Top Ten Brat Summer Essentials
Charli XCX's newest album, Brat, has taken the internet by storm with rave reviews, niche memes all over TikTok, and fans incorporating neon green into their daily attire. With the early June release date, many XCX fans have labeled the summer of 2024 as “Brat Summer.” In an interview with BBC Sounds, Charli herself described the general attitude of the brat summer as “trashy.” What exactly is the brat aesthetic, and what are the essentials? Here is everything you need to embrace your inner-brat this summer.
Courtesy of Instagram @charli_xcx
1. The White Tank Top
Throughout the Brat rollout, Charli XCX has embraced a stripped-down, basic appearance, often sporting a simple solid top. For her PARTYGIRL London performance, she sported black shorts, tights, and a white tank top. The brat look is quite minimalistic and doesn’t involve spending a lot of time getting ready before a night out. The white tank top is perfect for dressing up or down, transitioning easily from day to night.
Courtesy of Instagram @charli_xcx
2. Black Sunglasses
In addition to the white tank top, Charli often wears black sunglasses on stage and in promotional pictures. While wearing sunglasses indoors can be seen as rude, the brat does not care. She wears her sunglasses the morning after a night out to hide her eye bags and hangover, all while appearing mysterious to strangers. She might even wear them inside the club.
3. Knee-high Heeled Boots
Another crucial component of the brat summer uniform is a pair of knee-high heeled boots. These boots instantly add height, making the brat look dressed up and intimidating in seconds. Like Cinderella with her glass slipper, the brat truly transforms when she slips on some baddie boots.
4. French Tip Press-on Nails
In the closing track of the album, “365,” Charli sings, “French manicure” The brat is not meticulously manicured. If she isn’t sporting bare nails or chipped polish, she’s likely wearing a 2000s-inspired set of French tip press-on nails that she bought at the pharmacy.
Courtesy of Instagram @charli_xcx
5. Aperol Spritz
In honor of what people are calling "Euro Summer," the brat travels to European cities to experience their nightlife. In the morning, if she’s not violently hungover, she’s sipping on “neon orange drinks on the beach” according to the track “Everything is romantic” The Aperol Spritz is her drink of choice, embodying the relaxed and carefree vibe of a European summer.
6. Wired Headphones
The brat keeps up with the trends, so she knows that some people opt for wired headphones instead of AirPods just to appear cool. However, she wears wired headphones not for the appearance, but because she can’t be bothered to charge or keep track of AirPods. Bonus points if she wears them tangled and knotted.
Courtesy of Instagram @charli_xcx
7. Confrontation
One of the major themes of Brat is vulnerability, evident in tracks like “I Think About It All the Time,” “Sympathy is a Knife,” and the viral song “Girl, So Confusing,” where Charli navigates the complexities of relationships as a woman and as a public figure. Sleuths quickly deduced that the song was about New Zealand singer Lorde, who features on the remix. The two squash their beef and miscommunication in the song, with Lorde singing, “Well honestly I was speechless / when I woke up to your voice note,” indicating that Charli must have directly expressed her feelings to her.
8. Voice Memos
When facing uncomfortable conversations, the brat prefers to say exactly what she’s feeling instead of drafting a text. This way, her tone cannot be misinterpreted, and it offers the receiver raw, true emotion rather than a well-crafted response. She often sends voice memos instead of texts to her group chat to make plans because it is faster.
9. Dry Shampoo
The brat sleeps in last night’s makeup and wakes up with places to be. She likes the look of day three unwashed hair and doesn’t have time to let her hair dry. (Not that she cares, as she has no shame leaving the house with wet hair.) She loves Batiste dry shampoo, picking up a can at the pharmacy as well.
10. $1 Slice of Pizza
After a night out, a brat needs her fuel and loves to stop at the nearest food shop. She can walk out of the club and straight into a pizza shop to get a quick bite to eat on the side of the street. The pizza tastes amazing, and she often strikes up conversations with strangers waiting in line.
Charli XCX's Brat has not only influenced the music scene, but also shaped a new aesthetic for the summer of 2024. Embracing the brat aesthetic means adopting an unapologetic attitude this summer. Channel your inner-bitchiness and embrace the playful spirit that Charli XCX brings to fruition on Brat.
Article by Lucy Moraleda, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Bradley Duley, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine
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