e-girl

An e-girl is a young woman with a distinctive online style mixing emo, skater and anime influences: heavy blush, winged eyeliner, striped long sleeves and chains. The “e” originally stood for “electronic,” because the style grew up online.

What does e-girl mean?

Today, “e-girl” mostly describes a look and a vibe associated with TikTok, gaming and streaming culture. E-girls often post selfies and short videos, play video games, and borrow from anime, K-pop and early-2000s emo fashion. Calling someone an e-girl can be neutral or teasing, depending on tone.

The e-girl look

• Makeup: heavy pink blush on the cheeks and nose, winged liner, small drawn-on hearts or freckles.
• Clothes: mesh or striped long sleeves under T-shirts, plaid skirts, platform shoes.
• Accessories: chains, chokers, hair clips.
• Hair: often dyed in two colours or bright neon tones.

How to use e-girl

• “She did full e-girl makeup for the stream, hearts and everything.”
• “My little sister went through an e-girl phase in 2019.”
• “That outfit is very e-girl.”

An earlier, harsher meaning

According to Wikipedia, “e-girl” was first used in the late 2000s as an insult for women accused of seeking male attention online, especially in gaming. The fashion meaning largely replaced it, though the older sneer hasn’t entirely disappeared.

Where e-girl comes from

Dictionary.com notes scattered earlier uses where the “e” meant “electronic.” The style went mainstream in early 2019, when an “E-girl Factory” meme spread on TikTok, followed by an “E-boy Factory” parody.

Related terms

• E-boy: the male counterpart.
• Alt girl: alternative, goth- or punk-leaning style.
• Soft girl: pastels and cute details.
• VSCO girl: another 2019 internet style.

See more terms like this in our internet aesthetics guide.