It sounds innocuous enough, as if its proponents simply shower regularly.
Let’s look at what exactly this trend is, and why it’s harmful to so many people.
What Exactly Is the Clean Girl Aesthetic?
@candiceswanepoel
Hair
Slicked-back buns are nothing new.
They’ve been popular with brown and Black women since the 1960s, and ballerinas are notorious for them.
They’re a key signifier of the clean girl look, often with a slight center part in front.
The bun looks perfect, without a single hair out of place.
An alternative to the bun is a slicked-back ponytail, often with the tail of hair braided.
If hair is worn down for the clean girl look, it’s always highly smooth and shiny.
The glassier, the better.
Makeup
“No makeup” makeup is epitomized by this trend.
Glossy lips are key, but they shouldn’t be overly colored.
Blush is heavily employed to give the face a rosy glow, and the brows are to be perfect.
The look is preppy, but not stuffy; stylish, but understated; and simultaneously modern and classic.
Smoothies should be sipped regularly, as should green juice.
Let’s break down all the ways its problematic.
It’s Classist
Clean is the opposite of dirty.
Additionally, this look is pricy.
The brands favored for the clean girl’s makeup, clothes, and decor are all high-end and expensive.
This trend is all about shoulder bones, collar bones, and hip bones.
If yours aren’t visible, you’re seen as less than.
The most prominent “clean girls,” famous and non-famous alike, are white.
Our society already has a major issue withundervaluing older women, and trends like this compound that problem.
