The Coquette Trend Is Still Thriving for Spring (2024)

FAQs

What is the coquette trend? ›

Coquette aesthetic is a 2020s fashion trend that is characterized by a mix of sweet, romantic, and sometimes playful elements and focuses on femininity through the use of clothes with lace, flounces, pastel colors, and bows, often draws inspiration from historical periods like the Victorian era and the 1950s, with a ...

Bows, lace and an absolute preponderance of pink and white. What are we talking about? Of the coquette style, of course, which was all the rage not only on the Spring/Summer 2024 catwalks, but also (and above all) on social media, from TikTok to Instagram.

A coquette is a flirt, a girl or woman who knows how to flatter and manipulate men with her charms in order to get what she wants. Coquette sounds French, and it is, borrowed into English from French in the mid-17th century.

It's a style that embraces a playful, and charming aesthetic, with a vintage flair. And lots of bows! If you have seen the crazy coquette trend of bow photos on Tiktok then you know bows can be put anywhere … on a pickle, a remote control, ice cubes, and more ridiculous things I won't mention here.

Coquette is a charming woman with a flirty personality, she's hyper feminine and gets a lot of male attention as a consequence of her confidence. The term 'coquette' comes from France and defines 'a woman who seduces men to get what she wants' but it's apparently a good thing now.

Coquette is a French word that refers to a girl or young woman who likes to flirt. This aesthetic is all about reclaiming femininity and all things girly. For a long time, anything feminine was seen as frivolous and made fun of.

According to Merriam-Webster, it refers to a woman seeking attention from men without genuine affection. In 2024, however, it signifies a celebration of femininity, embracing empowerment and self-expression for women.

A quick search on TikTok and the visual characteristics of the coquette aesthetic will be apparent, with dainty dresses, dreamy silhouettes and lots of pink flooding your feed. While Oxford defines a “coquette” as a flirtatious woman, the fashion trend focuses on the romantic, playful aspect of the term.

The coquette aesthetic might call for the wearer to be furiously cooling themselves with a fan; lacing up those ballet flats, braiding hair into pigtails, adding a ruffle here and there. The bows; the little bobby socks; the vanities littered with powders and tri-fold, gold-trimmed mirrors.

The actual definition of 'coquette' is “a woman who flirts lightheartedly with men to win their admiration and affection”. But the TikTok trend basically encapsulates everything idyllic, dainty, feminine and romantic. Think little pink bows on everything and vintage, summery fashion.

When did coquette become popular? ›

The coquette aesthetic has lived many lives. Its recent online origins can be traced to (around) 2010 Tumblr. The origin of this online iteration of coquette is in the “nymphet” aesthetic on Tumblr, branching from the novel Lolita and, arguably, its misrepresentation and over-sexualization in popular media.

It seems that due to coquette's association with the nymphet community and culture, it's thereby also criticized for glamourizing abuse. But Greenwalt highlighted in her Medium article that, unlike the nymphet subculture, coquette doesn't focus on the sexualization of minors.

Coquette, by the Oxford Languages definition, simply means "a woman who flirts." The trend inspired by that definition includes details like lace, pearls and bows in a frequently pastel palette.

The Coquette is the kind of seducer who leads a person on without offering instant gratification. Their modus operandi is to delay satisfaction alternating between unexplained warmth and coldness so that the victim stays in a state of anticipation not knowing what is coming next.

For many women of today, that feminine fashion their grandmothers lived through is what they fancy. On platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest, “Coquette” rules the fashion and decor hashtag. Coquette, originating from mid-17th century France, simply means a flirtatious woman who knows how to win over a man.

People are critical of women seemingly pandering to men in order to fit the mold. The aesthetic has also faced backlash for not being inclusive. The physical characteristics of most models are light-skinned and thin, spreading beliefs about idyllic and unattainable beauty standards.

The actual definition of 'coquette' is “a woman who flirts lightheartedly with men to win their admiration and affection”. But the TikTok trend basically encapsulates everything idyllic, dainty, feminine and romantic. Think little pink bows on everything and vintage, summery fashion.

The core hinges on the definition of the French word “coquette”, which is defined by Merriam Webster as “woman who endeavors without sincere affection to gain the attention and admiration of me.” The aesthetic arrived in 2020, trotting towards us in silk ballet flats and little bows, armed with Vladimir Nabokov's ...