By Zoë Frantz
Edited by Leah Champagne
2023 marked a year of many major fashion trends, such as the revival of UGG, denim maxi skirts. Among these was the absolutely prolific resurgence of bows and frills, which ultimately manifested in the “coquette” trend. This trend, as many of us know, signals a revival of girlhood – characterized by pastel colours (namely pink), anything with lace or frills, and an affinity for Lana Del Rey, it is not difficult to understand why it became so widely consumed as 2023 came to a close. However, I am sad to report that I believe the days of tying ribbons on everything from handbags to belt loops may be coming to an end in terms of their trendiness.
That is not to say that you should throw all of your ribbon out (I know I won’t), but it is to say that in the coming months, I believe that we can expect to see a “Sheinification” of bows if you will. In other words, we can expect major fast fashion conglomerates such as SHEIN to begin rapidly producing cheap articles of clothing absolutely layden with bows. But, not in a delicate way, as per the coquette style; rather, in an almost gluttonous, over-the-top, mass-produced way.
This could lead to bows and the coquette trend as a whole become “cheuggy,” so to speak – that is, people will grow sick of it due to its rapid oversaturation at the hand of fast-fashion conglomerates.
In other words, we can expect major fast fashion conglomerates such as SHEIN to begin rapidly producing cheap articles of clothing absolutely layden with bows. But, not in a delicate way, as per the coquette style; rather, in an almost gluttonous, over-the-top, mass-produced way. This could lead to bows and the coquette trend as a whole become “cheuggy,” so to speak – that is, people will grow sick of it due to its rapid oversaturation at the hand of fast-fashion conglomerates.
This is not necessarily a surprising development. Besides the fact that most major trends become “Sheinified,” the whole coquette trend has become a slightly ironic piece of satire on TikTok. Users have been posting videos of them doing everyday tasks such as cooking with bows tied on everything (such as cooking with a spoon covered in bows), or even break-up videos where the break-up text is covered with a little pink bow. These videos are accompanied, most often, by the bridge to Lana Del Rey’s 2023 hit song Let the Light In featuring Father Misty, and a caption such as “So coquette” or a play on words like “I coquit.” This does not mean that bows and the larger coquette aesthetic have become completely outdated, but it is important to note that their consumption is perhaps plateauing as they become increasingly mass-produced and therefore less exciting.
I will most certainly continue to wear bows even if this is the case. I think that we just have to reimagine how we incorporate them into our personal style, instead of getting rid of them altogether. The thing I love about ribbons and bows as a trend is that it is so accessible – you can buy a roll of imitation-satin ribbon at the dollar store for $1.25. Furthermore, you can customize the trend to your liking by playing around with different textures like lace and satin, different colours and patterns, and, in the case of bows, you can add as many or as few as you’d like.
This is where brands like SHEIN miss the mark – they recognize a trend and then cram it down everyone’s throats without capturing its true beauty and authenticity. I truly resent that bows and the coquette trend will likely become a mass-produced meme in the coming months, but that won’t stop me from wearing them.
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