"I thought I was taking my power back... but it ended up sending the wrong message."
Brittany Cartwright is finally addressing the outfit that lit the internet on fire — and not in the way she hoped. In an exclusive sit-down this week, the reality star opened up about the now-infamous romper she wore during her SUR job interview on The Valley, revealing she regrets the bold fashion statement that many fans saw as a desperate attempt to relive her past.
The sky-blue, cleavage-baring romper — which Brittany paired with six-inch heels and beachy curls — was meant to signal confidence and independence. Instead, it sparked a flood of criticism online, with viewers accusing her of trying to "outdo" Ariana Madix's post-breakup glow-up and questioning whether the entire interview was "staged" for cameras.
“I wore that romper because I felt good in it,” Brittany said, adding that it was one of the first things she picked up after moving out of the house she once shared with Jax Taylor. “I was like, ‘I’m gonna walk in there looking hot, show them I’m serious, and remind everyone who the real OG is.’”
But the moment aired — and backlash was immediate.
Social media erupted with mocking tweets, TikToks, and even memes comparing the outfit to "something you'd wear to a Vegas bachelorette, not a job interview." One viral post read: “What job requires stilettos, cleavage, and a mic pack? Asking for a friend.”
Brittany says she was blindsided.
“I didn’t think it would be such a big deal. I didn’t think people would say I was trying too hard. But looking back… yeah, maybe I was. Maybe it did backfire.”
Adding fuel to the fire? Her estranged husband Jax Taylor — who had mocked her previous attempts to “be her own woman” — reportedly rolled his eyes during a confessional, muttering, “SUR? Again?”
But Brittany insists the choice to return to SUR wasn’t about clinging to the past.
“It wasn’t about going backwards,” she said firmly. “It was about starting over — on my own terms.”
Still, she now admits that her outfit may have sent the wrong message. “It looked like I was trying to reclaim something, and maybe I was. But that moment was about me. I didn’t expect the internet to turn it into something ugly.”
Despite the backlash, Brittany isn’t backing down from her decision to re-enter the service industry, nor from reclaiming her identity apart from Jax. “I’m not embarrassed. I took a swing. It didn’t land. But at least I tried.”
When asked if she’d wear the romper again?
She laughed. “Only if I’m going clubbing in Nashville — not for a job interview.”
