As a millennial mom-of-two, I have no delusions that I’m “down with kids” these days (as my choice of wording clearly demonstrates). However, I’d like to think that my job as a lifestyle editor in the biggest metropolis in the country means that I have my finger on the pulse somewhat when it comes to what’s trending. After all, I regularly receive pitches from fashion experts and stylists about what’s in and what’s out, and I am surrounded by fashion-forward colleagues who can tell me how to style capris for 2024 and the shoe trend Los Angelenos can’t get enough of. So while I may not be hip, I’m not exactly clueless. But when I recently came across a TikTok video detailing Gen Alpha fashion trends, it was like listening to another language. (Spoiler: “Preppy” to Gen Alpha, which includes kids age 14 and younger, is not the same preppy I grew up with.)
Coquette, Cottagecore and E-Girl—Your Guide to the Biggest Gen Alpha Fashion Trends
Wait, preppy means what now?
In the video posted by user @kriskamishka that’s gotten over 2 million views, a millennial mom takes her daughter shopping at Target and shows viewers what her kid dubs various outfits. Some looks I knew (Cottagecore is still around), while others were totally new (aesthetic-aesthetic, anyone?). Just as confused by the lingo as the parent herself, I reached out to two stylists to get a breakdown of some of the biggest fashion trends from this young cohort.
“Gen Alpha is focused on setting their own trends and being at the forefront of fashion innovation,” says fashion stylist Catherine Bibeau. Some of these looks hark back to trends of yesteryear, while many are inspired by contemporary sources like social media. So, what does that look like exactly? Below, some of the style looks that Gen Alpha is embracing.
Meet the Experts
- Catherine Bibeau is a renowned fashion stylist with over a decade of experience in the industry. She is widely respected in the fashion industry worldwide for her work in fashion design, styling, as well as fashion marketing and sales with experience working at Buffalo Jeans, Ferragamo, her very own fashion label, Nacre Voyage, and more.
- Suzanne Smallshaw is Rent the Runway’s Senior Style and Fashion Director. She has been with the company for over four years and brings +15 years of experience in the luxury fashion market, overseeing style direction and brand aesthetic for multiple categories. Suzanne has hosted fashion segments for national media and has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Coquette
“The Coquette trend focuses on femininity using clothes with lace, soft colors and bows,” says Bibeau. This look is sweet and flirty, and reminiscent of how you used to play dress up when you were in Kindergarten. In the TikTok video above, the user’s Gen Alpha daughter points out two frilly baby-doll dresses in white and baby pink that she deems “Coquette.”
To complete the Coquette look, Smallshaw suggests adding accessories with a vintage feel (“such as pearl details or a sparkle earring”). And as for why Gen Alpha is so drawn to this ultra-feminine style, it's all about TikTok (the coquette hashtag has been trending for months) and Gen Z style icons like Kendall Jenner and Selena Gomez embracing the ultra-feminine style that Smallshaw says is all about “tapping into your younger self having fun with all the pink and all the girly things you loved as a child.”
Cottagecore
You may think of Cottagecore as so 2020, but for Gen Alpha it’s still very much in vogue with fashion pieces featuring “quilted coats, patchwork denim, peter pan collars and anything with crochet details—a more homemade aesthetic if you will,” explains Smallshaw.
It may seem odd that this tech-forward and modern cohort is drawn to such an old-fashioned aesthetic, but this generation is also dealing with high levels of anxiety and depression, per research, not to mention highly invested in sustainable practices. “Cottagecore is leaning into the simplicity of life and connecting with your inner girl on the prairie vibe. With so much uncertainty in the world, this gives Gen Alpha an opportunity to go ‘back to the basics’ of life, a simpler time when we were connected to nature living off the land,” she adds.
E-Girl
Hope you saved your plaid skirts and chokers, because Gen Alpha is bringing this particular aesthetic back. “E-Girl fashion is a combination of punk and early 2000s style, characterized by bold makeup, fun hair colors, and edgy clothing,” says Bibeau. Think: grungy dresses, short pleated minis, neon colors, graphic tees and fishnets.
“When I think of E-girl fashion, I envision a blend of Japanese babydoll street style mixed with the edge of goth emo styling we had in the ‘00s from celebrities like Avril Lavigne,” adds Smallshaw. Popularized on TikTok, E-Girl style is very much a virtual aesthetic; the E-Girl poster girl might be gamer or a social media star. (Psst: E-Boys are also very much a thing, as the boys' graphic tee above demonstrates.)
Preppy
You may think of preppy as collared shirts, khakis and pleated skirts, but according to Gen Alpha it's, well, not that. Instead, preppy just means bright colors. (Yeah, I’m confused too.) In the viral TikTok video above, the mom shows a model wearing a pink athleisure set and explains, “Apparently, this is preppy."
Aesthetic-aesthetic
As for aesthetic-aesthetic, file this one under another TikTok favorite trend—“Vanilla Girl.” This look focuses on white and cream shades, minimalist pieces and elevated luxury. “When I say ‘aesthetic,’ that means like, beige,” says the daughter from the original Target video above, while holding a cropped, long-sleeve beige shirt.
