The coquette aesthetic is having a major moment lately. This ultra-feminine style is all about lace, ruffles, pink hues, and playful details that exude flirtatious charm.
What is the Coquette Aesthetic?
The word “coquette” means a woman who flirts. So, unsurprisingly, the coquette aesthetic embodies a lighthearted, romantic vibe.
Key elements of this look include:
- Lace & ruffles
- Pastels, especially pink, peach, and mint
- Pearls & decorative jewelry
- Sheer fabrics & negligee styles
- Corsets, bustiers, & crop tops
- Poufy sleeves & voluminous skirts
- Ribbons, bows, & hair accessories
- Florals, hearts, cherries, & lip prints
Overall, the coquette aesthetic has a hyper-feminine and ultra-girly sensibility. It’s all about embracing your inner heartbreaker!
The Origins of Coquette Style
The coquette aesthetic draws inspiration from various eras and subcultures.
Victorian Influences
With its lace overlays, cameo chokers, and voluminous skirts, the Victorian era is an obvious influence. During the mid-late 1800s, wealthy women wore elaborate gowns with touches like ruffles, embroidery, and ribbon details. The Victorian coquette vibe also extended to furnishings like chaise lounges and vanity tables.
Balletcore Movement
Balletcore, an Instagram trend inspired by ballet fashion, paved the way for the coquette aesthetic. The balletcore look typically involves soft pinks, wrap cardigans, leather slippers, and tutus. It captures the femininity and grace of ballet.
Lolita Style
The Japanese street fashion subculture Lolita is centered around wearing doll-like clothes. Lolita style often incorporates blouses with Peter Pan collars, knee-length puffy dresses, whimsical accessories, and Mary Jane shoes. There is also a subset called Sweet Lolita that utilizes pastels and ribbons.
Rococo Inspiration
During the flamboyant Rococo period of the early 1700s, wealthy French women wore gowns with Watteau pleats, panniers, ruffles, and other ornate details. Marie Antoinette was the quintessential Rococo trendsetter. Her indulgent lifestyle and taste for excess epitomized the era.
So while the coquette aesthetic is newly trendy, it certainly takes cues from history. These influences meld together to create the lighthearted, ultra-feminine coquette style we love today.
Variations on the Coquette Look
One of the great things about the coquette aesthetic is that it’s so adaptable. You can take the essence of the style and make it your own in many ways.
Coquette Athleisure
For laidback loungewear with a flirty edge, try a pastel tracksuit with lace-trimmed shorts or a cropped sweatshirt with cherries and pearls. Add some shearling slippers or a satin scrunchie for extra coquette flair.
Colorblocked Coquette
Make your outfit pop by combining various shades of pink and peach. Try a ballerina-style midi skirt with a matching cropped cardigan. Accent with a peach bag and blush-colored heels.
Dark Coquette
Give the look an edgy twist with black or red lace, mesh tops, chokers, and dark lipstick. Pair a black bustier top with a tulle skirt for a moody, romantic vibe. Velvet, leather, and studs add extra gothic touches.
Vintage Coquette
Channel old Hollywood and the jazz age with art deco jewelry, retro curls, and red lips. Style your hair in victory rolls and opt for a fringe flapper dress or robe coat to embrace vintage glamour.
Boho Coquette
A peasant blouse with a ruffled neckline, maxi skirt with lace trim, and floral crown gives the coquette aesthetic a bohemian vibe. Add some dainty ankle bracelets and a embroidered kimono for a free-spirited look.
How to Decorate Your Space with Coquette Flair
Want to bring the coquette vibe into your living space? Here are some tips:
Living Room
- Hang sheer curtains in dreamy pastel shades
- Add floral accent pillows to your sofa and chairs
- Place a vanity table and tufted chaise lounge by the window
- Display porcelain tea sets and decorative plates
Bedroom
- Use a lace canopy over your bed for a romantic feel
- Get bedding with a delicate floral print
- Hang fairy lights along the headboard
- Place decorative perfume bottles on your vanity
Home Office
- Mount floating shelves to organize your favorite books by female authors
- Get a pink or peach desk chair with gold accents
- Use washi tape and patterned sticky notes
- Display fresh flowers and scented candles
Bathroom
- Install a Hollywood-style lightbulb vanity mirror
- Infuse your space with rosy hues through towels, bath mats, and shower curtains
- Store bath bombs and body mists in labeled glass jars
How to Get the Look: Coquette Fashion Tips
Ready to channel your inner coquette? Follow these tips to create an utterly charming look:
Fabrics
Look for delicate materials like lace, silk, velvet, and tulle to get that feminine aesthetic. Ruffles, pleats, embroidery, and ribbon accents also add great texture.
Silhouettes
Aim for flattering, figure-hugging shapes like wrap dresses, fit and flare styles, babydoll tops, and circle skirts. Poufy sleeves, peplums, and bustiers highlight your assets.
Colors
Stick to soft, romantic hues like blush pink, buttery yellow, sky blue, and seafoam green. Accent with bolder shades like cherry red, fuchsia, and violet.
Accessories
Pearls, cameos, lockets, and charm bracelets make lovely jewelry pairings. Add a touch of whimsy with cat eye sunglasses, novelty handbags, or sculptural heels.
