Martha Stewart is speaking out after her Halloween look drew a wave of criticism. The lifestyle icon says she is upset that people were hurt by the costume, which showed her dressed as a person living on the street.

In a statement she pointed to her long history with the holiday. "I've spent decades teaching others how to celebrate Halloween," she said, describing years of festive recipes, craft projects plus hosting tips.

She went on to explain what she says she was going for. "I am distressed that my Halloween costume yesterday, which was intended to bring more awareness to the very serious subject of homelessness, has offended people, which was never my intention."

A cause she says she cares about

Stewart called homelessness one of the biggest crises facing the country. She said she cares deeply about the issue and has put a lot of time into backing charities that fight it.

She added that she remains "committed to continuing to make a difference."

How it started

The photo showed Stewart in ragged clothes holding a cardboard sign reading "I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!" It was part of a set of Instagram images promoting QVC candles.

The picture was taken down soon after it went up. By then several followers had already saved screenshots that spread across social media as critics piled on.