Are you ready for 'brat girl summer'? Gen Z ditch clean living for the 'trashy' style championed by Charlie XCX – from wearing a strappy white top with no bra to staying out all night

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  • Singer-songwriter Charlie XCX, 31, from Essex, released brat in June 
  • READ MORE: How car boot sales have become Gen Z’s latest fashion obsession: Shoppers reveal the top bargains that can be found – including trendy ’90s pieces at cheap prices

Forget about early morning jogs, eating healthy, and slicked back hair, because it’s officially Brat girl summer.

Following the release of her sixth studio album, brat, singer-songwriter Charlie XCX, 31, from Essex, has made Gen Z do a 180 on the once-fashionable clean girl aesthetic.

But there’s more to Charlie XCX than her music, it’s her brat aesthetic, characterised by her air of recklessness, eccentric behaviour, and risqué attitudes – traits that her brat friends, Julia Fox and Gabbriette Bechtel, also possess.

Now, Gen Z want to follow in their footsteps and adopt brat behaviours, meaning the trend is on every corner of social media, with over five million Gen Zers taking to TikTok to share snippets of their brat girl summer.

Brats are edgy, or in the words of Charlie XCX during a BBC interview, they are: ‘Trashy. Just like a pack of cigs and, like, a Bic lighter. And, like, a strappy white top. With no bra. That’s, like, kind of all you need.’

Forget the clean girl aesthetic, Gen Z say it's all about the messier brat girl summer, including singer Saige (pictured), from Orange County

Forget the clean girl aesthetic, Gen Z say it’s all about the messier brat girl summer, including singer Saige (pictured), from Orange County 

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 multiple other countries, including America.

The 15-song album encompassed various trademark features – from its slime green colour theme to its title – brat – all being in lowercases.

In a matter of days, Charlie XCX spearheaded a new movement, with slime green flags waving in the crowds of Glastonbury declaring the start of brat girl summer.

Her hit track 365, with over 25 million streams on Spotify, encapsulates brat-like behaviours, with the lyrics reading: ‘No I never go home, don’t sleep, don’t eat, just do it on repeat, when I’m in the club, I’m a 3-6-5 party girl’.

For Christina Attrah, Head of Content at TAL Agency, brat girl summer is more profound than just heavy partying – it serves as a healthier alternative to feminine ideals.

Talking to FEMAIL, the digital specialist said: ‘Brat girl summer is the antithesis of the clean girl aesthetic. This is because the latter, in our eyes, feeds into the ideals set by the patriarchy and is, quite frankly, unsustainable for many.

‘Brat girl summer fights back as it allows anyone of all backgrounds to give the middle finger to what’s perceived as perfection by the male gaze.

She added: ‘Feminine ideals are a construct that brat knocks down entirely. Brat girl summer from a fashion point of view is accessible to anyone and everyone; even those of us past our mid-twenties can ride the bratty wave.

Singer-songwriter Charlie XCX (pictured), 31, from Essex, released her 15-song album, brat, in June

Singer-songwriter Charlie XCX (pictured), 31, from Essex, released her 15-song album, brat, in June 

Content creator Steph Amoroso (pictured) from New York took to TikTok to share her meaning of brat girl summer

Content creator Steph Amoroso (pictured) from New York took to TikTok to share her meaning of brat girl summer

Joey Shaw declared Glastonbury was 'Glastonbrat' on TikTok after spotting a brat flag at the festival

Joey Shaw declared Glastonbury was ‘Glastonbrat’ on TikTok after spotting a brat flag at the festival 

She continued: ‘Fear not though, because it’s not just about wearing lime green. While there’s no defined wardrobe staple, which is the beauty of brat girl summer, everyone can be their bratty self by defining what they think is brat through their clothes.

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‘If you must have a blueprint, outfits should scream hyper pop, edge, glitter, big shades, chipped nails, imperfect makeup and anything that makes you feel hot when you let yourself go. 

‘Struggling for inspiration? Think about what you’d wear to the Boiler Room or Heaven in London. It could be something as simple as a tight white strappy top, a leather skirt, knee-high boots and Y2k details from blue eyeshadow to a pink flip phone.’

However, brat girl summer spans further than outfit choices, with Gen Z sparking a surge in searches for brat-style furniture. 

Online shopping platform Etsy reported a 40 per cent increase in searches for lime green home decor and furniture since the release of brat. 

Etsy’s Trend Expert, Dayna Isom Johnson said: ‘At Etsy, we are no strangers to seeing trending pop sensations influence shoppers’ purchasing choices, and ‘the summer of green’, following a viral album release, has been no exception. 

In recognition of brat's cultural significance, the 31-year-old singer (pictured) released baby t-shirts emblazoned with the word 'brat' as official merchandise

In recognition of brat’s cultural significance, the 31-year-old singer (pictured) released baby t-shirts emblazoned with the word ‘brat’ as official merchandise 

Kanye West's ex-girlfriend Julia Fox has brat qualities
Gabbriette Bechtel also adopts brat-like behaviours

Friends of Charlie XCX, Julia Fox (pictured left) and Gabbriette Bechtel (pictured right) fit the criteria of a brat

‘Just as brat girl culture has captivated the fashion world, we’ve seen a surge in lime green products that reflect this bold, unapologetic aesthetic.’ 

Elsewhere, Gen Z’ers have taken to TikTok to explain their takes on brat girl summer, including Steph Amoroso, from New York. 

The content creator shared a clip of her donning a white vest, mini denim shorts, and black sunglasses, with the caption: ‘Severely unwashed hair, phone on 18 per cent, drinking soda from a can, I fear brat summer has begun.’ 

Singer Sage, who goes by Vada Vada, from California, declared it was brat girl summer while waving lime green merchandise in a TikTok, after going to a listening party for Charlie XCX’s new album.  

Bella Freeland, from Australia, took to the platform to share her rulebook for a brat summer, which included, drinking red bull, temporary hair dye, and wearing ‘little, tiny tops’. 

@joeshw

GLASTONBRAT #brat #charlixcx #glasto #glastonbury #glastonbury2024

♬ 365 – Charli xcx

Meanwhile, others are showing their allegiance to brat girl summer via the viral Charli XCX 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, with Daisy Edgar-Jones sharing a video of herself and co-stars Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos performing the dance to the catchy Charlie XCX song.

Daisy captioned the Instagram post, ‘Caught the lads up on Brat summer.’ Glen cheekily commented, ‘Hard to remember my life before this dance. Thank you, Daisy.’