Forget every single minimalist aesthetic we have seen lately, such as “quiet luxury”, “clean girl”, because “ugly” and “messy” is the new viral trend. As many fashion experts predicted, with the constant bombardment of microtrend after microtrend, especially on social media, a new movement going against the “polished look” would emerge and make the heads of brands and fashion enthusiasts turn.
understanding the “ugly chic” aesthetic
Although the term “ugly chic” seems to be unknown, there are many examples of clothes, shoes and accessories that recently caused a buzz on the internet for being “outside of what is considered fashionable” (shout out to the Paris Sneakers from Balenciaga!).
The clothing and accessories from this trend are unpredictable. In other words, layered-socks-and-shoes combinations, apparent underwear, clashing colors, chunky accessories and unconventional layering are likely to become more frequent on the street style. If you are a fan of colorful and printed tights, it’s your time to shine! “Ugly chic” is for the ones who are confident enough to show their personality!
“Ugly chic” subverts beauty standards and questions what is considered attractive. This aesthetic embraces awkwardness, turning it into a style statement. Because of its strangeness and even discomfort that might cause, this trend draws more attention than the classic ones. With a touch of sophistication, due to the high-quality fabric used, some brands create unconventional and mismatched pieces of clothing. It’s all about designing items that at first glance would be considered unattractive, but then being part of the “wishlist” of many consumers.
Miuccia prada: the precursor of this moment in high – fashion
“Ugly is attractive, ugly is exciting. Maybe because it’s newer”. This quote said by Miuccia Prada sums up pretty well her vision. Being the name that redefined the concept of “chic”, she is responsible for breaking the rules of what is considered stylish. For her, fashion is more than just an aesthetic, it is a way of self-expression in a critical form.
During Prada’s SS96 Fashion Show, Miuccia embraced the ugliness in patterns and silhouettes, as it was never seen before. The result was a display of contrasting colors and textiles on the runway. She took the “Banal Eccentricity”, term that later became “Ugly Chic”, as a staple in her further collections and made it Prada’s identity.
In 1993, she created her second label: Miu Miu. With the same non-conventional style as Prada. The new fashion brand had a more youthful and playful proposal. It was a successful strategy to achieve other types of consumers, being one of Gen Z and Millenial’s favorite fashion brands still to this day.
One of the main highlights of Miu Miu was theSS22 Fashion Show, where the “weird” became synonymous with luxury. The models walk down the runway wearing low-waisted micro skirts, cropped sweaters and imperfect tailoring. Those pieces became viral and the most popular It-girls were seen styling them.
How can we not talk about the popular oval frame glasses? This accessory, once presented first at Miu Miu’s FW24 Fashion Show, rapidly became an object of desire. If wearing prescription glasses was considered unattractive in the past, nowadays it is a must-have for the cool girls.
to get inspired
Emma Chamberlain is an assumed adept of the “ugly chic” aesthetic. The 23-year-old YouTuber and digital influencer is one of the most popular names when talking about controversial fashion choices. Being the face of Miu Miu, Prada, Lancôme and more, Emma is frequently seen wearing tailoring pieces, lots of patterns (such as checkered prints and stripes) and bold fashion combos.
Malu Borges is another “ugly chic” lover. The Brazilian fashion influencer gained popularity on social media because of her unconventional looks and authentic “Get Ready With Me” videos. In an interview for the Gshow website, Malu said that she enjoys causing strangeness rather than following fashion rules.
As the saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, the perception of beauty is subjective. People can have diverse points of views of what is considered beautiful, and it is not different in the fashion world. However, in times when every trend seems to be the same and everyone is looking alike, it is interesting to see new fashion movements such as “ugly chic”. It is a reminder that fashion can be thought-provoking, and not just appealing.
The article above was edited by Malu Panico.
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