For once, it’s good to be a brat. Gen Z is preparing for a reckless “brat summer,” inspired by the release of Charli XCX’s wildly popular new party album, “Brat.” The LP — which scored millions of streams in the first week of its release earlier this month — is comprised of bass-thumping dance anthems such as “Club Classic,” “Guess” and “Girl, So Confusing,” all performed by the black-haired Brit.
On TikTok , a search for “brat summer” yields thousands of posts, with self-proclaimed “brats” explaining what the term means. For many, it represents a kind of recklessness, grittiness and supreme self-confidence — the polar opposite of last year’s “clean girl” aesthetic , which marked by sleek minimalism, neutral colors and a kind of preppy propriety. “Severely unwashed hair, phone on 18%, drinking soda from a can, I fear brat summer has begun,” content creator Steph Amoroso wrote on TikTok .
Others have describe “brat summer” as sleeping in last night’s makeup, stumbling through the front door at 2 a.m. after a night of clubbing or getting some spontaneous ink (some diehard brats have even been branded with the “brat” album art as a lower back tattoo.
) When asked about what she believes a “brat summer” is, Charli XCX (real name: Charlotte Emma Aitchison) described the attitude and aesthetic as “trashy.” “A pack of cigs, a Bic lighter and a strappy white top with no bra,” the hitmaker declared in a viral video. .
