coquette

Coquette is a hyper-feminine aesthetic built on bows, lace, ribbons, pastels and a vintage, romantic mood. If an outfit has a satin bow in the hair and Mary Jane shoes, it’s probably coquette.

What is the coquette aesthetic?

The word “coquette” traditionally means a flirt. As an aesthetic, it borrows from Rococo fashion, old Hollywood and girlhood nostalgia to create a soft, delicate and slightly theatrical femininity. Fans often cite singer Lana Del Rey and Sofia Coppola’s film Marie Antoinette as touchstones.

The coquette look

• Clothes: lace, frills, slip dresses, cardigans, Peter Pan collars, Mary Janes and ballet flats.
• Details: bows on everything: hair, shoes, bags, even phone cases.
• Colours: pink, white, cream and soft pastels.
• Mood: romantic, dreamy, vintage.

How to use coquette

• “She tied little bows on her ponytail, very coquette.”
• “This café with pink velvet chairs is so coquette.”
• “My closet went full coquette this year.”

Criticism

Some critics argue parts of the aesthetic romanticise childlike innocence in uncomfortable ways, especially its early Tumblr version. Today, most people use “coquette” simply for bows, lace and pastel-pink style.

Where coquette comes from

According to Wikipedia, the coquette aesthetic gained popularity on Tumblr in the early 2010s and on TikTok around 2021. By early 2024, the South China Morning Post reported that the hashtag #coquetteaesthetic had passed 18 billion views, and bows were appearing on designer runways.

Related terms

• Soft girl: pastels and cute details.
• Cottagecore: cosy country life.
• Clean girl aesthetic: polished, minimal glow.
• Decora: colourful, accessory-heavy Harajuku style.

See more terms like this in our internet aesthetics guide.