In the past few months, social media has been swarming with an aesthetic and rather a lifestyle: coquette. The TikTok trend took the app by storm, consisting of various mundane objects made “coquette” with the simple action of tying a dainty pink bow on it and capped off with a Lana Del Rey song playing over it. The trend is rather adorable and people have gone as far as to “coquettify” a ranch dressing bottle, a burger and fries, a geometry textbook and especially, beloved pets. While appearing as a light-hearted trend, it could be connected to a deeper and rather powerful movement.
There is an arguably positive aspect of the trend. While the simple action of tying a bow seems uneventful, it can make any ordinary outfit or item look charming. It also shares a name connected to an art movement that reached its fame in the early nineteenth century. Like the concept of Romanticism, “romanticizing” your life or certain aspects of it means glorifying its normalcy. This gives the trend a meaning much deeper than an internet joke. The bow wrapped around your hair product or laptop charger beautifies little things that are not appreciated day to day. However, is it really all that simple of a concept?
Romanticizing your everyday life can improve your appreciation, but it also has the potential to transform into a coping mechanism. Like all things on the internet, trends can take a dark turn. Within the mass of kittens, calculators and shopping bags, users have gone as far as to “coquettify” harmful substances or objects. While hoping to make a joke out of video, the creator is influencing the appearance of the object, luring younger audiences into a warped perception of something subversive.
Another way that the trend has been utilized is as a coping mechanism. Many have taken the opportunity to poke fun at their heating pad which aids with period cramps or their cast protecting their broken ankle preventing a sports season. These jokes used to ease the pain of difficult situations have a way of uniting those who relate. In a similar manner, the trend simply reconnects women to their “girly” childhood.
“I feel like the women that are posting … use the trend to reconnect to their inner child,” says junior Vicki Wang. “Because, when you think about bows, you think of youth, not necessarily being a toddler, but just being a girl.”
In efforts to embrace the beauty of feminine style the coquette trend presents a new aesthetic of living. Soft femininity has been rare to encounter in this modern age because of the stereotype associated with it. In due efforts, women and the feminist movement push society to accept them as strong and independent. The sexist societal definition of strength forces the narrative that beauty and power are not to be corresponding with one another. Expectations are, if a woman wants to be held to the same ability as a man, she must abandon all means of appearing “girly.” What the trend does, is redefine what strength in femininity looks like.
“I choose to believe that the trend is the embracing of femininity, and the romanticization of everyday life. I think it’s a wonderful expression of femininity and girlhood, since throughout time, traditional femininity was seen as inferior and weak compared to stereotypical ‘masculine’ features and activities.” said senior Julia Chapman. “Seeing such a prominent feminine trend blow up is empowering, and encourages young girls that they are welcome to embrace their femininity.”
This renaissance of youthful pink bows flooding social media is certainly reflective of the power reserved in “hyperfemininity” when utilized in an affirming approach.
