For the past year, my Instagram Reels have been a steady stream of pilates, meal prep, extensive “get ready with me” videos and fashion advice on how to achieve the perfect “clean girl” aesthetic. While these videos are aesthetically pleasing, I can’t help but notice the negative culture they promote. The 20-step routine required to achieve a “no-makeup-makeup” look, or the hour-long nighttime regimen just to wake up looking “effortless” has become mundane. So what if I have a pimple? Is that really so bad?
The problem with these trends is not just that they promote unrealistic standards, but that they also discourage originality; everyone just ends up doing the same things. The “clean girl” has become a tool for brands to push a singular, basic style that girls feel pressured to obtain. But that’s not how fashion works! Fashion is fueled by creativity and personality, and frankly, I’m bored with the rigid standards forcing us to look “clean” just to be considered attractive.
Cultural Change: Entertainment and Fashion
While the “clean girl” trend isn’t going to disappear tomorrow—as Vogue has already pointed out, “it refuses to die“—we are seeing celebrities push back. On one hand, you have figures like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner, who famously promote attire fit for the Stanley Cup with clean, sleek outfits, flawless, slicked buns and perfect dewy skin. On the other hand, there’s people like Charli XCX, Billie Eilish and Alex Consani who bring a distinctly unique vibe: fur jackets, bold makeup, messy hair, big sunglasses and even bigger personalities. It’s not that we’re trying to stylize burnout, but there is something more accepting and fun about not needing to perfect your clothes, hair and makeup each and every day.
It’s also not just celebrities; TV shows are also leaning into the carefree culture of 20-somethings. Shows like I Love LA and Adults show us that we might actually need a little more chaos, especially as college students. Overcompensating, the hit sitcom by Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone detailing Skinner’s messy, imperfect and hilariously fun coming-out story, was just renewed for a second season. There’s something reassuring about seeing people make mistakes and embarrass themselves, particularly in a culture that rarely lets you have a “messy hair day.”
Endless Cycle of Consistency
I love pilates and hot yoga as much as the next person, and while consistency is important for a routine, it doesn’t have to be so strict. The “clean girl” culture suggests that you have to wake up at 5:30 a.m. every day to attend a barre class to be “healthy.” You’re expected to get a full eight hours of sleep, eat only clean, organic foods, and stick to a monotonous work/life schedule.
The reality is that if you aren’t an influencer who sets their own schedule, this level of commitment isn’t always attainable. As college students with academic and extracurricular demands, our sleep schedules vary and our workout times change by the day. But that doesn’t make you lazy or inconsistent! We only have so much time before we start working a tedious 9-to-5 job, so maybe we should embrace the inconsistency of college life before we inevitably graduate into the “real world.”
Problematic and Reused
The “clean girl” aesthetic doesn’t just promote a look; it centers a very specific demographic—typically white, affluent women. By branding this style as “clean,” the trend implicitly labels anyone else as the opposite. It can make it seem like being a “clean girl” demands a level of polished perfection that’s only attainable with significant time and money. Beyond its exclusionary nature, the trend has been called out for rebranding styles that have existed in minority communities for decades. Elements like a slicked-back bun have always been in style, but it wasn’t until white influencers on TikTok promoted it that it went viral.
Instead of forcing everyone into a singular, high-maintenance mold, the “messy” alternative embraces the chaos of real life. It shifts the focus from an expensive, performative perfection back to authenticity, proving that your character is far more entertaining than fitting into a sterile, pre-packaged brand.
‘Messy’ or More Authentic?
“Messy” might be a strong word to counteract “clean,” but what we’re really talking about is authenticity. We’ve always craved celebrities who show their true personalities, like Emma Chamberlain with her honest vulnerability or Jennifer Lawrence with her unapologetic realness. These are the qualities we love!
While current fashion trends are embracing grunge, ripped and “lived-in” looks—like Timothée Chalamet’s stained bomber jacket seen in a Paris outing—the “messy girl” statement is really about being yourself. It’s about learning to appreciate the slip-ups and to laugh when you stain your shirt or cry off your mascara. As the song “Messy” by Lola Young suggests, regardless of what you do, people are going to judge you anyway, so you might as well be yourself, which is way more fun!
Written by Kate Jackson ’26, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs