First, we had 'cottagecore', then 'balletcore', and now we have the coquette aesthetic.
It's hard to keep up with all the fashion trends that emerge from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. However, as trends go, the viral coquette aesthetic is one that the team at Scarlett Gasque can wholeheartedly get behind.
Want to learn more about the trend so that you can incorporate it into your look à la Lana Del Ray, Ariane Grande, and Sydney Sweeney? Read our coquette fashion guide to learn how to embrace and rock this hyper-feminine and girly style.
What is the coquette aesthetic?
An article in Grazia earlier this year reported that the search term ‘coquette aesthetic' shot up by 10,000% on Pinterest over the last year. The same article revealed that Gen Z is driving the trend on TikTok, where videos tagged with #coquetteaesthetic have gathered a whopping 5.7 billion views.
If you've not heard of the trend before and feel a bit out of touch, let us enlighten you by defining the coquette aesthetic. Traditionally, when a person is described as a coquette, it means they're a bit of a flirt, but the coquette aesthetic has redefined the word. This trend is an unapologetic and powerful celebration of femininity.
To build a coquette-inspired wardrobe, you'll need to ditch dark-coloured clothing, embrace the colour pink and start incorporating pastels! The coquette aesthetic centres around pale pink, pastel shades, and white, so look for clothes in this palette. Think about the clothing's fabrics too. Coquette pieces tend to be made of light, flowy, soft, and satiny materials and feature ribbon, bow, and lace details. Some coquette wardrobe essentials include the following:
- Satin blouses and camis
- Billowing, pastel, lace dresses and skirts
- Pastel corsets
- White tights and ruffled socks
- Ballet flats with bows
- Pearl jewellery
- Feminine hairstyles
- Coquette lingerie
The coquette aesthetic embraces various fashion elements that are traditionally seen as 'girly' – think pastels, ruffles, bows, pearls, and lace – to create a romantic, delicate and twee vibe – and it seems that people can't get enough of it!
How has the coquette aesthetic evolved over the years?
So, where did the coquette trend come from? Although the style under this name only began to gain traction in the 2020s (primarily in 2022 when it hit TikTok), this celebration of femininity isn't a new look.
Similar looks have been fashionable throughout history, notably during the Victorian Regency Era, in the Japanese Lolita style during the 90s, and the designs of famous fashion designers like Sandy Liang. The look was also popular on the blogging website Tumblr around 2010, largely inspired by the singer Lana Del Ray.
How can you incorporate pastels into everyday outfits to achieve a coquette look?
If the coquette aesthetic appeals to you, and you're ready to channel your inner girly girl, you'll need to start by looking at the colours in your wardrobe. Soft, feminine, pastel colours characterise the coquette aesthetic – think blush pink, mellow yellow, peach, mint green, lavender, white and baby blue.
For the ultimate coquette outfit, try wearing a pastel dress, lacey white tights or ruffled white socks, and pastel-coloured flats with a bow. Alternatively, as the coquette aesthetic draws inspiration from Regency fashion, a Scarlett Gasque corset worn as outerwear and paired with a soft, lacey white skirt could give the ultimate dressed-up coquette feel.
What types of pearl accessories best complement the coquette aesthetic?
Throughout history, pearls have been seen as symbols of purity, innocence and femininity. They feature prominently in the coquette aesthetic, adding a touch of glamour and elegance to the look.
You can incorporate pearl accessories for coquette style. Wear a simple string of pearls around your neck, a pearl bracelet or pearl earrings. Alternatively, look for clothing with pearl detailing, like pearl buttons or the pearl strap on the Scarlett Gasque Pearl Basque Corset.
How do bows enhance the femininity of the coquette style?
Bows can be added to almost any part of an outfit to add elegance, grace or a touch of girlishness and innocence. So, what’s the role of bows in coquette fashion? On TikTok, pink bows are being tied in hair, on bags, around wrists, and even on pets to represent the coquette trend.
If you want to get the coquette aesthetic, look for clothing and accessories with cute pastel bow details. Alternatively, you can tie a pastel pink ribbon in your hair to quickly and easily give a simple outfit a coquette twist.
If you want to continue the aesthetic under your clothes, The Scarlett Gasque Be Mine: The Sweetheart Collection exudes the coquette aesthetic. This pink and white lingerie collection was launched for Valentine's Day 2024 and features cute sweetheart embroidery on 100% silk and sheer tulle fabrics with dainty white bows.
Ready, steady, coquette!
Remember to continue the aesthetic under your clothing, too. At Scarlett Gasque, our range of lingerie and corsets perfectly embody the coquette aesthetic – so much so that Marie Claire wrote an article about it! We adorn our pieces with sumptuous silks, delicate tulle, luxurious lace, and charming feminine details. Browse our range to discover your perfect coquette-inspired lingerie look.
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