“ Clean Girl”

Let's Set The Record Straight. We Cannot be Erased

By Yamilhee Saint-Val

She might not have known it, but from the moment in the 1990s when a Black or Brown girl donned what was then considered excessively big, gold hoop earrings and heavily glossed her lips, a trend was born. She threw on some washed-out sky-blue jeans and pulled down a clean crisp white shirt over her head. Then came the lathering of gel smoothing down the thick coils of her head before being evenly distributed by the continuous strokes of a hard, brittle brush. No, she had not one clue that coating her freshly washed face with either light to no makeup or only a hint of cocoa butter/Vaseline would turn into a trendy cultural phenomenon. And the people on the street who stared and commented, "Why are you so shiny and your hair so oily?" had no idea they were making fun of what would become the newest fad for pop media to prey on, take credit for and tout as the contemporary clean look.

The "Clean Girl Aesthetic" seemed to pop up out of nowhere taking over the Instagram and TikTok feeds of influencers, celebrities, and everyday users. With no signs of slowing down since its emergence in early 2022, videos with the #CleanGirl tag generated over 750 million views on TikTok and counting. But the aesthetic has been around for decades with no dedications, no shout outs, and no tipped hat to the ones who created it.

The clean girl aesthetic, also known as the "VSCO girl" aesthetic, is characterized by a monocolored (with a single color predominating), simple, and environmentally conscious lifestyle. It involves the use of specific products, clothing items, and accessories, to achieve an overall minimalistic look. The aesthetic has received criticism for being superficial and commodifying environmentalism. It has also been accused of cultural appropriation for the way contemporary followers take elements of African American and Latina culture and use them without paying homage or having proper understanding or respect for their significance. For example, the portrayal of a slicked-back bun hairstyle used with excessive oil or gel that was popularized by Latin culture has become a common aspect of the clean girl aesthetic. Similarly, the use of African American-inspired looks, such as overly glossed lips and skin softness enhancing products like cocoa butter or Vaseline to achieve this glowy or dewy effect, has become a trend among clean girls, with little understanding or appreciation for the cultural significance of these actions.

It can feel like a slap to the face to those who have been doing it for decades. The Latina community, especially, has come out to speak up against the hypocritical sentiments of the clean girl aesthetic. TikTok content creator Via (@fabulousvia) who posts about the "clean girl aesthetic" wrote, "It needs to be talked about more." Via explained, "As a 28-year-old Dominican woman living in America, there are a lot of trends becoming popular that actually started in minority communities and suddenly they're being given a new name because the people behind it are of a certain demographic."

"Brown and Black [women] are notorious for rocking hoops, gelled back buns, no makeup, etc.," Via continued. "Now white women, for example, are celebrated for the aesthetic. It's disappointing."

Her video garnered over 10,000 views and over 300 comments from Black and Latina women speaking out about the trend and the audacity of the appropriation. Many commented that Black and Latina women have been doing this look for ages for their own reasons, for example socioeconomic status. Not having access to a lot of money to buy all the high fashion trends, these women created their own looks. Via stated in a follow-up video that the clean girl aesthetic copies "Hood girls." In the late '90s early 2000s the majority of people who fit into that category were none other than women of color.

"This look has been worn by Black and Brown women and femmes for decades. Literal decades. At least going back to the 1980's decades. Yet the look is popularized when white, able-bodied, typically thin, young women deem it so."

Whitney Alese

Popular Latina TV personality Joseline Hernandez spoke about this on The View stating that a lot of the fashion in today's society stems from street style and street style comes from girls like her "from the streets, the girls who do not have that much money to be able to afford $2000 [apparel]."

The current popularity of the clean girl aesthetic reinforces stereotypes and perpetuates harmful cultural appropriation. The clean girl aesthetic today is often associated with wealthy, white, privileged individuals. Using the aesthetics and cultural elements that did not originally stem from having an abundance of money reinforces the stereotype that this look, because it is "clean," can only be important or accessible to those with the resources to care about them, dismissing and discrediting women of color and marginalized communities. The clean girl aesthetic is also criticized for its lack of originality and creativity. Having been "stolen" and then touted as a new trend made by some of society's favorite celebrities and influencers- the people who came before are nearly non-existent in the creation or continuation of the look. "I don't know what 'clean girl aesthetic' is but I remember growing up with an older sister back in like 2005 and this was how she dressed and looked just to go to school," says Nia Gaines. "It was the norm, actually."

Chinyere Ejim noted "I have seen that trend pop up on my TikTok and I instantly was confused because what about that is clean? It's a slick back with no makeup and a neutral color look. That's been happening for ages...there's nothing special about it".

The use of specific brands, products, clothing items, and accessories has created uniformity among those who subscribe to the aesthetic, leading to a lack of individuality and self-expression. This newfound focus on the look only fortifies the notion that personal worth, success, and popularity are defined by one's possessions and external appearance. For this new group of clean girls, being a part of the aesthetic puts them on a pedestal, making them different from the rest.

The clean girl aesthetic continues to grow in popularity, but it's leaving behind the women who invented it. Writer and podcaster Whitney Alese argues that "This look has been worn by Black and Brown women and femmes for decades. Literal decades. At least going back to the 1980's decades. Yet the look is popularized when white, able-bodied, typically thin, young women deem it so." The use of cultural elements, whether they were founded on "worthy" values or not, without paying homage or having proper understanding or respect for their cultural significance is disrespectful and reinforces the notion that cultural elements can be commodified.

The clean girl aesthetic lacks originality and creativity making it a harmful trend that drives home the idea that personal worth, success, and popularity are defined by wealthy whites, material possessions, and external appearance. It is important to consider the impact of cultural appropriation and to be mindful of the cultural significance of the elements used in our aesthetic choices.

1. Latina Aesthetic
2. Black Girl Aesthetic
3. Clean Girl Aesthetic
4. Black & Brown Girl Aesthetic