The Brat Aesthetic May Come and Go, But Its Impact Will Last (2024)

If you’re chronically online, you have probably witnessed the world delve into the“brat” aesthetic with the influence of English singer Charli XCX’s sixth studio album. Accompanied by chaotically bright and straightforward branding — the cover art features the word “brat” against a plain yellow-green background — the record has sparked a trend of its own.

From a polarizing color to a messy and unbothered attitude, the image attached to Brat embraces elements traditionally considered anti-fashion — ugly even. And as proven by the internet, the world can’t get enough of it. Since its release in early June, the album’s branding has heavily influenced social media conversations, style trends and, more surprisingly, political campaigns. But that’s just the surface.

Brat has prompted conversations about marketing, branding, color theory and fashion history. Why is brat trending this summer? What is brat green? And how exactly do you achieve the brat look? We’ve got all the answers to these pressing questions. Keep reading as we guide you through everything you need to know about the anti-aesthetic of 2024.

What is brat?

Brat is the term the internet has coined to refer to the pop culture momentum Charli XCX ignited with the release of her 15-track album Brat. With songs such as “360,” “Apple” and “Girl, so confusing,” the British powerhouse explored themes of confidence, generational trauma and self-doubt. The retro-electronic, EDM and hyper-pop-infused bangers resonated with audiences worldwide, quickly climbing to the top of global charts and carving out a place in the social consciousness.

Even if you don’t actively keep up with the music and entertainment scene, you might have come across lime green squares and unassumingly simple black text — the exact font, if you’re wondering, is called ROM and was created by design studio Dinamo.

Unlike what many might suggest, however, brat is not a trend as much as it is a state of mind. In a trend and core-dominated era, Brat — both as an album and a visual universe — invites people to embrace their rawest and most authentic selves. "Brat is an attitude more than an aesthetic,” says Katy Lubin, VP of Brand and Communications at Lyst. “It’s chaotic, brazen and fun; a welcome relief from the prettiness of [trends such as] Coquette and Barbiecore and the properness of Clean Girls and Quiet Luxury.”

What is the brat aesthetic?

An anti-aesthetic of sorts, the brat look is unintentional, effortless and slightly retro. As Charli herself explained during an interview, the aspect can be achieved in different ways. “It can go that way, like, quiet luxury, but it can also be so, like, trashy.”

The brat image is also inherently personal and as Michael Appler, Communications and Media Relations Director at Trendalytics, puts it, can’t be bought. “Charli XCX has released very little merch, and that’s the point,” Appler says. “Brat is anti-merch; it embodies fan-made, DIY club outfits in their purest form. It wouldn’t make much sense for a retailer to market products as ‘brat,’ because the core Charli XCX customer wouldn’t buy them.”

However, that’s not to say there’s not a distinctive brat image and essentials that prominently tap into Y2K and indie sleaze style, as well as clubbing culture. Per Charli, a strappy white top worn without a bra is a staple of the brat anti-aesthetic.

“For now, it’s easy to see the ‘brat summer’ style [...] reflected in the popularity and market growth for related products,” shares Appler. For example, according to data from Trendalytics, white tank tops have experienced a significant search boost compared to last summer. “Currently, searches for white tank tops are +30% greater than they were last year, and we expect this to grow,” Appler tells Teen Vogue.

Babydoll tops are another product witnessing a bump in popularity. “Social buzz for these products has increased 350% compared to last year,” says Appler. “Additionally, there are currently 86% more babydoll tops in the market than there were this time last year.”

What is brat green?

In addition to specific clothing pieces, yellow-green has emerged as what’s arguably the ultimate pennant of brat style. Falling at the intersection of lime green, chartreuse and slime green, the neon-imbued shade on Charli XCX’s album cover has received the name of “brat green.”

Divisive and off-putting for some, bright and cheerful for others, brat green is at the core of brat summer. Accordingly, as per Lyst, searches including "slime green" increased over the last two weeks of June by 17%, thanks to Charlie XCX's brat meme. Searches for "bright green" also grew by 332% year-on-year. “While brat green is trending, you can’t really buy brat, which makes it even more exciting and elusive as a fashion mood. So I suspect we’ll continue to see brands and retailers pile onto the moment all summer, and I’m sure we’ll see brat impact the September runway shows too," Lubin tells Teen Vogue.

