No matter where you look, style diversity is everywhere. Trying to carve out an individual fashion niche for yourself can be daunting, especially when there’s so much out there from which to draw inspiration. Enter: the downtown girl aesthetic.
The downtown girl aesthetic shot to popularity on TikTok and Pinterest around 2022, making it a newer trend. Its central themes revolve around the romanticization of metropolitan living and existing amid a bustling city atmosphere. It’s characterized by an effortless “cool girl” vibe to contrast the typically hectic nature of urban centers such as New York City or Chicago, creating a dichotomy between the chaos and the calm.
While the overall aesthetic criteria sound incredibly broad, the downtown girl style has recurring motifs in color schemes, patterns, activities, music, and media that make it easy to model after. So, whether you’re searching for your niche or just looking to switch up your current style, here’s a comprehensive starter pack for the downtown girl aesthetic:
Muted COlors
A huge component of the downtown girl aesthetic is that it’s typically centered in the colder seasons, meaning there’s a heavy emphasis on autumnal and wintry weather. The color schemes associated with the aesthetic are seasonally appropriate, with the most prevalent colors being burgundy, navy, black, cream, and more muted tones.
These colors can be found throughout various components of the aesthetic, whether that be through outfit pieces, makeup, scenery, or other accessories. The subdued color motifs perfectly match up with the downtown girl’s laid-back energy.
Layered OUTFITS
When hunting down outfit inspiration for the downtown girl aesthetic, you’re sure to find mostly heavier clothing and lots of layering. The majority of what you’ll see in inspiration boards will involve sweaters, jeans, and other pieces generally suited for colder climates. Some of the most popular items with this aesthetic are Henley tops, bootcut jeans, chunky platform shoes, miniskirts paired with tights, and graphic tees.
If descriptions aren’t enough and you’re more of a visual learner, there are tons of characters across the media that perfectly embody this style. Some of the most iconic examples include Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls, Elena Gilbert from The Vampire Diaries, and Bella Swan from The Twilight Saga.
Accesories
No outfit is complete without at least a few accessories here and there, right? The beauty of adding a little extra flair to your downtown girl-inspired looks is that it can be as simple or complex as you want. Accessorizing ideas range from different hairstyles, whether it be an effortless blowout, braids with bows, or a half-up, half-down look, to stacking a slew of rings or necklaces to go along with your outfits.
Aside from just jewelry, you can also accessorize with nail designs! Common patterns that have made their mark on the downtown girl aesthetic are stars, billiards balls, and hearts, so if you’re able to get your hands on some funky nails, they’re an amazing way to make a subtler statement while still letting the style shine.
Dreamy, alternative Music
Because the downtown girl aesthetic found its origins on TikTok, it’s no surprise that a lot of the music associated with it is popular from the app, too. Some of the biggest social media hits from artists such as TV Girl, Arctic Monkeys, Lana Del Rey, and The Neighbourhood usually provide the soundtrack to this aesthetic.
Along with these more recent songs, another big component of the downtown girl style’s music is tunes from the 80s and 90s. Many playlists that capture the aesthetics’ vibe feature tracks by The Smiths, The Cranberries, The Sundays, Radiohead, and Mazzy Star, among others. No matter what era the music comes from, the common theme that connects it all is a dreamy, autumnal, alternative vibe.
High-energy adventures
Because it takes place in an urban setting, a lot of the activities seen with the downtown girl aesthetic are high-energy city adventures that match the location’s tumultuous atmosphere. Inspiration boards and pictures nearly always showcase the downtown girls unable to sit still; they’re always on the move.
Whether or not you live in a bustling metropolitan center, that doesn’t mean you can’t live out your Pinterest board fantasy. Common ventures include visiting local coffee shops, scouring record stores, reading in bookstores, or taking a hot girl walk around town. With this aesthetic, everything goes.
The downtown girl aesthetic is easily one of my favorites of all time. The color schemes, outfit inspiration, and overall vibe that the aesthetic encapsulates are everything. If you’ve been looking for a trendy style niche, I hope this starter pack gives you a good idea of where to begin!
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