Mom-of-2 Dress-Coded by Library for Wearing 'Cropped' Top to Story Time

A woman has turned to the internet for support following the awkward moment when she was dress-coded in the library.

Standing in her living room, Hilary Filipowicz, 38, (@calmlychaoticmom) can be seen wearing a leopard-print cropped cardigan, paired with high-waisted jeans. She says this outfit of choice was disapproved by a member of the library staff.

"I couldn't 'get over it'," the mom-of-two told Newsweek. "I'm nearly 40, and I maintain I looked appropriate; I'm aware that's a relative term, and often there are generational gaps in what that means. However, I firmly believe I looked fine."

Racking up more than 1.4 million views, Filipowicz, who lives in Shaker Heights, Ohio, said that "one inch" of her stomach had become visible while carrying her "giant" 1-year-old during story time at the establishment.

Filipowicz said: "In the physicality of carrying my toddler, my cropped sweater was riding up and my midriff was exposed. I thought nothing of it, at the time. The woman approached me, and I was apologizing to my girls if they were being disruptive and then stopped mid-sentence when I realized that wasn't the issue."

During the clip, Filipowicz reiterates the conversation and says she was told she should know better before the woman said she was talking about her outfit.

In the video, she says that the woman, whose job role is unknown, "[made] motions to it," meaning she pointed at her torso. This is when she realized it was because her cardigan lifted, revealing her skin.

"I didn't say anything back as I couldn't gather my thoughts quickly enough. I was confused, and embarrassed," Filipowicz told Newsweek. "I felt upset for feeling self-conscious since I'd felt pretty great about my outfit before leaving the house.

"As any postpartum mom knows, when a favorite piece of clothing finally fits, it's exciting; my jeans in particular were ones that newly fit, and I was excited to wear them."

The mother of a 3- and 15-month-old said that it took her a full year to regain her confidence after giving birth to each. However, the recent experience has made her feel self-critical about her clothing.

Filipowicz said: "The interaction was rather quick but certainly left a lasting impression on me. I often wear cropped tops and high-waisted pants; it's a comfortable and relatively stylish option.

"However, it's lonely as a stay-at-home mom, and sometimes I wonder maybe I'm the one out of touch. Am I too old or too motherly to wear leopard or faux leather or crop tops?"

Filipowicz said that she believes women experience societal pressure to change their style after having a baby.

She added: "Sadly, I do think that, all of a sudden, we're expected to give up so much of our individuality when we become moms and that expectation takes a toll on our mental health. That's simply not the example I want to set for my girls.

"I've always worn what made me happy and felt comfortable and I'll always continue to do so," Filipowicz added.

The caption read that she has no plans on changing her wardrobe: "Pardon me while I continue to wear cropped tops with high-waisted pants until I'm a grandmother. Might even throw my bellybutton ring back in for extra flair."

Filipowicz did not want to share which Cuyahoga County Public Library branch she was visiting.

Newsweek reached out to Cuyahoga County Public Library and spoke to the chief communications and external relations officer, Kate McCreary.

She said: "This customer's outfit does not violate the Cuyahoga County Public Library Code of Conduct—which requires that customers wear shoes and a shirt, much like other public establishments.

"We are sorry to hear about this incident. The Cuyahoga County Public Library operates 27 branches across the county. Additionally, there are a number of other library systems in the area. As we are unclear which library this incident occurred in, we can only say that the staff of the Cuyahoga County Public Library strive to be kind and welcoming and want all customers to feel a sense of belonging when they visit all our branches.

"If we are able to confirm that this incident did take place in a Cuyahoga County Public Library branch, we will continue to coach our staff to treat every customer with respect," McCreary added.

Since sharing the video on April, 4, Filipowicz has received some backlash and been accused of giving librarians a "bad name".

In the comment section, she told one user: "My intention is NOT to bring negativity to librarians as a whole! We love our libraries and the people who work there - this was one weird incident with a human possibly having an off day."

Other comments on the video that has more than 66,900 likes include compliments and support.

One user posted: "Millennial children's librarian here: I'm so sorry! This is not the norm! You'd be absolutely welcome at my library, your outfit is amazing & kiddos are welcome to move around and have fun at story time."

"That is insane. As someone who works at a public library, this infuriates me. So uncalled for and absolutely unnecessary. Your outfit is super cute!!" wrote another.

If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work, and your story could be featured on Newsweek's "What Should I Do? section.