In 2023, the coquette aesthetic took the internet by storm. This very popular aesthetic consists of bows (lots and lots of bows), flower prints, anything baby or pastel pink and religiously listening to Lana Del Rey. It also borrows some elements from Y2K fashion and nostalgia in general.
The whole point of coquette is to allow girls to simply romanticize everyday occurrences in our lives. This aesthetic has also inspired and been inspired by similar aesthetics such as vintage Americana, balletcore and cottagecore.
Coquette is a French word that refers to a girl or young woman who likes to flirt.
This aesthetic is all about reclaiming femininity and all things girly. For a long time, anything feminine was seen as frivolous and made fun of. With the release of “Barbie” in July of 2023, we have seen more girls reclaiming their more childish and feminine sides.
Although one thing that is slightly ironic about this aesthetic, and another reason why I and so many girls are drawn to it, is that it’s not just all pretty and innocent. If you scroll on Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest for a bit, you will see that the coquette subculture is also about taking pride in some of the less acceptable and darker aspects of girlhood.
Oftentimes the movies that are mentioned in posts about this aesthetic contain darker themes about the female experience. Some of my personal favorites are “The Virgin Suicides,” “Black Swan,” “American Beauty” and “Marie Antionette.”
Coquette girls also like to read books with similar themes such as “My Year of Rest and Relaxation,” “The Bell Jar” and once again “The Virgin Suicides.”
The coquette aesthetic has often been criticized about how it tends to romanticize things like mental illness, suicide and dressing in a childish way.
While all of these criticisms are valid, it is important to remember that aesthetics are all about how someone participates in them. Some people might actually find it liberating to romanticize and find beauty in their struggles. Sometimes seeing things in a positive way can actually motivate people to get better.
I don’t think that this aesthetic is inherently harmful. Aesthetics are a fun way of interacting with people online and expressing yourself. We just have to remember not to take it too far and just have fun with it.
