As the weather warms, the outfits change.
Finding an aesthetic is difficult within itself, but getting everything you need is a whole different story.
The downtown girl aesthetic is everywhere, and perfect for chillier weather. Baby tees, baggy jeans and stars. Lucky for you, I have compiled a list of stores and a few specific products to fit the style.
Here’s a Pinterest board of the aesthetic!
Before I begin, a reminder that you do not need all of these or even most of this to fit the aesthetic. You can have a few pieces and mix and match them into other styles. Find a way to make the aesthetic fit your taste, not the other way around.
To start off with probably the smallest and easiest sections; shoes.
Converse can be found in almost every single inspiration pic for downtown girls. Any Chuck Taylor All Star or Chuck 70 will work. The preferable style is a high top converse, it can be platform or the normal sole.
The colors matter a little bit less as long as you feel confident and comfortable. An aesthetic is a guide, not a rulebook. Black, brown, red and white are the most common.
If it is not a pair of converse, then it is either Dr. Martens or Mary Janes. The 8053 or 1461 Dr. Martens are super popular right now.
I don’t have a particular brand, but knee high boots. There are so many stores that sell some, and social media holds so many reviews. There isn’t one specific pair that constantly shows up. Find a pair that you love and that is all that matters.
Now when it comes to clothing, thrift stores are your best friend. My favorite pairs of jeans, a few hoodies, and a leather jacket are all pieces that I have gotten second hand and are absolutely in rotation for different outfits.
It’s important to not overlook thrift stores, Depop, Poshmark and mercari. Some hidden treasure may be waiting in those places.
The same goes for basic stores like Walmart and Target. You might not find everything you need there, but it can be a start.
Another great option is PacSun’s current fall collection. I skimmed through it and it has so many good clothing options for the downtown girl aesthetic. They have some other pieces throughout their site, but the fall collection is where the most potential is.
Jeans are absolutely critical to being a downtown girl. Surprisingly though, it is not a singular pair that matters. Again, I recommend just trying to see what style of jeans fit you and find and buy any pair you like.
My personal favorite places to shop for jeans are American Eagle and Levi’s. Baggy or flared jeans are ideal.
Some jean options from American Eagle are the Stretch Curvy Super High-Waisted Baggy Straight Jean, the Next Level Low-Rise Kick Bootcut Jean and the Next Level Festival Flare Jean.
Levi’s also has a huge range of options. The 501 90’s women’s jeans, the Middy Ankle Bootcut Women’s Jeans, Low Loose Women’s Jeans and the Levi’s Wellthread Middy Ankle Bootcut Jeans are great choices.
The prices at both of those shops can be on the more expensive side so you can search for them on second hand websites or wait for them to go on sale (or buy them at full price if you would like).
I also recommend jean skirts. They can be found in most clothing stores and there really is not a particular style that is needed.
I also entirely understand if you are not a jean skirt girly, mini and midi skirts work equally well. Throw a skirt and a baby tee on and you’ll fit right in.
Baby tees are the number one aspect of the downtown girl aesthetic.
If you want a singular piece of clothing to fit into this style, go find a baby tee.
American Eagle, Pacsun, Brandy Melville and so many other similar stores will have a variety of baby tees. However, if you are looking for something a little more unique I would push to buy from either Millied or Moonkissed Collective.
They are two small online shops that have printed shirts, crewnecks and hoodies. Moonkissed Collective has a bigger variety but I think Millied has the art of baby tees perfect. Millied is also quite affordable.
It may be a little difficult to stay warm if you are only in a t-shirt. There are three main solutions to this.
The first is adding a long sleeve shirt underneath. The best way to do it is have the color match your shoes or a color that shows up somewhere on your tee.
The second solution is a jacket. Leather and denim jackets are great choices, just depending on the rest of the outfit. For both of those I truly think that you should buy second hand. It is unbelievably cheaper that way and you might be able to find pieces that are way more unique.
Lastly, just go with something else. If you are feeling too cold for just a shirt but too warm for an entire jacket, go for a sweater. Again, second hand shops are amazing, but Aerie, H&M and Gray Bandit have good options as well.
I also think polos and most collared shirts can be styled to fit into the aesthetic. Unfortunately, this is more clothing that is probably easier to thrift or buy second hand. Most collared shirts are high-end brands like Ralph Lauren, which are nice, but most college students are on a budget.
Accessories are an impeccable way to personalize an aesthetic. Gold, silver, or rose gold does not matter when it comes to being a downtown girl. Just pick what works best for you. It can be chunky or dainty, a lot or none, or a mix of everything.
White socks are an amazing way to add a little downtown girl sparkle to an outfit. Chunky knit socks, plain long white socks or even lace-lined socks. You can pair these with any of the shoes listed earlier and maybe layer them over tights for added warmth. You can also play around with the color and for creams, browns or black.
A common accessory are canvas tote bags. I would recommend buying one from a local store near you (I guarantee you have some sort of store with something). These stores can consist of coffee shops/cafes, record shops, book stores, some grocery stores and any other smaller business.
Any other sort of little bag also works. Elli Studios has beautiful bags for more affordable prices. Their Sophie bag is popular on TikTok for good reason. They also sell beautiful sunglasses.
My last little tip to feel like a downtown girl no matter your clothes for the day is red nail polish. I think deeper shades of red encapsulate the aesthetic. Getting your nails done plane or with a design does not matter as long as they are red will work.
You can even do them yourself. Most stores carry the brand OPI and a few shades to look for (aside from any red that you are drawn to) would be I’m Not Really a Waitress, Stick to your Burgundies and Malaga Wine.
Essie is another popular nail polish brand and they have quite a large selection of red polishes. My personal favorites are the shades bold and boulder, berry naughty, wicked and spiked with style.