The Girlhood Aesthetic Is a Lie
Sponsored by Kitsch If you're looking to simplify your beauty routine without compromising on quality or sustainability, Kitsch’s best-selling shampoo bars are a must-try. They’re eco-friendly, travel-friendly, and packed with nourishing ingredients—and the best part? Kitsch now ships internationally to over 90 countries! shop now at www.mykitsch.com/Laurajaneatelier In this video, we’re diving deep into what I call The Girlhood Industrial Complex: a pastel, glossy wave of aesthetic femininity that’s as much about branding as it is about identity. From TikTok’s obsession with ballet flats and bows to Rare Beauty hauls and coquette-core content, today’s version of girlhood looks delicate and dreamy—but beneath all the shimmer lies a billion-dollar marketing machine. So, is this new era of ultra-soft femininity truly empowering, or are we just being sold a highly curated version of womanhood wrapped in nostalgic packaging? We’ll trace the evolution of girlhood from the raw, resistant spirit of the Riot Grrrl movement in the 1990s to the clean, minimalist femininity of Glossier’s rise in the 2010s. We’ll explore how pop culture icons like Barbie, Lana Del Rey, and Olivia Rodrigo reflect different versions of this performance—and how social media rewards the aesthetic of emotional softness over actual vulnerability. As women gravitate toward romanticized visuals of girlhood, from diary-inspired makeup to Strawberry Shortcake-style fashion, it’s important to ask: are we reclaiming the past, or escaping the present? This isn't a critique of loving pink or embracing softness—those can be beautiful things. But when the aesthetic becomes the standard, and empowerment is measured in how well you can brand your girlhood online, we have to wonder who’s really benefiting. Is this liberation, or just another version of femininity made palatable for profit? Let me know in the comments what you think—does the girlhood aesthetic feel like empowerment, regression, or something in between? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more deep dives into the beauty, culture, and history behind the trends shaping our world. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM4hiMCyAEMxibzIYrOKD5Q/join #GirlhoodAesthetic #SoftGirlEra #FeminismInPopCulture #TheGirlhoodIndustrialComplex #CoquetteCore #NostalgiaMarketing #RiotGrrrlToGlossier #AestheticFeminism #PopCultureAnalysis #Barbiecore #LanaDelReyAesthetic #OliviaRodrigoStyle #BeautyStandards #TikTokTrends #FemininityInMedia #CleanGirlAesthetic #Balletcore #PastelFeminism #FeminismOrFantasy #LauraJaneAtelier