If youÔÇÖre like me and you obsessively scroll through the fashion side of TikTok to mentally spend your entire overdraft, youÔÇÖve probably seen the gradual rise of ÔÇÿUgly ChicÔÇÖ outfits. These mismatched, gaudy clothes have caused a rift on the app, dividing viewers opinions and inspiring a new wave of innovation when putting an outfit together.
But where did the preference of fun over fashion come from?
Gen Z grew up with Disney Channel; we saw Hannah MontanaÔÇÖs yellow zebra print tops, Ashley TisdaleÔÇÖs skirts over jeans, Harper FinkleÔÇÖs iconic rubber duck dress, ties and chunky layered bangles, the list is never ending. It seems that an upsurge in ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ fashion was inevitable, and definitely a positive.
ÔÇÿUglyÔÇÖ fashion throws the male gaze out the window. ÔÇÿAdamSandlercoreÔÇÖ (baggy t-shirts, basketball shorts, etc.) pushes flattering silhouettes out of the picture, allowing us to heal our inner child and wear outfits that make us comfortable, happy and excited without stifling ourselves in Joni jeans and a tiny top. The rising popularity of bleached eyebrows removes a stereotypical beauty standard and a face-framing feature, in favour of experimenting with aesthetics rather than being ÔÇÿattractiveÔÇÖ, although people with bleached eyebrows without a doubt always look great.
ÔÇÿUgly chicÔÇÖ has also influenced high fashion, as weÔÇÖve already seen this year. The Schiaperelli S/S 23 show at Paris Fashion Week was a prime example of this; Doja Cat was in attendance covered in over 30,000 red Swarovski crystals that hid almost every feature apart from her eyes, Irina Shayk walked the runway in a dress adorned with a life-sized lions head across the right shoulder and Shalom Harlow wore a snow leopard gown with the same feature. Elsa SchiaperelliÔÇÖs entire career in her fashion house from the 1930s to 1950s was inspired by her celebration of Surrealism and eccentricity, most famously her accessories like the 1930s telephone purse.
WeÔÇÖve also more recently seen a rise in the incorporation of ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ fashion on the red carpet, most notably Sam SmithÔÇÖs recent Brit award debut in an inflatable latex piece. The awkward silhouette of the latex allowed their body to be completely distorted, possibly in response to the constant body shaming that they have faced from the general public, coaxing them to discuss the contentious proportions of the jumpsuit rather than their own body.
All in all, the rise of ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ fashion allows us as a generation to redefine not only what is ÔÇÿfashionableÔÇÖ but also what it means to wear something ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ. ÔÇÿUgly chicÔÇÖ allows a generational reclamation of the word, and as the trend of unattractive clothes takes over, it begs the question: what is ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ fashion?
Words by Phoebe Evans
In my opinion, Gen ZÔÇÖs take on ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ fashion stems from the micro-trends we obsessed over in lockdown. When we were all locked in at home, confined to our one-hour ÔÇÿhot girl walkÔÇÖ; the outfits I wore during this time mattered. Paired with my new obsession with TikTok, I was obsessed with staying up to date with what was trending. Now, post-lockdown I feel like IÔÇÖve truly developed my own sense of style through the medium of ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ clothing.
If we time-travel back to lockdown, images of DIY bleached jeans, bright coloured swirls, and fun jewellery (think strawberry resin rings) all come flooding back to me. While this is definitely not my style now, I believe my obsession with bright colours (and frankly childish jewellery) was just my own attempt to gain control of an uncontrollable situation. Making tie-dye socks in my garden with my sister was my attempt to reconnect with my childhood ÔÇô and there my love for ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ, one-of-one fashion began. At the same time, I started my Depop side hustle. My zero-hour contract weekend cleaning job hadnÔÇÖt put me on furlough and I needed to find a way to fund my new ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ clothing obsession. At the end of the first lockdown, IÔÇÖd managed to rack up more than 200 sales on the app just by selling pre-loved Primark vests and DIY clothing. Through the isolation of the first lockdown and Depop (like many of us) I began to explore my true sense of style ÔÇô IÔÇÖd stay up late at night hunting for the most outlandish sequin tops. The uglier the better!
In our post-lockdown world, it is evident that Gen Z remains obsessed with ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ, sustainable fashion. I feel like our generation has condemned the world of fast fashion; the TikTok influencers who began their careers by uploading extortionate Shein hauls now promote small sustainable brands and thrift shopping. The shift from bulk buying almost single-use clothes, to one-of-one timeless vintage clothing can only be seen as positive. Our generation has a huge awareness of the impact brands like Shein, Zara, and H&M have on our planet. We also managed to cultivate an awareness of those who make clothes for these fast-fashion giants, demanding that their workers deserve better treatment for the items they produce.
Through the vessel of ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ fashion, Gen Z has found a way to affordably express themselves, while caring for the earth at the same time. With the lack of micro-trends and arguably the reintroduction of timeless fashion, I believe that ÔÇÿuglyÔÇÖ fashion is permanently here to stay.
Words by Olivia Griffin