Coquette is a hyper-feminine aesthetic that has received popularity on social media. The trend has influenced students at Bonita Vista High (BVH) to express their femininity and show what it is to be a girl. The interpretation of the aesthetic can vary from the looks of a feminine girl or by their aspect of standing up for what it is like to be a girl especially in the twenty first century. Senior Lyra Rhoades thinks the aesthetic makes girls feel more like themselves.
“The coquette aesthetic embraces femininity through designs targeted towards feminine styles. As a society, women are demonized for living their authentic selves. When I was growing up my favorite colors were pink and purple because they reminded me of femininity. [The coquette aesthetic] takes all the things that are stereotypical for women and turns it into an empowering thing,” Rhoades said.
The empowering movement of the coquette aesthetic gives girls the opportunity to express themselves while also giving them a chance to embrace their love for things that are deemed as ‘girly’. Sophomore Valentina Castruita believes that the reason the coquette aesthetic catches the attention of many girls is because of the ability for girls to express their independence.
“For the longest time people associated being a strong independent woman with being ‘manly’ and ‘tom-boyish’. I think it is a great thing that people are realizing that being ‘girly’ and having a strong sense of being feminine also means being a strong independent woman,” Castruita said.
The eye-catching aspect of the coquette aesthetic appeals to girls at BVH because it gives them a sense of charm and allows colors to be implemented into their wardrobe. According to sophomore Isabel Arguelles the coquette aesthetic is appealing to her because of the touch of color she gets to incorporate into her life and the elegance that she feels being a woman.
“I think that [the coquette aesthetic] is appealing because it adds a touch of color in our lives. It is almost a feeling of elegance and something that you would see in an old movie that I thoroughly enjoy. I think that being coquette is someone who incorporates shades of pink and adds bows into their outfits,” Arguelles said.
The looks of the coquette aesthetic is not only eye-catching to girls because of the looks of it, but it also draws attention to music. The vibe of certain artists like American singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey has influenced girls who are interested in the coquette aesthetic. She, like Rhoades, also has a feminine outlook and seeks to be the most authentic version of herself.
“Lana Del Rey is an artist that I think gives off an aesthetic of being coquette. I personally listen to her every day because I love her and the vibe of her music. I would also say Mazzy Star has an aesthetic of being coquette because it is more on the indie soft side, which a lot of girls who are coquette tend to listen to. Soft music is what I think fits the vibe of the aesthetic and what I tend to listen to on a daily basis,” Rhoades said.
The style gives girls a chance to romanticize who they are as a person. Representing the aesthetic at BVH allows girls to feel at ease with understanding who they are while also being able to have a style that they enjoy.
“I think coquette is more than [just a] style because it is a way to express yourself and in a way that romatizes different features of your outfit in a fun and cute way. It gives women a chance to express their femininity because in today’s society everyone dresses the same. With adding the coquette aesthetic, it allows [women] to express themselves differently in a style that has been around for a while,” Arguelles said.
Being a woman in the twenty first century has allowed girls to become their true authentic selves especially when it comes to being coquette. There are stereotypes that women face when they try to present themselves with who they are, but with the popularity of the aesthetic and the eye-catching glances it gives girls the ability to show their strengths in other ways.
“The aesthetic of coquette [is] eye-catching because I think it is one of the first things that has a positive reinforcement of something [feminine]. I think coquette is simply having or showing strength in femininity because I love being girly and [showing it]. It represents something more [than being just a girl],” Castruita said.
