If you’re an avid TikTok user that’s into beauty and fashion like me, you’ve probably heard that 2024 has already got a new aesthetic in mind: the “Mob Wife”. That’s right: the “Clean Girl” aesthetic is no longer the look that the it-girls are turning to this year. The “Mob Wife”, an aesthetic that has already been adopted by Hailey Bieber, Dua Lipa and the Kardashians, promises to take the fashion influencer world by storm in the following months. But does this aesthetic really symbolise girl power through fashion statements and a bold red lip? Or is it glamorising mafia behaviour?
Out with the “Clean Girl”, in with the “Mob Wife”: that’s the motto that has been dominating TikTok fashion influencer videos for the last few weeks. But what exactly is the Mob Wife look? Exactly like the name suggests, this look is aimed to imitate the outfit, hair and makeup choices of women of the organised-crime world (the majority of them being the wives of the mafia bosses). While the “Clean Girl” often focused on slick-back hairstyles, a neutral colour palette and a “barely-wearing-any-makeup” look, Mob Wife is meant to be an antithesis to that. Voluminous hair, strong eyeliner and a bold red lip, together with an all-black outfit and maxi fur coat. Add a pair of stilettos to complete the look, and boom: you’re now following the Mob Wife Trend.
The whole purpose of this aesthetic is to portray a powerful and mysterious aura that exudes luxury and style. This is symbolic of maturity, confidence and womanhood, which is different from the soft and girly styles that were linked to the Clean Girl aesthetic in 2023. However, as with many trends, the TikTok community has been raising some red flags when it comes to copying the Mob Wife look. Some people have pointed out that this look may be considered cultural appropriation, given its links to the Italian and Italo-Americano community and identity. Others are concerned that the portrayal of mob wives as women concerned solely with their looks and living a glamorous lifestyle reinforces the male gaze over female fashion. It intensifies this narrative that women are meant to be seen as prizes, to “look pretty” and be objectified in order to be respected by the people – especially the men – close to you.
More importantly, there is a concern over glamorising the lifestyle of mobs and gangs. Although the Mob Wife is meant to promote the appearance of wealth and power, it also romanticises a life of criminality and illegal activity that was behind this way of life. This, especially for younger or unaware audiences, can lead people to believe that in order to appear luxurious you must cope with the extremely violent, corrupt and toxic day-to-day life of gang culture.
Even though there’s nothing wrong with trying different fashion styles, the Mob Wife trend also highlights the volatility of social media. Some users linked the rise of the Mob Wife aesthetic trending on social media to the 25th anniversary of the HBO series The Sopranos. This increases suspicion on whether HBO promoted users on the platform to talk about this aesthetic as a calculated marketing tactic ahead of the commemoration.
Also, Mob Wife has only appeared on TikTok less than a month ago, and people are already scrutinising others who still stick to older styles like the Clean Girl or the 80s Grunge Look. If you agree with this kind of loyal trend-following, the assumption is that you leave your personal style preferences behind and adopt a whole new look based on whatever is trending on TikTok at that moment. So, not only does this encourage overconsumption, but it can also lead to a permanent insecurity about whether your style is considered “fashionable” or “trendy” enough according to social media.
Whether the Mob Wife Aesthetic is here to stay or not is highly debatable. But the rise of this trend on TikTok has definitely sparked a debate about the number of microtrends appearing on social media, and the impact that this has on both our consumption habits and our mental health. Fashion and beauty should be sources of fun and self-exploration, so people definitely need to feel free to try out different looks. People should be allowed to experiment without the pressure of having to keep up with all of the fashion tendencies. That’s what removes the excitement about fashion and ends up generating anxiety and low self-esteem. Overall, the Mob Wife can have exciting elements that you can definitely try and explore. But, most importantly, it has definitely served as a reality check for the fashion community about trend volatility and unhealthy consumption habits.