Femme Fashion Trend Breakdown

Barbiecore, bimbo, cottage-core, coquette, “soft girl”, “shabby princess”, “dopamine dressing”... the trend cycles change too fast for most of us to keep up, but there’s a common thread to a lot of the trends - and it’s very “girly.” Today many people are embracing a hyper-feminine aesthetic – and while the specific fashion trends may shift, the girly thread remains. Across modern aesthetics, pastels (especially pink!) lace, sparkles, and everything else that has been historically seen as “too girly” is being embraced as part of a radical reclamation of power and femininity. More than just a fad, modern hyper-femininity is a movement. It aims to be a more nuanced and intentional brand of Girl Power that celebrates traditionally feminine characteristics as strengths – whether you’re in glitter and stilettos, or decked in coquettish silhouettes and hosting a garden tea party

Here’s our take on the hyperfemme aesthetic, how it’s sparking feminist conversation and how it’s creating a community of women online.

Fashion’s Long History With Feminism

When imagining a heightened “feminine” look, you might picture pink on pink on pink. But this hue wasn’t always the driving force of feminine attire. In fact, pink was a fairly gender-neutral color until around the 1950s. So how did we get here?

The first-wave feminists of the 19th and early 20th century saw how the way they dressed impacted their mission and adapted accordingly. When Suffragists adapted Amelia Jenks Bloomers’ pant design they found that the focus shifted to what they wore rather than what they said. As a result, the style was dropped and the women wore white, suggesting “purity” and “moral virtue” to prove they weren’t a threat to masculinity. This ebb and flow of aesthetics was also seen when women took to work during World War II, they began donning pants and traditionally male fashion for efficient workflow in their new factory jobs. But after the war came to an end and the men returned, women were pushed back into domestic roles, and a very feminine era of fashion followed.

Donna Reed became a major example of idealistic femininity - fitted in tight shapewear, dresses, heels, and lipstick while completing housework. Along with First Lady Mamie Eisenhower’s pivotal pink inaugural ball gown, the precedent for how a sophisticated woman should present herself was set.

By the 1960s, women began returning to the idea that what you wore could affect your activism – but this time instead of attempting to be pristine and white-clad, they went against the day’s norms to symbolize their rejection of the way they were being oppressed by society. Women embraced looks like the mini skirt as one way to represent their new wave of feminism, sparked by the advent of birth control, leading into a decade of sexual revolution.

The pendulum has continued to swing back and forth over the decades, as new movements chose to claim or reject feminism in an attempt to achieve their goals. In the ‘80s, women began walking the tightrope of corporate dress, finding ways to make fashion work for them while attempting to be taken seriously in the workplace. The ‘90s saw subcultures like the RiotGrrrl movement – which generally rejected traditional feminine aesthetics – gaining popularity in tandem with the rise of Girl Power, which was incredibly feminine. Both trends sought to empower women and young girls but had very different ideas on how this should look, socially and sartorially. It was also around this time that we began seeing a rise in “girly” tropes in the media that showed women who gravitate towards traditionally feminine colors and hobbies as vapid, stupid, or self-involved.

Fifty Shades Of Pink

It’s no secret that the 2000s-2010s time period had a woman problem. Whether it was trivializing feminine aesthetics or interests, or just not giving women the same respect as men in sciences and the arts, this time period pushed a lot of women to disown the feminist label to stand out as “likable.” The message was clear - women weren’t cool unless they were liked by men - which meant being the “cool girl” who liked pizza, beer, and video games, while still being conventionally attractive and thin— so “not like other girls”.

With the late 2010s came a new wave of feminism—typically wrapped up in the Girl Boss attitude. As well-intentioned as this was, being a #GirlBoss limited women’s successes to playing with the boys and stepping over other women to get to the top. Young women today, however, have subverted that narrative by proclaiming, “I am like other girls and that’s great!”

Through TikTok, women are connecting through shared passions and experiences, and are reexamining what was once considered “low-brow” art - whether it was movies, fashion, dolls, or music - because together they’re realizing that the system never really took their interests into account when deciding what was “cool” or acceptable.

Hyper-femme TikTokers address feminist issues and engage in the discourse around whether their return to frills, pink, and pearls could be setting feminism back (as some claim it could be) standing firmly in their beliefs with the intention to educate.

Other accounts are leaning into hyper-feminine ways of relating to each other using “girlsplaining” to help teach one another about political happenings and current events. This shift has also influenced the way women talk about themselves - tackling internalized misogyny and feminist issues together, discussing favorite books, or reading poems - all while putting on their sparkly pink makeup. Creators like Madeline Ford are taking back the narrative that women shouldn’t like other women, and instead encourage others to share what they love about other women, and to embrace their femininity.

What Makes This Movement Inclusive

While feminine aesthetics of the past centered on thin, white women, the hyper-femme looks of today are about choice and inclusivity, with women of color, queer people, plus-size women and more finding joy and comfort in the look. The look has many subgenres and cultures. When creator April J wasn’t seeing people like her in the cottage and princess core communities, she created a video naming a new aesthetic: shabby princess. She asked to see others’ shabby princess looks, and people of all backgrounds and sizes began using her aesthetics. While some videos were met with hate, the new community stood up for each other, and most comment sections were filled with positivity and excitement.

Maybe the most radical step away from “the cool girl” mindset, or the feminine expectations of the 1950s, is that hyper-femme aesthetics are decidedly not for men’s enjoyment. Masculine people aren’t the ones who will really care about women’s makeup skills, or attention to detail in their outfits, so their efforts become only for themselves… and for other femmes to notice. In hyper-femme aesthetic, the admiration of other women or femmes is the highest compliment.

In fact, many women who participate in these very girly or hyper-feminine trends admit to doing so specifically because they don’t want the attention of men.

Even though the aesthetic is a twist on traditional femininity, it’s also been claimed by queer people who present femininely - as a way to subvert the idea that people need to dress in a way that men find attractive to”fit in”. But, of course, being Femme isn’t just about the aesthetics, it’s an identity that celebrates the community and celebrates feminine traits while challenging heteronormative systems.

As people look to break down gender norms, especially in fashion, the embracing of traditionally feminine aesthetics continues to grow. It’s more common to see cisgender men sporting traditionally feminine skirts, dresses, nail polish, and pearl necklaces. What was a few years ago seen as a big statement or rebellion is being normalized. As the acceptance of feminine aesthetics continues across all spectrums of society, we’re finally starting to do away with the notion that “girly” automatically equals vapid or weak. Ultimately being hyperfeminine is about expressing your femininity the way you want to - and accepting that gender can be performed in the way you are most comfortable.

Conclusion

Whether it’s the mini skirt of the 1960s, or bloomers of the 1850s, policies and reform affecting women change the way the feminine aesthetic presents itself, as much as the aesthetic affects the actual feminist movements. With rollbacks to reproductive rights around the globe, it’s not surprising that women are rethinking the way fashion represents their experiences. Platforms like TikTok allow these aesthetics to be established, owned, and spread by women themselves. It’s not being sold by toy companies, Disney princesses, or other major corporations. This hyper femininity - whether it’s hot pink Barbiecore, or soft, lacey, and Coquet, encompasses many facets of people who appreciate beauty, and take time and attention to detail for the joy of themselves and their pro-femme community. It allows for vapid makeup tutorials, or get ready with me videos, and gives space for pro-femme conversations in a way that’s refreshingly resisting the male gaze. Importantly, hyper-femme asks us to examine what truly sparks joy and to question why we should ever be made to feel that we can’t enjoy it.

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