Over the past few years, the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic has been a dominating trend online, shaping girls’ views from the perfect morning routine to the way you should dress. The trend’s emphasis on minimalism and effortlessness suggests that with a neat bun, perfect diet, and a Pilates class you, too, can have your life together. Even celebrities couldn’t pass up on the trend’s promise, with people like Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber trading their extravagant looks for a timeless style.
Personally, I always felt a disconnect to the trend. It felt as though the aesthetic was proposing that to have control, women had to follow a certain look and lifestyle (which is certainly unattainable for the masses). In the process, all sense of individuality is discarded. In my opinion, the reality of womanhood involves a beautiful messiness. From the times we stumble over our words to eating too much food with our friends , being a girl cannot be whittled down to the perfect formula. Ultimately, women aren’t designed to be perfect and there’s something beautiful about that. And based on online discourse, more girls are accepting the “clean girl aesthetic” for what it truly is: an illusion of perfection.
While the trend was prospering, I think albums like “Brat” reminded many girls of their individuality. The album by Charli XCX shaped the summer of 2024 (also known as “Brat summer”), focusing on the vulnerability, messiness and freedom of womanhood. Whether you were experiencing feelings of jealousy, looking for love, or dancing all night with your friends, it compelled listeners to embrace the chaos in their lives. As the singer writes “it’s so confusing sometimes to be a girl”, a line which a lot of young women can relate too. It is confusing to be a girl, and it never becomes easier. but this confusion should not be shunned away, but better yet embraced. Overall “Brat” was the antithesis to the clean girl aesthetic, and I think it’s exactly what we needed in the time of rising superficiality.
In terms of advertising, the cultural phenomenon of “Brat” exhibited that marketing does not always need to be polished. People crave authenticity, and as of recent many brands have decided to ditch perfection and choose chaos. For instance, Lancome’s campaign “Mess with Lancome” garnered popularity by showing that there is beauty in chaos. Beginning their “messy era”, their visuals of scattered makeup and grungy looks highlighted the magic in realism, something that appealed to Gen Z.
Now, am I saying that you should abandon all elements of the clean girl look? Certainly not. However, in a time where effortless beauty is seen as the standard, it’s important to remember
to stay true to yourself . While trends and marketing will go through their cycles, what matters is that you’re following your own instincts to choose who you want to be.