Willow Smith has been making waves by posting a picture of herself online in which she appears to be topless – but is actually wearing a T-shirt featuring a picture of bare breasts.

The actress daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith caused quite a stir with the image on Instagram, because she is still just 14.

However, a closer examination shows that Willow isn’t actually exposing her chest at all – she is just wearing a top that depicts a woman’s bare breasts.

She captioned the picture “#Vfiles #willowsmith.”

One fan wrote: “Omg your doing way to much.” But others pointed out that although the image appeared to show Willow topless, it was just an illusion.

Willow Smith at a showbiz event in California
Willow Smith’s ‘topless’ shot was just an illusion (Lionel Hahn/ABACA USA/Empics Entertainment)

Willow has been at the centre of such controversy before.

Last year, when she was 13, a black and white snap on Instagram showed the Whip My Hair singer on a bed next to actor Moises Arias, 20.

Willow was clothed and laying down, while Moises was sitting up, with his shirt off.

The teenager’s mum Jada later waded in to defend the image, telling paps as she arrived at an airport: “There was nothing sexual about that picture or that situation.

Willow Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith at the annual From Slavery To Freedom event
Willow Smith’s mum Jada Pinkett Smith defended the picture of her daughter with Moises Arias (Katy Winn/Invision/Press Association Images)

“You guys are projecting your trash onto it,” she was quoted as saying. “You’re acting like covert paedophiles and that’s not cool.”