What’s the history of brat green before Charli XCX?

Brat green and adjacent verdant shades are no strangers to the runways. Judith van Vliet, color expert and founder of The Color Authority, explains the fast-paced nature of this color in design spaces. “Lime green is an interesting phenomenon. It’s a color that has a quick moving cycle as we see it pop back, particularly in fashion goods, every 4-5 years. Other colors are slower,” she says.

A palette of yellow and neon-infused greens has indeed grown in popularity over the last couple of years. In 2019, pop star Billie Eilish made slime green the hair color of the summer, while 2022, the year of the dopamine color revival, saw highlighter green rise as a counterpart of the Barbiecore craze.

But the history of brat green-esque tones runs deeper. “The 1920s embraced a new color revolution of vibrant and whimsical shades which included this bright yellow-green emerging in fashion and ceramics, as well as many other areas of design,” says Laurie Pressman, VP of the Pantone Color Institute. As Pressman recaps, yellow-green shades remained a staple in fashion, design and pop culture throughout the decades. In the 1960s, ”a psychedelic era known for its experimentation with hallucinogenic drugs and vibrating saturated colors,” modernist Bonnie Cashin and pop art pioneer Andy Warhol incorporated this color in their work. In the 1980s, Madonna and artist Keith Haring mastered the use of bright yellow-leaning green. Then, the 1990s anime boom fully welcomed yellow-based greens onscreen.

In 1995, Miuccia Prada delivered a green-rich collection that would become a watershed in contemporary fashion. Titled “Banal Eccentricity,” Prada’s Spring 1996 runway mixed retro inspiration and design elements that departed from conventional beauty, championing a look aptly dubbed “ugly chic.” Since then, Prada has regularly reprised yellow-green colors as signifiers of anti-fashion aesthetics — very brat-coded if you want our opinion.

What does brat green say about the current cultural zeitgeist and branding?

At this point, the world has very likely collectively agreed to disagree when it comes to attributing meanings to bright green. Van Vliet notes that greens with high yellow content carry both positive and negative connotations. “Yellow greens are most often associated with the first days of spring when young shoots emerge from the earth. These lush greens speak of revival, restoration and renewal,” she explains. On the other hand, she says, the color is also associated with toxicity and slimy creatures — think of reptiles or even Shakespeare’s depiction of jealousy as a green-eyed monster.

Pressman coincides. “These supercharged yellow-green hues make a very strong statement [...] They could be considered off-putting and ugly. At the same time, they could also be construed as bold and rebellious, as a color imbued with vitality and playful energy. [...] As color is so inextricably tied to culture, our perceptions can be reshaped based on context.”

That’s where Charli XCX’s use of brat green is flipping the script, reshaping narratives and adding new significance to a polarizing color. “Times are tough and people are looking for positive energy, hope and, candidly, a little bit of chaos,” says Matthew Cancel, CEO of Cancel Communications. “Brat green has become a symbol of that vibe — it's bold, it's fresh, and it resonates with the youthful, rebellious spirit that defines this summer.”

And though Charli is not the first creative challenging preconceptions of bright green and adopting colors as part of her branding — we’ve famously seen artists like Colombian star Feid and K-pop group NCT assimilate bold greens as part of their identity — what’s noteworthy about brat green is how easily and rapidly, it permeated cultural conversations.

Cancel explains why, when done properly, branding through color can be so effective. “When branding becomes heavily associated with a location or a time period, it can be harder for people to relate. In contrast, a color is an easy way for consumers to buy in and understand,” he says. “It casts a wider net. The advantage here is that you can throw on a lime green shirt and suddenly you're having a brat summer."

The allure of Brat is also how relatable it is and how it seems to paint a perfect image of the times we’re currently living in. “Did you see that Biden’s rapid response socials were rebranded as Kamala HQ with brat green?” Appler asks over e-mail just before I wrap up this article. “If there was ever proof that brat summer has become the meme of this season — and coincided with the chaotic, turbulent times in the country — that’s certainly it.”

If you're ready to embrace the brat lifestyle too, here are some items that could help you get started. Scroll on to shop our favorite bratty styles.