In recent months, Brat summer has taken over pop culture and swiftly crept into the fashion world, waving the “clean girl aesthetic” goodbye. For those who haven’t been following, the new aesthetic, inspired by Charli XCX’s sixth studio album, is characterized by a neon green color and apple motifs, which have infiltrated social media. This summer celebrities are styling knee-high boots, oversized leather jackets, short shorts, and smudged eye makeup, enthusiastic about the change in frequency. After all, the Brat aesthetic favors “the messy girl” and rejects the “clean girl” aesthetic, which has ruled the fashion world for so long now.
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In addition to the shifts of style, the new aesthetic has sparked a switch in mindset. With raw and gritty rave beats, the songs on the album transport us straight to a sticky-floored, sweaty night club, reminding us to enjoy ourselves in times of an overly hectic world. Moreover, the Brat summer has encouraged a new type of woman, one who is bold and outspoken, unafraid to make mistakes or to taint her perfect image. Brat is hedonistic. Brat is imperfect. Brat is self-confident. Brat is Kamala Harris?
Courtesy of Kamala HQ
After Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election, all eyes turned to Vice President Kamala Harris as the likely Democratic candidate, with Biden’s official endorsement. Following the President's resignation, video edits of Kamala Harris Brat hits like “Apple” and “Von Dutch” began to circulate the internet creatively mixing in her well-known anecdotes (like her amusing coconut tree quote). More importantly, Charli XCX, the mastermind behind Brat summer herself, officially endorsed VP Harris for the race, claiming that “Kamala IS Brat.” After the musician's encouragement, the rapid response account Kamala HQ quickly changed the background of their profile to a bright green color with the font used on the Brat album cover, seamlessly feeding into the Gen Z humor.
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Kamala Harris (or her PR team), in tune with summer trends, is cleverly using the Brat aesthetic and lifestyle to fuel her presidential campaign. The collision of the political and pop-cultural realm could not come at a more optimal time, as viewers have been watching the United States fall into a pre-election panic with Biden’s rapid decline. Indeed, politics, like the Brat movement, are never quite clean. In fact, like the aesthetic embraced by Charli XCX, they are chaotic and messy. They also require bold people, who like any human, are bound to make mistakes. It’s no coincidence that Kamala Harris has chosen the aesthetic to bring her campaign to life. Not only does Brat summer appeal to the generation of younger voters ready to be involved in the future of their country, but also relays an optimistic message to the wider audience of spectators. In the midst of all the chaos, Kamala’s coconut Brat campaign simply provides us with a little bit of fun.
By Wiktoria Sobera
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