During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media became dominated by the clean girl aesthetic – skincare routines, balanced diets, minimalist outfits, early mornings, and endless gym sessions. On the surface, it sounds simple and achievable, right? In reality, not at all.
That lifestyle isn’t for everyone. For many, waking up at 7 a.m., applying a “no makeup” look, squeezing in a workout, and ending the day with a green smoothie feels less like self-care and more like a horror movie. It demands discipline, structure, and a commitment to perfection that doesn’t resonate with everyone – especially those who thrive in spontaneity and freedom.
As a natural counter-movement, the messy girl vibe began to take shape. Instead of polished minimalism, it celebrated imperfections: heavy, smudged makeup, nights that stretch until sunrise, carefree energy, and chaotic, unfiltered looks. This aesthetic wasn’t about being literally disorganized – it was about rejecting rigid standards and embracing authenticity, flaws and all.
The rise of this chaotic lifestyle
This shift didn’t happen in isolation. It was amplified when major cultural figures began embodying it. In June 2024, Charli XCX shook the music world with her album Brat, carrying with it the energy of wild nights out and a laid-back, messy aesthetic. Everywhere you looked, people were in their brat era. As Charli herself explained in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar.
“I think when you see someone kind of embracing their flaws and being messy, you recognize a bit of yourself in that. You feel like it’s okay to be messy yourself.”
On a variant of the album, Brat and it’s the same but there’s three more songs so it’s not, Charli teamed up with Kesha for the track “Spring Breakers”. In it, Kesha reminds the world that the party girl lifestyle has existed for over a decade, calling themselves the party girl gods.
Back in 2010, the singer embodied the messy girl archetype, and now visuals from her Animal (2009) and Cannibal (2010) eras are once again fueling a new generation of unapologetically chaotic girls.
Another artist tied to this lifestyle is Lady Gaga, a long-standing icon of extravagant looks who never subscribed to minimalism. Oversized hairstyles, bold makeup, and daring fashion choices have always been central to her persona. And now, with the release of Mayhem, her latest project, Gaga has reignited this aesthetic – one that many describe as dark, theatrical, and even macabre – with full force.
So… is the messy girl era really back?
Absolutely! It’s time to embrace the messy girl vibe. You don’t need to be literally messy – you just need to be unapologetically yourself. Forget the constant pressure to fit into a mold or follow a perfect routine. Not everyone wants to wake up at sunrise, drink a green smoothie, and power through a carefully curated day. Sometimes you just want to go out, dance until dawn, stumble home with smudged eyeliner, and sleep in without guilt – and that’s more than okay.
The truth is, this lifestyle never really disappeared; it just took a backseat for a while. And let’s be honest: if the clean girl aesthetic makes you feel good, then embrace it wholeheartedly. But if you’ve ever felt like you didn’t belong in that world of perfection, remember that even some of the biggest celebrities are living proof that embracing the messy, chaotic side of life is not only valid – it’s celebrated.
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The article above was edited by Mariana do Patrocínio.
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