Did you know that China is the country that exports the most?
One of Charli XCX's muses for the trend, Julia Fox, is name-dropped on one of the album's tracks, '360.' Fox also makes a cameo in the song's music video, along with countless other female influencers and icons.
Defining the messy, carefree, feral party girl energy of brat also meant encapsulating a sense of uniquely millennial anxiety.
Charli defined the Brat aesthetic herself as looking like "it can go that way, quite like luxury...or...a strappy white top with no bra."
Her single-line tweet on X: "kamala IS brat" went viral, prompting the proliferation of memes and Brat green t-shirts bearing Harris's name.
Whether skyscraper party heels or pointed-toe, knee-high boots, killer heels are very much a part of the brat aesthetic.
On July 20, 2024, President Joe Biden announced he would be withdrawing his candidacy from the 2024 election and endorsed his VP, Kamala Harris, to succeed him as the Democratic nominee.
In what might have been one of the more unexpected voices to lend support to Kamala Harris's campaign, Charli XCX chimed in.
Harris's team embraced the endorsement, topping her X account with a Brat green banner stating "Kamala HQ," appealing to Gen Z voters and demonstrating a sense of humor at the same time.
In a BBC interview, Charli XCX breaks down the trend, explaining: "You are just that girl who is a little messy and maybe says dumb things sometimes, who feels herself but then also maybe has a breakdown."
She continues: "But kind of like, parties through it, is very honest, very blunt. A little bit volatile. Like, does dumb things. But it’s brat. You’re brat. That’s brat!"
If Barbie pink was the color of summer 2023, Brat green has claimed 2024. And the messaging couldn't be more different, either.
Accepting imperfections and embracing the chaos of life are central to being brat, which reflects the feeling Charli XCX seizes on this album "me, my flaws, my f--- ups, my ego all rolled into one."
On June 7, 2024, Charli XCX released her sixth studio album, which she described as her "most aggressive and confrontational" but also her "most vulnerable." The album art features a distinctive chartreuse green color.
It's the summer of female pop, and singers like Chappell Roan embody the brat vibe in ruffled dresses that they might wear to the club later.
The singer's team spent months discussing how to pick the shade that would epitomize brat, searching through references that fit into the 'bratosphere.'
The hashtag #Bratsummer has been tagged in over 40,000 videos on TikTok and 12,000 posts on Instagram. It's a call to all fun-lovers to rise and reclaim the summer.
Whereas Barbie's hot pink is associated with the playfulness and whimsy of girlhood, the Brat neon green taps into a much more grown-up, rebellious sentiment.
The bratosphere is several times removed from the dominant TikTok 'clean girl' aesthetic of recent years, which shuns hedonism in favor of muted tones and exemplary living.
Charli XCX explained the deeper meaning of the trend to Rolling Stone magazine in a 2024 interview: "There is this element of unabashed, shameless, Me-centric content that is being made, but I also think behind that is a lot of people who use that as a protective layer."
She revealed: "Brattiness is a cloak. You’re only a brat if you’re acting out against something that made you feel a little bit insecure."
Lime green is the color of brat summer and it really pops when clashing with head-to-toe black leather for an edgy look.
Y2K fashion is comfortable if impractical, but always cool. The messiness and futuristic vibe has just enough refinement to make it stand out.
Sheer, white lace, fishnet, or colorful stockings and tights are reminiscent of 90's rave fashion and fit the Brat Girl Summer aesthetic.
Thinking about the Brat concept in terms of its rebelliousness, Kamala Harris's nomination represents a break from the status quo: the intersectionality of her ticket might be considered brat.
From the album cover to the wider aesthetic, there are no rules to having a brat summer, a trend popular with millennials and Gen Z alike.
Sources: (TODAY.com) (CNN) (WWD) (People) (Glamour) (CBS News) (Forbes) (Refinery29) (Vogue)
See also: How to rock the mob wife look
Curved frame sunglasses and retro narrow skinny sunglasses are a party girl essential, with '90s and Y2K trends dominating 2024's brat summer style.
Brat is a feeling and a movement, one that you can channel by accepting yourself in all your "messiness." There are some obvious style cues too, led by Charli XCX herself.
We have British pop star Charli XCX to thank for one of 2024's biggest viral trends: Brat Girl Summer. She named her new studio album 'brat' and gave it an iconic cover with that word alone in low-res arial typeface set against an offensive, lime green background. And the internet took note. It was a welcome tonic to the 'clean girl' aesthetic that's dominated social media spaces for years. Think sleek hair, green juices, and 5 am morning routines. Instead, being 'brat' preaches a Y2K nostalgia for hedonism, trashiness, and the party-girl lifestyle. If you've been bored (you're not alone), it's time to rise up and release your inner brat. And if you've been wondering how this relates to Kamala Harris, just wait for the ultimate plot twist.
Curious? Click on the gallery to discover what unleashing your feral side means for summer 2024.
The vivid tone has become known as 'brat green' and is synonymous with the summer of 2024, which has been nicknamed 'brat girl summer.'
What is the 'brat girl summer' trend all about?
Embracing lime green and feral behavior
LIFESTYLE Charli xcx
We have British pop star Charli XCX to thank for one of 2024's biggest viral trends: Brat Girl Summer. She named her new studio album 'brat' and gave it an iconic cover with that word alone in low-res arial typeface set against an offensive, lime green background. And the internet took note. It was a welcome tonic to the 'clean girl' aesthetic that's dominated social media spaces for years. Think sleek hair, green juices, and 5 am morning routines. Instead, being 'brat' preaches a Y2K nostalgia for hedonism, trashiness, and the party-girl lifestyle. If you've been bored (you're not alone), it's time to rise up and release your inner brat. And if you've been wondering how this relates to Kamala Harris, just wait for the ultimate plot twist.
Curious? Click on the gallery to discover what unleashing your feral side means for summer 2024.