Hyper-Feminine Fashion Isn’t Just For The “Girls” — It’s For Everyone

Whether it’s Sabrina Carpenter leading the babydoll dress movement, model and influencer Nara Smith flaunting puff-sleeve designer gowns in her viral kitchen videos, or fashion trends like the coquette aesthetic popularising lace trims and bow details, hyper-femininity has been the thread running through fashion over the past year. 

The autumn/winter 2024 runways were as girly as it gets. Miu Miu, who previously brought back the micro mini skirt, merged childlike and adult dressing with puffy A-line skirts, embroidered appliqué and extravagant sheer dresses. Danish designer Cecilie Bahnsen, who is known for her flowy and romantic silhouettes, sent models down the runway in ruffle gowns with empire waists and corseted leather coats and dresses. There were lace bodices from Gucci; voluminous, bright-coloured tulle by Molly Goddard; and dresses with giant bows at Simone Rocha.

Though it may seem like it, the hyper-feminine aesthetic isn’t about specific styles or colours, nor is it catered to a particular gender. This trend is about embracing the concept of girlishness in your everyday. It’s about wearing a mini bubble skirt with long socks and mesh ballet flats to the corner shop, or a Victorian-style dress with a sheer, embroidered skirt on a regular Tuesday afternoon. It’s about dressing for joy. It’s Carrie Bradshaw meets Princess Peach, with a dash of Bridgerton.

But like many modern aesthetics that are often led by aspirational lifestyles (see the “European summer” aesthetic or “mob wife” trend, for example), hyper-feminine fashion can be easily misconstrued by society’s patriarchal portrayals of femininity. Just as balletcore was largely defined by waiflike models in leg warmers and mini skirts, and “quiet luxury” may as well be a conduit for classism, a Pinterest-perfect version of the ultra-feminine dresser will often exclude those who aren’t young, thin, straight, cis-gender or white.

Specifically for Black women, societal norms have barred such displays of femininity in the past. In 2020, Black British creator Paula Sutton, who is known for her vintage-inspired fashion and idyllic images from her life in the Norfolk countryside, was criticised by a white journalist for a photo she posted of herself wearing a green sundress and wide-brimmed hat, having a picnic on the grass in front of her Georgian home. The visual — not unlike the countless cottagecore-style posts usually posted by white women — was described as “too much.”

Since then, online discourse surrounding the “soft black girl”’ — a lifestyle that prioritises rest and self-care as political resistance — has made way for movements that reclaim joyful dressing, which include hyper-feminine aesthetics like cottagecore and coquette.

London-based content creator Luena Gama is a fan of girly styles, often wearing layered skirts, flowy dresses, oversized collars and garments adorned with bows. “Black women deserve the space to rediscover their femininity if they wish to. We exist in this grey area of being too much and not enough in all aspects of life,” says Gama.

She is not alone in her opinion. In a TikTok video from January that now has over 1 million views, LA-based creator Alexandria Beightol (@abaetol) uses Dionne Davenport from Clueless as a perfect example of Black hyper-femininity. With her short skirts, preppy crop tops and Mary Jane shoes, her character was (and still is) a rare, subversive instance of a Black woman embracing the aesthetic in popular culture.

“One of the overarching stories that we see throughout time is [that] Black women aren’t like other women. They are harder, they are tougher, they are that ‘strong Black woman’ trope that can take anything,” says Beightol in the video. “They weren’t depicted as the centre of romantic desire.”

While Gama is a fan of girly fashion, she is aware that there is room for improvement to make it more inclusive. “Being midsize or plus size makes it a challenge to experiment with any aesthetic but especially those that are hyper-feminine. A lot of brands simply don’t cater to bigger bodies,” says Gama. “Femininity is something that transcends hegemonic beauty and gender standards.” She shouts out labels like Damson Madder, Free People and Simone Rocha for their inclusive sizing and less rigid take on girliness. In particular, Rocha has recently attracted attention from fashion insiders for the brand's menswear collections, which blur the lines between gendered dressing with tulle polo shirts, bow-adorned tees and puffy sleeves for all. 

Age is a factor that can often dictate perceptions of femininity too, as patriarchal systems continue to erase women over 40 — sometimes even 30! — if they don't disappear into the background. When the 59-year-old British actor Joely Richardson attended red carpets earlier this year in outfits including a metallic red dress and a feathery black mini, her stylist Jennifer Michalski-Bray told The Telegraph that these were risks. “You don’t see many 59-year-olds wearing a dress like that but it was her way of showing that you can have fun with fashion at any age,” said Michalski-Bray.

Some brands are also taking a stance on what modern femininity in fashion looks like. For its autumn/winter 2024 runway, New York-based brand Batsheva showed a collection of hyper-feminine looks — sheer dresses, ruched skirts, bow-adorned hoods — on models over 40. While casting for the show, designer Batsheva Hay told The New York Times, “They were like, ‘Me?’ There’s this feeling of invisibility or not being seen, so when you are seen it is very surprising.”

At the same time, the brand Selkie, whose pieces are inspired by folklore and nostalgia, is leading change by offering garments in sizes up to 6X and prioritising inclusive representation in their campaigns and on the runways. Meanwhile, London label Sister Jane, which specialises in limited-run collections of voluminous dresses and vintage-style pieces, has been worn by notable plus-size and non-white people such as body image advocate and creator Stephanie Yeboah and singer Ego Ella May. “Our styles allow people to express their individuality,” says Gregori Apers, Sister Jane’s product director and head of design.

Femininity may be subjective but, what’s becoming clear from this latest wave of fashion, is that it belongs to everyone. If you’re ready to approach this season’s girliest trend, Gama says to look for pieces that make you feel good: “Start with the details. Little things such as picking softer silhouettes, or making more use of lace, embroidered and sheer elements make a big difference. And when in doubt, slap a bow on it.”