Written by Zoё Frantz
Edited by Ella Caverson
Say it isn’t so… it appears as though the days of chevron print and electric coral may be upon us again. With coquette fashion at its peak this year, ballet flats have once again become a staple in many people’s closets, just as they were for Zooey Deschanel’s character Jess in New Girl–a major proprietor of the ‘twee’ movement. Then there were the skinny jeans; I can’t say the prospect of these (or worse–jeggings) has ever been particularly appealing to me, but I have noticed a growing number of people attempting to style them recently.
And, of course there was the moustache craze, where icons of the upper lip hair were printed on everything, some even going to the lengths of getting finger tattoos (we all know the photo I’m talking about). In any case, twee was certainly a distinct moment in fashion history, so in light of its apparent resurgence, let’s start back when it all began…
When Did Twee First Emerge?
Picture this – it’s 2014, and after school you throw on an episode of New Girl. You watch Jess, the quirky female lead, run around in her signature look – a pair of ballet flats, an A-line dress in the loudest print known to man, and, to top it off, an electric coral cardigan. To readers today, this might sound like a strange composition, but in the early 2010s, this was the epitome of cool. Generally, there were two paths people would take: on the one hand, there was “indie sleaze,” characterized by ripped black tights, heavy eyeliner, and Doc Martens. These individuals also usually had an affinity for Tumblr, the Arctic Monkeys, and Alexa Chung. But there was also twee, which unlike indie sleaze was marked by bright colours, bold patterns, lighter makeup (maybe with a bold lip or pop of blush at most), and ballet flats in place of big black boots. It is a style of dress that is heavily inspired by Wes Anderson films, which embrace the femininity of 1960s and 1970s silhouettes, and, of course, the heavy fringe that is characteristic of prominent celebrities from the era like Jane Birkin. In fact, the word “twee” itself signifies something that is “excessively or affectedly quaint, pretty, or sentimental” (Merriam Webster, 2024). So, it makes sense that a character like Jess would be the hallmark of twee – not only does she dress the part, but she is the lovably strange protagonist who is, above all else, super sweet.
To get more specific, there are certain elements which are part and parcel to the twee aesthetic. To begin, there is the bright colour palette – some popular colours include teal, chartreuse, raspberry pink, mustard yellow, and the aforementioned electric coral. These bright colours, as mentioned, take the lead from the bright colour scheme of Wes Anderson films, particularly The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2007), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014).
For silhouettes, there was the revival of the sailor dress, flowy, A-line skirts, tight capris, and cardigans, and high-waisted, button fly skinny jeans. These distinctive styles were available in patterns with big flowers, chevron, polka dots, or a mix of multiple prints on the same garment. As mentioned, ballet flats were paramount to a perfect twee ensemble, or alternatively short kitten heels, and extra points if they had a bow on them somewhere. We also can’t forget peterpan collars, costume jewelry (often with an owl motif), and charming little handbags in every variety of shape and colour.
Other accessories included tights which, like other garments, were bright and boldly patterned, librarian-chic glasses, and little belts and headbands that completed any look. In general, the twee style of dress marked the rise of the “quirky” individual (which has since become a mocked trope) who is playful, upbeat, and almost sickly sweet.
Is Twee Really Back?
So, this begs the question – is twee fashion really back? To some extent, I’d say it is – as stated, the popularization of coquette style and the general increase of femininity in fashion this year has given way to the rediscovery of certain twee pieces, particularly ballet flats, kitten heels, bows, and tights. However, there are elements which have remained a relic, such as chevron print, electric coral, and moustaches. But there are certain items which seem to fall somewhere between current and dated – what immediately comes to mind are skinny jeans. Tighter styles of pants have been popular in mainstream fashion for a number of years now since Y2K fashion regained popularity in 2020 especially low-rise, boot cut styles. Moreover, aligning with the aforementioned indie sleaze movement, the recent “rockstar girlfriend” trend has also furthered in the popularization of bootcut and other slim jeans by becoming further entrenched in many people’s everyday style. But true skinny jeans and jeggings seem to be coming back, although very slowly; they aren’t being worn by everyone (and I certainly won’t be wearing them myself), but the general public seems less quick to recoil at the sight of them. In particular, people are finding new ways to style them to draw attention away from their tapered ankle, be it through leg warmers or tall boots. Additionally, similar styles of pants, such as the cigarette pant, offer a more palatable option for people who are completely averse to the skinny jean comeback.
Conclusion
Although our collective memory of twee fashion is riddled with pangs of fashion-don’ts, there are certainly elements of the style that have their appeal. Needless to say, it appears that twee fashion is back, although it has been adapted to fit the tastes of the ever-evolving consumer. I personally think twee style is fun, and I certainly incorporate my favourite components into my personal style (namely bows, funky tights, ballet flats, and big glasses). Love it or hate it, I invite you all to take a trip down memory lane, throw on an episode of New Girl, or 500 Days of Summer, and bask in the offbeat charm of the early 2010s.
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