Forget about early morning jogs, healthy eating and slicked back hair, because it’s officially Brat Girl Summer.
Following the release of her sixth studio album, snotty-nosed singer-songwriter Charlie XCX, 31, from Essex, has Gen Z turning the once-trendy clean-cut girl aesthetic on its head.
But there’s more to Charlie XCX than just her music: it’s her little-girl aesthetic, characterized by her reckless air, eccentric behavior and bold attitudes, traits that her girl friends, Julia Fox and Gabbriette Bechtel, also possess.
Now, Gen Z wants to follow in their footsteps and adopt spoiled brat behaviors, which means the trend is all over social media, with more than five million Gen Zers taking to TikTok to share snippets of their spoiled brat summer.
Brats are swashbuckling, or in the words of Charlie XCX during a BBC interview, they are: “trashy. Like a pack of cigarettes and, say, a Bic lighter. And, say, a white strappy top. No bra. That’s, in a way, all you need.”
Forget the clean-cut aesthetic, Gen Z is saying it’s the messiest brat girl summer ever, including Orange County singer Saige (pictured).
The album, released in June, received universal acclaim, debuting at number two on the UK Albums Chart, as well as reaching the top ten in several other countries, including the United States.
The 15-song album included several distinctive features, from its slime-green theme to its title, brat, all lowercase.
Within days, Charlie XCX spearheaded a new movement, with slime-green flags waving among the Glastonbury crowds, declaring the start of Brats Summer.
Her hit song 365, with over 25 million streams on Spotify, encapsulates brat-like behaviours, with the lyrics stating: ‘No, I never go home, I don’t sleep, I don’t eat, I just do it over and over, When I’m in the club, I’m a 3-6-5 party girl.’
For Christina Attrah, chief content officer at TAL Agency, Brat Summer is about more than just partying hard: It serves as a healthier alternative to feminine ideals.
Speaking to FEMAIL, the digital specialist said: “Bratty girl summer is the antithesis of the clean girl aesthetic. This is because the latter, in our view, feeds into the ideals set by the patriarchy and is, frankly, unsustainable for many.
‘The Summer of the Brats strikes back, allowing anyone, regardless of background, to give the middle finger to what the male gaze perceives as perfection.
She added: ‘Feminine ideals are a construct that brats completely tear down. Brat summer from a fashion standpoint is accessible to one and all; even those of us over the age of twenty-five can ride the brat wave.
Singer-songwriter Charlie XCX (pictured), 31, from Essex, released her 15-track album, brat, in June.
New York-based content creator Steph Amoroso (pictured) took to TikTok to share her take on Brats Summer.
Joey Shaw declared Glastonbury to be ‘Glastonbrat’ on TikTok after spotting a brat flag at the festival
She continued: ‘But fear not, because it’s not just about wearing lime green. While there is no defined wardrobe staple that is the beauty of bratty girls’ summer, everyone can be their bratty self by defining what they believe is bratty through their clothing.
‘If you must have a role model, your outfits should scream hyperpop, avant-garde, glitter, big sunglasses, chipped nails, imperfect makeup, and anything that makes you feel sexy when you let yourself go.
‘Struggling to find inspiration? Think about what you’d wear to Boiler Room or Heaven in London. It could be something as simple as a strappy white top, leather skirt, knee-high boots and 2000s details from blue eyeshadow to a pink flip phone.’
Brat girl summer encompasses more than just outfit choices, however, as Gen Z is driving a surge in searches for brat-style furniture.
Online shopping platform Etsy reported a 40 percent increase in searches for lime green furniture and home decor since Brat’s launch.
Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson said: ‘At Etsy, we’re no strangers to seeing how trending pop sensations influence shoppers’ purchasing decisions, and ‘the summer of green’, following the release of a viral album, has been no exception.
In recognition of Brat’s cultural significance, the 31-year-old singer (pictured) launched baby T-shirts emblazoned with the word ‘Brat’ as official merchandise.
Charlie XCX’s friends Julia Fox (pictured left) and Gabbriette Bechtel (pictured right) fit the criteria for a brat.
‘Just as brat culture has taken the fashion world by storm, we’ve seen a rise in lime green products that reflect this bold, unapologetic aesthetic.’
Meanwhile, Gen Z has taken to TikTok to share their thoughts on Brat Summer, including New York City native Steph Amoroso.
The content creator shared a clip of herself wearing a white vest, mini denim shorts and black sunglasses, with the caption: ‘Hair severely dirty, phone on 18 percent, drinking soda from a can, I fear brat summer has begun.’
California singer Sage, aka Vada Vada, declared it was bratty girl summer as she waved lime green products in a TikTok after attending a party to listen to Charlie XCX’s new album.
Bella Freeland from Australia took to the platform to share her rules for a brat’s summer, which included drinking Red Bull, temporary hair dye and wearing “tiny, tiny t-shirts.”
Meanwhile, others are showing their allegiance to Brat Summer via Charli XCX’s viral TikTok dance to her hit song Apple.
Created by TikTok user Kelley Heyer last month, the simple routine quickly took the internet by storm.
Celebrities are no exception: Daisy Edgar-Jones shared a video of herself and co-stars Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos dancing to Charlie XCX’s catchy song.
Daisy wrote in the caption of the Instagram post: “I told the lads about Brat’s summer.” Glen cheekily commented: “It’s hard to remember my life before this dance. Thanks Daisy.”