Beauty
Play up your features with bold lashes, winged liner, and pink pout. Try retro curls, voluminous ponytails, ornate braids, and wispy bangs.
Layering
Create dimension by pairing lacy camis under slip dresses, rocking sheer tights with skirts, and topping looks with kimonos or duster cardigans.
So embrace your inner coquette and flaunt your femininity! With flair, playfulness, and a dash of retro glam, you can’t go wrong channeling this chic aesthetic.
The Allure of the Coquette Mindset
The coquette aesthetic is not just about frilly dresses and delicate details. At its core, it represents a mindset of embracing pleasure, delight, and fun self-expression.
Yvonne Condes, author of “The Coquette’s Handbook,” describes the coquette philosophy as living life to the fullest. “It’s about relishing every moment and approaching everything you do with joy and lightness,” she told Vogue magazine.
This could mean pampering yourself with relaxing beauty routines, surrounding yourself with whimsical decor, or simply seeing the world through a more whimsical, rose-colored lens.
Actress Drew Barrymore, who frequently rocks retro coquette style, told InStyle, “Being a coquette to me is a celebration of female beauty. It’s about reveling in who you are inside and out.”
So channeling one’s inner coquette is ultimately about self-love and cheering oneself on. It’s an attitude shift towards embracing your whole self and leaning into what sparks happiness.
A Coquette’s Guide to Self-Care
Here are some coquette-approved ideas for pampering and self-care:
Make Your Bathroom a Boudoir
Run a bubble bath surrounded by candles and incense. Give yourself a facial steam or hair mask. Have pretty products like scented body oils close at hand.
Indulge in Fashion & Beauty
Have fun playing dress-up and experimenting with your look. Explore new trends, fabrics, and silhouettes. Schedule time for extra beauty rituals like lounging in a robe and enjoying lengthy skin and hair treatments.
Curate a Cozy Nest
Make your bedroom a relaxing oasis with soft bedding, twinkle lights, and fresh flowers. Display favorite books, photos, and affirmations. Create a soothing nighttime routine.
Keep an Inspiration Journal
Fill a pretty notebook with inspiring images, favorite quotes, poetry, song lyrics, and lists of everything that makes you feel happy and fulfilled.
Unplug and Immerse in Nature
Escape the busyness of everyday life with walks in leafy parks, visits to botanical gardens, and picnics surrounded by beautiful scenery. Bring along a paperback novel for a dreamy reading retreat.
Nourish Yourself
Savor a home-cooked meal you spent time preparing. Indulge in a sweet treat or glass of wine. Focus on fueling your body with wholesome and satisfying foods.
Remember, self-care should feel rejuvenating, not like another chore. Make time for activities you genuinely enjoy and find healing.
Key Pieces to Build a Coquette Wardrobe
Ready to amp up your closet with coquette style staples? Here are 10 essentials to look for:
1. Lace camisole or slip dress: An ethereal layering piece that adds instant romance.
2. Pastel cardigan: A cropped knit cardi in a dreamy hue pulls any outfit together.
3. Velvet mini skirt: Rich velvet in a short A-line or skater skirt silhouette screams retro charm.
4. Peter Pan collared top: The quintessential dainty blouse with a nod to menswear. Tuck it into a midi skirt.
5. Tea dress with puff sleeves: Look for a voluminous puff sleeve tea dress synched with a belt at the waist for a flattering silhouette.
6. Circle skirt: Twirl away in a knee-length circle skirt with tulle for extra bounce.
7. Corset or bustier: Tap into burlesque style with a sculpting corset or bustier worn as a top.
8. Wrap coat: A waist-defining coat brings old Hollywood drama, worn over evening dresses or with jeans.
9. Ankle strap heels: Leg-lengthening shoes with pretty straps and a mid-heel.
10. Bow hair clips: Adorn updos and ponytails with satin bow clips for playful polish.
Build your coquette wardrobe slowly, adding special statement pieces over time. Focus on quality over quantity, and pieces you truly adore.
Most importantly, have fun with fashion and use clothing to express your unique personal style. You don’t have to copy the mannequin in the store window exactly. Make the look authentically you!
In Conclusion: Embracing the Coquette Spirit
The coquette aesthetic may seem overly frilly and frivolous on the surface, but it represents something deeper. At its heart, this ultra-feminine style encourages women to revel in beauty and pleasure without shame or apology.
In a culture that often demands women restrict themselves, the coquette mindset offers liberation. You deserve to delight in the pretty things life has to offer, big and small. So don’t hold back – have that dessert, buy those posh pampering products, and dance with abandon!
Channeling your inner coquette means fearlessly embracing all that makes you glow. Here’s to ruffles, romance and living life to the fullest!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Coquette aesthetic?
The Coquette aesthetic is characterized by a flirtatious and playful style, often with vintage or romantic elements.
What is the Coquette aesthetic controversy?
The controversy surrounding the Coquette aesthetic revolves around discussions on its portrayal of femininity, some finding it empowering, while others argue it reinforces stereotypical gender roles.
What is a Coquette woman?
A Coquette woman is someone who embodies a charming, flirtatious, and coquettish demeanor, often expressing themselves through a style that reflects these qualities.
How do you identify Coquette?
Coquette can be identified by a preference for playful and flirtatious fashion choices, incorporating elements of charm, grace, and a hint of mystery into one’s personal style.
