Paris – The brash and somewhat chaotic “brat” aesthetic, which comes from the English word for “spoiled children”, is sweeping the social networks and even splashing its emblematic green, “brat green”, into the American election campaign.
The phrase comes from the title of British pop star Charli XCX’s album “Brat,” released June 7. The record, with a mix of party energy and youthful anxiety, has been a hit, and its single “Apple” has become the soundtrack to videos featuring the “brat dance,” a choreography reproduced millions of times on social media and even in the Olympic village at the 2024 Paris Games.
The trend was sparked by the album cover design, which features the word “brat” written in black on a bright green square, reminiscent of the color of Shrek the Monster. “The ‘Brat’ girl is a girl who is a little chaotic and who likes to party, who sometimes does silly things.” […] but she’s also very honest,” the 32-year-old singer explains on TikTok.
The “Brat” persona is enjoying life, getting on a plane, going to a club, sweating and dressed in a simple “white tank top,” continues the artist, who for a decade has been relatively unknown to the general public.
“Kamala es ‘brat'”
“She’s the rascal, the spoiled brat, the one who does what she wants. She’s the opposite of the internet archetypes of the ‘tradwife’ [la esposa tradicional] and the ‘cleangirl’ [la chica minimalista]”The ‘Brat girl’ embraces her imperfections, she has oily skin and an imperfect body,” Pascal K Douglas, a consultant for the American trends firm Fashion Snoops, told AFP.
For young people, this “brat” trend involves bacchanalian parties, brave actions and a bit of existential angst. “Behind this attitude there is vulnerability, a sense of imperfection and chaos. A trend that since 2022 we feel as a return to individuality in a world that is going very wrong,” adds Douglas, who sees in this fashion “a desire for grunge, for independence” and even for “irony”.
The term “brat,” rather than being pejorative, is becoming a symbol of self-acceptance and is establishing itself as an anthem for 2024, including in Deutsche Bank’s advertising campaigns and in politics. It has even splashed across the US presidential campaign and onto Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, who is praised and criticised in equal measure for being spontaneous and jovial.
“Kamala is a ‘brat,'” confirmed expert Charli XCX. The candidate’s campaign team immediately adopted the color “brat” for its images on the social network X, turning the green square into a symbol, as Barack Obama did with his tricolor “Hope” portrait.
Boris Johnson
The Ipsos UK institute defined the “brat” mentality as encouraging, “being bold, taking risks and embracing what is uncomfortable. It is being edgy, imperfect and confident.” In a survey, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was named the “brattest” political figure in the country.
After the Barbie pink aesthetic of 2023, this neon green has become the colour of 2024 for interior decoration, eye shadows and nail polish. As for clothing, “it’s anti-fashion, the rejection of logos and brands. It’s the spirit of second-hand clothes, wearing the same dress for a week,” Aude Fellay, a fashion design teacher at the HES school in Geneva, told AFP.
Beyond green, the “brat” aesthetic mixes several codes, with influences from grunge and the “Y2K” wave, referring to the 2000s. The looks are relatively basic, with white T-shirts without a bra, low-rise jeans and accessories in denim or leather. Smokey makeup is worn.
“In September we will see if brands have been able to ride the wave of this somewhat strident trend,” says the expert, curious to see if the “brat” aesthetic has been just a passing romance (AFP).
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