Charli XCX describes a ‘brat’ as someone who carries a pack of cigarettes, a Bic lighter and dons a strappy top without a bra. Reflecting the essence of her chart-topping album, Brat, she emphasises on the ‘brat summer’ vibe. It should not be mistaken with ‘rat girl summer’, a TikTok trend of 2023 focused on a rat-like existence, or ‘hot girl summer’, a phrase coined by journalist Jasmine Fox-Suliaman in 2021 that intended to promote self-love, a positive body image, healthy boundaries in relationships, personal growth and sensually chic fashion decisions.
The nature of a ‘brat’ is different; it could be a signifier that holds a certain meaning. It represents a category that is self-defined. It could entail being a girl, but not necessarily. The album, aptly named Brat, has been remarkably successful, reaching #2 in the UK album list and #3 on the US’s Billboard chart. Sheena Patel, a novelist of the 4 Brown Girls Who Write collective, describes the album as highly intimate yet outspoken, reminiscent of voice notes shared among friends, with Charli XCX playing the role of an advocate for unabashed expressivity.
The ‘brat’ theme extends to a specific colour – slime green. Luxury fashion brands and top-notch stores vie to launch the ultimate ‘green edit’. Cicely Higham, a 16-year-old commentator, notes the simplicity of the album cover and the ease with which fans can align themselves to the theme through neon green clothes and green-themed selfies. Despite its visible facets, ‘brat’ is more of an internal character trait, rather than a superficial representation through attire or looks.
As per Monica Heisey, a notable Canadian author and occasional scribe for Schitt’s Creek, an album subtly communicates the essence of female contradiction. According to her, it encapsulates how a woman can oscillate between being a casual socialite, worried about imminent motherhood, and experience both empowerment and anxiousness in the company of other strong women. Despite the dichotomous nature, the album celebrates these contradictions, encouraging women to indulge in fun without worrying about being a bit bothersome.
The album has drawn comparisons to lifestyles prior to different times, such as the liberating ’80s and the less conservative ’90s. Those who missed the ’80s often induce a nostalgia from another significant post-World War 2 economic slump in 2008. Higham refers to the album as “recession pop”, with its hyper-pop vibes and the distinct robotic sound achieved through explicit Auto-Tune. People gravitated more towards partying during hard times, as was observed with the popularity of Pitbull and Kesha, and the 2008’s favorite tracks.
“Brat” diverges from the conventional ideal femininity as it renounces societal scrutiny that pressures women to conform. If it was to be an ideal, it seems to be the antidote to the so-called “clean girl” — a term devised by a group of 14-16-year-olds who mostly choose to stay anonymous. “Clean girl” is embodied in a particular aesthetic trend rampant on TikTok, characterised by neat hairdos, pink clothes, several reusable cups, and yoga mats, symbolising a neat lifestyle and a penchant for excessiveness, such as owning a staggering number of leggings.
On the contrary, “brat” is more relaxed, wearing the same outfit for a month without regular showers. On the surface, one might mistake it as environmentally conscious, but Higham insists that it stems from a rather devil-may-care attitude towards a world that seems to be on a downward spiral, including climate change, but still finding joy amidst this chaos.
The groomed ideal is a paradox. It speaks of self-care and enhancement, often presented through the medium of Instagram (‘homebody, grow your food’ as Patel puts it), but it overly centres on the male perception, promoting an overtly traditional concept of femininity. “It has a distinct streak of misogyny,” says Higham, portraying women as impeccably dressed, prim, and traditionally feminine beings. This model does not deter a ‘brat’ from engaging in activities like Pilates. Patel, who enjoys reformer Pilates, makes it clear that she doesn’t conform to the mould aimed at pleasing males. She focuses on the female perspective saying, “I’ve bought hiking boots, I pair shirts with joggers, and while women admire it, men generally don’t”. Charli’s 360 music video, where she provocatively spills red wine over herself on a treadmill without any significant cardio activity, is perhaps the most vibrant expression of her disregard for the tidy girl image.
In contrast to the neat girl archetype is the ‘pick me’ girl, her supposed antagonist. She seems to adopt an unconcerned, non-feminine persona, while paradoxically being ultra-feminine, and deeply interested. This relates back to the Gen X ambiguity where you would represent body positivity while subtly being fat-phobic. This same breed wore ripped tights, akin to Madonna’s style, not borne out of necessity or poverty. However, a ‘brat’ has no interest in such complexities; she doesn’t adhere to a particular aesthetic because she doesn’t see her looks as a permanent relationship with society that can be regulated. Heisey reflects that we’re now seeing women wanting the freedom to switch their appearance based on their mood without external judgement – embracing cuteness or raw authenticity as they wish, instead of being constantly scrutinised by an external entity.
