In Defense of Tomato Girl Summer…
Do you remember Tomato Girl Summer? The trend that took summer ‘23 by storm. I missed it while it was happening but tomato girl lives on. Recently, I was watching a fashion creator on YouTube and she made a comment about the trend. She criticized it because she was preaching individuality and owning your personal style, which I also preach.
I’m not sure how these trends start or how they spread. A few micro-trends off the top of my head: tomato girl summer, the renaissance of the milkmaid. Remember coastal grandmother and eclectic grandpa?
Anyways.
In defense of the tomato girl summer trend, and all the others, I understand the root of these trends. Let me explain.
I traveled back home earlier this year for a birthday celebration and the majority of the itinerary was the club.
So I had an idea. There was a certain vibe I wanted to embody, a certain energy. Here it is… I wanted to look, feel, and move like an Ethereal Baddie.
Aha! It’s getting interesting now isn't it?! Does the term Ethereal Baddie exist out there already? Probably yes, as there's nothing new under the sun but at that moment and currently, it's wholly original to me.
Let's break down the Ethereal Baddie. If you were to follow the rules of “ethereal” here are the elements.
When something is ethereal, it's delicate, airy and light, so much so that it seems out of this world. Think about an angel, or a water nymph or a wood nymph.
By Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1883, Oil On Canvas
Think about sheer and flowy fabric. Chiffon, tulle, lace. Skirts and dresses are a wonderful place to start with an ethereal look. You can wear it either full length or asymmetrical. Your top can be made of a lightweight fabric as well, flowy, and comfortable. When it comes to the makeup, think about metallics, something shimmery and light. Either that or you can do a simple dewy skin beat.
Okay, are we getting the picture?
Here's the twist. I didn't just want to feel ethereal, I was going to be up in the club. What do I look like dressing like a wood nymph in the club? I wanted to be an ethereal baddie. So how do we take Miss Ethereal and turn her into a Baddie? Good question.
What are the elements of a club-going baddie have? She’s sexy! A baddie is always sexy. Now that could be through skin-tight clothing, short or revealing clothing, or a combination of all of that. The colors she wears are usually dark. Not always, but usually. So, let's keep the airy and flowy fabrics the same, but change the color palette.
Aaliyah, a forever baddie.
Anyways, here is what I came up with. I fell in love with an asymmetrical skirt from Shein. For my body type, I prefer structured clothing items. So the thick waistband really spoke to me for waist-snatching purposes.
I used a top from H&M (currently sold out) because I was already wearing a short skirt. I wanted to create some visual balance and I do love a mock neck!
I paired the outfit with some wedges, which threw some 90’s/early 2000’s energy into the mix. I wore multiple rings on my fingers, a vintage watch on my left hand, with a stack of bracelets on my right.
I did a straightforward, minimal beat on the face. But for my eye makeup, I made it subtle and dark by lining it lightly with black eyeliner and using a deep brown eyeshadow to create a soft wing.
The outfit I wore. The top, skirt, and shoe. Click here to shop.
So, I say all of this to say that I understand wanting to embody a certain energy, and wanting your clothing to reflect that.
Where it becomes a problem is when people copy and paste looks without understanding the references behind it. You know… wearing something not necessarily because they like it but because it’s the current trend. Take whatever trend there is and make it your own. Get creative and put your own spin on it. That’s when you can say that you have your own personal style.
connect with me on pinterest and let me know how I did in bringing my idea of an ethereal baddie to life. I’ll give this vibe another try sometime soon, reinterpret it and play with other elements. Maybe I’ll be more ethereal than baddie next time.
What would you wear if you wanted to look like an ethereal baddie?
