Influencer Arielle Charnas has been roundly mocked online after appearing outside a posh New York hotel while appearing to wear what looks like a bellhop uniform.
Charnas, who was once the power behind the failed clothing brand Something Navy, still shares her costly daily outfits with her 1.3million Instagram followers.
But in one of her recent Instagram Stories, the mom of three appeared outside the pricey St. Regis Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, known for its old-world luxury and charm.
The hotel is famous for offering ‘butler service’ to its guests, but Charnas’ choice of uniform made some online believe she might be mistaken for being a worker at the hotel than one of its well-heeled guests.
‘I would’ve handed her my luggage and 10 bucks,’ wrote one snarky critic online.
‘How do you have a sister who’s one of the most sought-after stylists (and rightfully so) at your disposal and you are popping up like this??’ they asked, referring to Charnas fashion designer sibling, Danielle Goldberg, who has dressed stars such as Olivia Rodrigo, Greta Lee and Saoirse Ronan.
‘Did she get a job at FAO Schwartz?!’ quipped another joker online, referring to uniform worn by doormen staffing the famous toy store.
‘This horrid outfit shows (for the 1000th) time that this woman has 0 style and only buys things because of the designer label on them. Idk why anyone looks to her for fashion ideas,’ stated another blunt troll online.
Influencer Arielle Charnas has been roundly mocked online after appearing outside a posh New York hotel while appearing to wear what looks like a bellhop uniform
Charnas was one of the most successful examples of the first wave of fashion bloggers after she started Something Navy on Blogspot in 2009. She is pictured in Florida in November
‘Looks like she’s going to fight for the Union army!’ added another critical of her fashion.
‘What’s up with influencers dressing like flight attendants lately?’ wrote one critic.
Another joked ‘Michael Jackson wore it better’,
Charnas was one of the most successful examples of the first wave of fashion bloggers after she started Something Navy on Blogspot in 2009.
Over the following decade she built a loyal audience of more than 1 million Instagram followers who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the leggings and sweaters she recommended.
In 2018, she broke into the bigtime as she switched from promoting other brands to selling her own and became one of the first influencers to launch a licensed clothing collection with Nordstrom before breaking out on its own.
But all was not well with the brand and there were rumors the company was burning through cash fast.
In 2023, Something Navy closed stores, laying off staff. Charnas then stopped wearing the clothes on Instagram.
Charnas wearing of the outfit appeared to draw widespread mocking from online trolls
Another joked ‘Michael Jackson wore it better’, comparing Charnas’ outfit with that worn by the King of Pop in this shot from 1983
The fashion faux pas drew surprise from those commenting who thought Charnas might have solicited the advice of her fashion designer sister Danielle Goldberg, who has dressed the stars
The brand finally shut down in August with Charnas describing it as a ‘mini-hiatus’ while she looks for new partners.
Earlier this year, Charnas’ husband, Brandon Charnas, was placed under criminal investigation by the DOJ for his alleged involvement in an insider-trading scheme, according to Bloomberg.
Brandon Charnas infamously refused to cooperate with an insider-trading probe previously opened by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is probing a $385,000 gain he made using potentially non-public information in early 2021.
The Justice Department has now opened a criminal investigation into the same matter, according to unnamed law enforcement officials.
Charnas and nine other people are caught up in the probe that revolves around speculation that home office giant Staples was going to make a bid for Office Depot.
The investigation dates back to late December of 2020, when Charnas met up with friends for lunch in Miami.
Later in the afternoon, he invested $31,000 in Office Depot call options, on the apparent assumption that the stock would rise, alleges the SEC.
In the subsequent days, Charnas and his lunch meeting partners bought options and shares of ODP Corp., Office Depot’s parent company.
Brandon Charnas, husband Arielle, is under criminal investigation by the DOJ for his alleged involvement in an insider-trading scheme
Brandon is currently under investigation by the SEC and DOJ for alleged insider trading that occurred in late 2020 and early 2021
Some two weeks later, Staples announced its offer and the Office Depot stock popped from less than $30 a share in December 2020 to nearly $43 a share in January 2021.
One of the traders texted the group chat, ‘You’re welcome boyz,’ to which another responded: ‘U the man.’
One day after Staples announced its $40 per share bid for ODP in mid-January of 2021, Charnas offloaded 50 percent of his call options, walking away with a 635 percent profit.
The next month, there was news that there was ‘unusual trading activity’ in Office Depot ahead of earnings.
Because of his wife’s notoriety, and previous bouts with scandal, the SEC’s probe had been widely documented in traditional and on social media.
David Axelrod, an attorney for Charnas, said in a statement: ‘Brandon did not engage in insider trading.’