Maintaining a “clean girl” image is unequivocally a costly endeavour, ostentatiously so. In essence, self-care can be seen as an exhibitionist activity, where your body and identity become an ultimate example of a Veblen item (a luxury product that grows more in demand as its price increases). Naturally, the female body being treated as a commodity aligns with the patriarchal perspective of sex being a transactional exchange, leading to a silent consent that “clean girls” do not have multiple sexual partners. Thus, casual sex becomes a sign of inadequate boundary management and a lack of self-respect – seen as under-selling oneself in traditional terms. Though a “braless in a white strappy top” look does not equate to “open to sleep with just anyone”, a brat is in charge of her own sexual choices – in simple terms, she sleeps with whom she desires. This is where her origins align with the ladette, the evolution of women in the 1990s.
The ladette is often remembered as a beer-drinking stereotype, but during her time, she was more of a symbol of reclaiming sex positivity. This came after an extended phase of second-wave feminism, which frequently painted sex as inherently victimising unless it had significance. Moreover, as Heisey notes: “Not to get all ‘I use Feeld’ [a dating platform for casual sex, kink, swinging, ethical non-monogamy, polyamory] about it, but ‘brat’ precedes the album as a term within the kink community, where it’s this intriguing blend of submissive and misbehaved. There seems to be an overlap in the way TikTok girls and the kink community use the term. It’s like as if a typically submissive individual decides to spice things up within that role, to make it trickier for those in control, so to speak.”
Higham asserts that Brat’s album is not particularly centered around sex. “Guess” stands as the album’s most suggestive track, hinting at men’s curiosity about women’s choice of undergarments. Nonetheless, there aren’t any explicit sexual overtones in the songs. This approach in a female-dominated music scene is distinctively defiant, mirroring the Bechdel test. The test served as a benchmark for feminism or its absence in the film industry. It assesses if there’s any scene in a film where two women are conversing on a topic not related to a man. A similar standard for pop music might ask if the narratives portrayed are devoid of sexual perception.
For the upcoming Sweat tour across North America, Charli is set to perform alongside the well-known Troye Sivan, who is noted for his gender-bending portrayal in his track “One of Your Girls.” The contrast between him and Charli is considerable.
Chappell Roan, a performer whose popularity escalated around the same time as Charli’s, cites her visual inspirations from a broad spectrum including drag, horror films, burlesque and theatre. The ‘brat look,’ as it is referred to, couldn’t be captured in rigid terms such as a specific attire or accessory, yet, it rejects the concept of dressing randomly. This style isn’t a resurgence of grunge nor an attempt at going unnoticed. Instead, it symbolizes a rejection of a generalized feminine representation, where your sexuality is defined by your resemblance to universally idealized women. As such, it represents a personal expression of your unique sensual preferences.
Patel articulates that the most desirable women are those who are confident in themselves. The beauty of a woman emerges most radiantly when she is comfortable in her skin. However, achieving that comfort isn’t easy.
The jest spouted about the Sweat tour is that there will be a scent of amyl nitrite in the air. Partly because the thought of a squeaky-clean woman ever agreeing to indulge in a substance that smells like a pungent mixture of chemicals and foot odour seems absurd as it’s notorious for causing headaches. However, it could also represent any narcotic substance. The ASA reached out to Charli after spotting a plastic bag in her UK tour poster, implicating that it encouraged harmful behaviours, though in reality, it symbolised nothing more than a sandwich bag. As a cheeky response, she replaced it with a massive sandwich made of wholemeal bread, to emphasise the fact that interpreting a drug reference from a mere plastic bag was the viewer’s prerogative. This quick response stereotype and its prompt acceptance challenge the often-repeated belief about Generation Z being the most sober generation in history in terms of their sex life and consumption of substances.
Heisey argues that this notion was an over exaggeration to begin with and states, “It seems rather ludicrous to say that there is a particular manner in which all women act. Being a millennial myself, it is quite fascinating to see how the same discussions about Gen Z are cropping up that were common amongst the media about us a decade back- are they more or less traditional than those before them? Are they threatening the existence of certain industries? Is non-connubial sex a part of their life and if so, of what nature? It’s the media’s captivation with young individuals, always on the hunt for an angle.” The idea of an entire generation being sober, even if true in totality, suggested that outliers who indulged in drug use were disregarded as genuine members of their age group. However, this did not erase their existence. A young woman might engage in cocaine use, or she might not. She will neither deny it absolutely, nor accept any misconceptions about her being a deviation from her generation’s norm.
When it comes to the notion of a ‘brat summer’, and what it implies for the status of young females in our society, Heisey recommends exercising restraint in enthusiasm. She underscores that facing scrutiny and judgment as women is not a contemporary phenomenon. Such attitudes, in fact, predate all existing social media platforms. Striving to counter the incessant monitoring, or to extract enjoyment amidst it, while not novel, finds an amusing incarnation in ‘brat summer’. Forces of conservatism have always been present, in contrast to the ceaseless existence of liberating spirits. These spirited individuals, rather than inserting a flower into a firearm’s mouth, now choose to insert a Bic lighter – a change which might introduce a spark of vivacity. – Guardian.