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One of this summer’s top trends is the Charlie XCX album-inspired “brat” theme, which you’ll recognize as the lime green cool-girl aesthetic taking over this summer. The artist herself describes brat as: “You’re just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes. Who feels herself but maybe also has a breakdown. 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 you’re ready to lean into the brat trend this summer but don’t know where to begin, look no further. We’ve rounded up some brat essentials to help you nail the look.
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Lime Green Brat Essentials
First things first: We have to start at the core of the brat trend with a few lime green and neon-colored pieces. If you’re not fully ready to commit to investing in such bright colors long-term, Nuuly’s clothing rental service ($98/month for six item rentals) offers a great option for a test run, including pieces like the Zelda Metallic Pants (retails for $90) and the Dash One-Shoulder Top (retails for $48.) You can also lean into the lime green aesthetic on a smaller scale via accessories like Velvet Caviar’s neon yellow phone case ($40.)
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Edgy, Brat-Inspired Staples
Another element of the brat trend is an edgy, carefree approach to fashion. On TikTok, Charlie XCX herself explained it as: “It can go…quiet luxury, but it can also be, like, trashy.” To strike the right balance here, you’ll want to strive for edgy pieces that have a bit of a punk influence or rock star glamour without going full ‘90s Courtney Love. Reach for a few sexy black staple pieces, like the perfect black mini skirt—the Ravyn Skort from Princess Polly ($46) paired with the Lace Corset Top from Tilly’s ($19.99) are great options—as well as a checker print tank like the Aalto Rib Tank ($36) from Thrills.
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Crops, High Cuts, & Deep Vs
In keeping with the “IDGAF” theme here, another core aspect of the brat trend is to show some skin. That might be with the help of a short dress, a semi-sheer top, or a tiny green bikini—just something that’s enough to keep things racy without going over the top. A strapless mini dress with a high hemline, like the Phillipa Mini Dress from Princess Polly ($64), works well here, as does the semi-sheer Riley Top from superdown ($50), and the new line of cheeky bikinis from Aviator Nation (top and bottoms $138 each.) The best part? You can layer these pieces and/or throw a leather jacket on and call it good.
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Distressed Details
If you saw Charlie XCX at the Met Gala this year, you’re familiar with the distressed dress she wore to the event, which was on theme with the brat aesthetic. The singer herself shared that a pillar of the brat fashion ethos is a DIY mentality, so when it comes to creating your own cut-off shorts or hand-distressing tops, you could do it yourself, or you could reach for some ready-to-wear pieces that take the legwork out if achieving this look, like the Levi’s 501 High Rise denim shorts ($49.99), a distressed top like the Mathis Long Sleeve Tee ($73) from Revolve, or the grungy Asymmetric Gathered Mesh Dress ($49.99).
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The brat trend isn’t going anywhere soon. Folks like Karina Kabaca of Whop shared that what started as a viral TikTok moment has “quickly turned into a huge cultural movement, making things like the lime green color, smudged eyeliner, and 90s patterns the next big thing.” If you’re ready to dive into a brat summer of your own, hopefully, this piece has provided a good jumping-off point.
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