As we are beginning in 2024, people have started to embrace the luxurious Mob wife aesthetic, leaving behind the minimalist clean girl aesthetic in 2023. This viral trend of 2024 brings back the trends of the 80s and 90s, East Coast Italian mob wives from popular movies and TV references. The shift from the clean girl, old money aesthetic to mob wives has taken over the fashion scene, as fashionistas seem ready to ditch minimalism for glamour and opulence. Let’s have a deeper look into this year’s first fashion trend that’s more than just fur coats and fishnets.
What is the mob wife aesthetic?
The mob wife aesthetic is a fusion of sophistication and edginess. The basic look of it involves a fur coat and a black outfit. Voluminous blowouts, long French manicures, oversized fur coats, gold jewelry, animal prints, and, to top it all off, huge sunglasses—but what completes the look isn’t just that; it is the confidence and style that carry this aesthetic. And it is nowhere near subtlety; it is loud, bold, and unapologetic, and it screams loud luxury.
For the makeup, people tend to go with the classic smoky eye shadow and defined, bold lips, along with a sharp contour. It is supposed to be bold and defiant, fitting the attitude of a mob wife.
Where did this trend come from?
The mob wife aesthetic is highly inspired by the Sopranos, The Good Fellas, Peaky Blinders, and other Mafia portrayals. Yves Saint Laurent’s S/S 86 runway show, Versace’s spring 1992 collection, and Schiaparelli’s haute couture showcase have also been serving this aesthetic.
It is widely believed that this trend was orchestrated by HBO for The Soprano’s 25th anniversary of debut, though the speculations were put to an end when a statement was released by HBO that called the trend a testament to the Sopranos and its enduring impact on the culture. A lot of others, however, see this trend as a reaction to the clean girl trend.
What is the meaning behind this aesthetic?
Just like the other popular trends like clean girl and old money, the mob wife aesthetic also focuses on wealthy people, but this time it’s associated with wealth earned outside the law. The mob wife aesthetic is defined as the mafia wife needing a man, which is a take on mafia men doing the bad and dirty work while the woman lives on a life of extravagance. A mob wife is also defined as someone who has her own opinions and doesn’t like people wasting her time and energy.
Though people think the mob wife aesthetic is just another fleeting trend, it certainly might not be the case with celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Dua Lipa, and Jennifer Lawrence having started to join in on the mob wife fashion. Luxury fashion houses like Chanel, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton have showcased the trend on recent runways. Whether or not people prefer the clean girl aesthetic or the quiet luxury aesthetic, the mob wife aesthetic is truly here to stay.
