”
Responses to Syeh’s post were varied. One detractor commented, “You are so pathetic for even raising this issue as if you are a victim. Grow up and put on a shirt not a swimming costume to visit museums. You are an embarrassment to Australia not only for what you are wearing but for playing the victim over something so trivial.”
However, there were many supporters, including one who stated, “clothes are art and an artistic expression of ourselves. If anyone, should understand that, it is a world renowned museum. Sad that people still diminish women because of what they wear. More power to you!”
Syeh later told the Sun that she previously visited the Louvre wearing a similar outfit and had “no problem at all” getting through security. “This was definitely a personal prejudice,” she said.
Syeh later posted to Instagram with another photo of her in the same dress, stating, “Picasso would have loved my outfit.” By the time of publishing, the Louvre had not responded to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.
View this post on InstagramPicasso would have loved my outfit ?
A post shared by Newsha Syeh (@mewsha) on Nov 9, 2018 at 11:35pm PST
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
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