A new fashion aesthetic has dropped, and it’s the first major one of 2024. All the participants want to pull their big fur coats and sunglasses out. That’s right, TikTok has officially introduced the mob wife aesthetic, and it takes a huge step back into the early 1980s and ‘90s, but with a much fresher look. Back in the day, a mob wife was a woman who was married to a mobster. Most of their fashion consisted of long fur coats and dark sunglasses, with pets like small dogs.
Like many other TikTok trends, the mob wife aesthetic has made its rounds due to something else going viral, and for this trend, it’s thanks to the classic American drama series The Sopranos. The show, which many believe is arguably the greatest TV show of all time, is going viral on the app, with each episode being summed into one 25-second TikTok video. The franchise is celebrating 25 years since its premiere date, and influencers on the app are apparently celebrating with the mob wife aesthetic.
TikTok user @averybrynn1 describes the mob wife aesthetic as messy eyeshadow, fur coats, and red lipstick. Drinking coffee out of martini glasses is classic mob wife, too. Notable women who inspire the aesthetic include Carmella Soprano from The Sopranos and the reality TV show Mob Wives cast members such as Drita D’Avanzo and Karen Gravano.
According to the mob wife trend participants, the aesthetic is only half of what makes it so special — the other half is the mob wife’s “attitude.” The mob wife attitude consists of understanding boundaries, having a PhD in setting the bar high, and someone who could arguably be considered a girl boss, but definitely doesn’t like the term.
There are a bunch of women dating all the way back to the 1940s whose fashion choices play a big part in the mob wife aesthetic today. Although there were different eras of mob wife fashion, there are a couple of pieces that each era had in common: fur coats, red lipstick, lots of jewelry, and French tip nails. Many TikTok users are not only participating in the trend of dressing up with the aesthetic, but are also giving history lessons on the prominent women who’ve helped shape the mob wife fashion for what it is today.
So, if you’re looking to participate in the trend with your fur coat, sunglasses, and red lipstick, now is the perfect time to do so until the next trend comes around!