The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SLU chapter.
On social media, you have likely seen the “Clean Girl” aesthetic. If you are a “clean girl,” you always look effortlessly put together, and the hallmarks of this aesthetic include slick-back ponytails, no-makeup makeup and neutral basics. There are also a variety of lifestyle choices associated with a “clean girl,” including pilates, smoothie bowls and shopping at Whole Foods. None of these things are bad in themselves if you like doing them; the problem begins when you suggest that these things are insistent on your cleanliness and that people who do not do these things cannot be clean. This is how this trend can be problematic and potentially damaging to young people
Something that is indirectly said through the “clean girl” aesthetic is that hyperconsumerism is associated with cleanliness. Hypercosumerism is consistently buying more than you could ever need, and it is incredibly harmful to the environment. The “clean girl” aesthetic tells girls that they need to buy overpriced acai bowls, excessive amounts of skin care products and a new wardrobe of neutrals to be considered clean. Not only is this incredibly wasteful, but it is also inaccessible to anyone of a lower socioeconomic status. Not all of us have the money to spend on Pilates classes or Sweetgreen, and this does not make us “unclean.” The classist undertones of this trend should be off putting to everyone.
Another problematic part of this trend is that it only accepts certain body types and looks as “clean.” A prime example of this is the “no-makeup makeup requirement.” No foundation may work if you have flawless poreless skin, but if you have any form of blemish or scarring on your face, you are not going to get the same result. For example, I personally had cystic acne all throughout grade school and high school, and my hyperpigmentation disqualifies me from what the “clean girl” makeup should be. Another thing you may notice about this trend is that the clean girl aesthetic promotes thin athletic bodies as the way to cleanliness. Not only is this fatphobic, but it also excludes women with cellulite, stretch marks, scarring and any other qualities that show that our bodies are lived in. When you look at the physical requirements for this trend, it looks like it came straight out of a Victoria’s Secret modeling gig.
In tandem with outrageous physical expectations, the “clean girl” aesthetic promotes disordered eating habits for young women. Though it is more subtle, part of the “clean girl” aesthetic is subscribing to many of the “clean eating” habits we see all over social media. These habits usually include cutting out almost all processed foods and avoiding sugar and carbs as much as possible, all while committing to strenuous workout regimens. These things can promote fear of foods and encourage disordered eating habits, especially if we tell young girls that they need to do these things to be considered “clean.”
The different pieces of the “clean girl” aesthetic are not bad in themselves, but they become problematic when you associate them with what is clean and what is unclean. By requiring all of these things, you exclude huge swaths of people from being able to participate in the “clean girl” aesthetic for qualities that may be hereditary, personal and out of their control. When this happens, the “clean girl” trend shifts from fun and empowering to exclusionary and harmful.
