Unlike the ’clean girl’ – who has dominated recent years with her flawless skin, sleek hair, and a look as pristine as her meticulously curated home — the ’messy girl’ embraces a more rock-and-roll aesthetic, exuding a carefree, post-party vibe.
Popularized by British pop star Charli XCX, known for spearheading the ’brat’ trend, and echoed by Billie Eilish in the U.S., the ’messy girl’ look is quickly gaining traction. On social media, the hashtag #messygirl has amassed thousands of views, boosted by British singer Lola Young’s track “I’m Too Messy”. Meanwhile, TikTok is buzzing with a viral quiz — ’Clean Girl or Messy Girl?’ — prompting users to discover their aesthetic allegiance.
From Courtney Love’s ripped tights in the ’90s to Amy Winehouse’s smudged eyeliner and Kate Moss’s muddy festival boots in the 2000s and 2010s, this “elevated carelessness” is hardly a new phenomenon, notes French fashion and luxury writer Sophie Abriat in an interview with AFP.
"The trend is a bit halfway between the ’soft grunge’ of the 2010s and the indie sleaze (a style that’s both rock and bohemian, editor’s note) of the 2000s. Except that today, every trend passes through the algorithm filter and becomes a hashtag," she points out.
"Stylized burnout"
However, the "messy girl" is more than just a look; the trend embodies a lifestyle that advocates letting go and self-acceptance.
"It’s an aesthetic that celebrates imperfection, nonchalance, chaos, and emotional vulnerability. (...) It positions itself as a critique of hyper-productivity, as well as of the injunctions and beauty standards tied to the ’clean girl’ ideal,” analyzes Sophie Abriat.
“It confronts control with a visual language of collapse — of mess and disarray,” Abriat continues. “It’s like a stylized burnout.”
Yet this so-called burnout is meticulously staged. Beneath the illusion of spontaneity is a well-orchestrated aesthetic, as evidenced by the growing number of tutorials teaching users how to perfect the “messy girl” look — from makeup to styling.
The "clean girl’s" staging of absolute control is followed by "a sort of staging of authenticity," notes Claire Roussel, a French journalist specializing in the impact of fashion. "The apparent chaos is often carefully minded," agrees Sophie Abriat.
But this stylized messiness isn’t equally representative. “It tends to be showcased by thin, conventionally attractive white women figures like Kate Moss,” says Claire Roussel. “There’s little consideration for diversity, which challenges its alignment with feminist ideals.”
Runway success
Furthermore, while the "messy girl" seeks to break free from dominant social norms, she hasn’t escaped the eye of the fashion and beauty industry.
"It’s the paradox: even imperfection can be stylized, sold, editorialized, and fashion brands have understood this," observes Sophie Abriat.
The "indie sleaze" style made a strong statement at the recent Paris Women’s Fashion Week, featuring plenty of leather, the comeback of slim-fit pants, and a resurgence of slogan T-shirts — including the "J’adore Dior" tee, a modern reinterpretation of the iconic design by former artistic director John Galliano.
Nonetheless, the "messy girl" offers a significant breath of fresh air in a period witnessing the emergence of "very reactionary trends," such as "tradwives," these "traditional" stay-at-home wives, or the return of pro-anorexia content, assures Claire Roussel.
"If people find a trend that allows them to counter these hyper-conservative and, by extension, deeply misogynistic injunctions, that’s great," she concludes.