Back in the day (clears throat), we called it “heroin chic” or “grunge.” Now, the younger set is labeling this a “Brat summer.” If you’ve heard Charli XCX on the radio, seen splashes of neon green, or heard “that’s so Julia,” you’ve experienced Brat summer.
The viral movement follows the release of Charli XCX’s latest album, BRAT, on June 7. Here’s how the UK pop star explained it in a TikTok interview: “You are just that girl who is a little messy and maybe says dumb things sometimes, who feels herself but then also maybe has a breakdown, but parties through it. It is honest, blunt, and a little bit volatile. That’s Brat.” Think Courtney Love in the ’90s, Amy Winehouse in the early aughts, and Ke$ha in the 2010s.
@charlixcx what it means to be a brat 🙂 #OffTheRecord ♬ Club classics – Charli xcx
The trend is the antithesis to last summer’s bright Barbie style and polished “clean girl” aesthetic. Instead of hot pink, the singer has coined neon green as the color of the moment. Brat’s leading muse? Julia Fox, who gets a shout out “so Julia” in the song “360.”
When it comes to fashion, Brat essentials borrow from the early aughts. Hallmark pieces include Von dutch trucker hats, baby tees, and low-rise jorts.
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What’s next? We’ve gone from Barbie to Bratz, so influencer and podcast host Coco Mocoe says Polly Pocket will be the next doll icon with Sabrina Carpenter as the muse. Though the prediction hasn’t been embraced just yet…Top commenters beg for American Girl, Raggedy Anne, or Monster High summers instead.
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