What Is Brat Summer Trend? All About The Charli XCX-Inspired Phenomenon

English pop star Charli XCX has declared this summer as ‘Brat summer,’ a term embraced by her dedicated fanbase, the Angels. Following the release of her sixth studio album, Brat, on June 7, the Boom Clap singer clarified the trend’s essence during a BBC Sounds podcast interview. From neon green aesthetics to flirtatious accessories, Brat Summer is all about effortless ‘It’ girl vibes and a hint of unapologetic pettiness. She sets the tone for a season of bold fashion choices and fearless self-expression with her latest music and iconic visuals.

Neon Green, Baby Tees, and Sporty Sunglasses Everywhere? Welcome to Brat Summer!

The Boom Clap singer (31) clarified the meaning of the term on the BBC Sounds podcast after Angels adopted it following the Brat album drop on June 7.

In response to a question about whether a recent photo of the star on a speedboat qualified as part of the trend, Charli said: “It can go that way – like luxury.” The star added that it could also be trashy like cigarette packs BIC lighters and strappy white tops without bras.

TikTok users have been scouring the lyrics of the new album for indications of the kinds of accessories entailed in a Brat summer: digital cameras, cropped T-shirts, anything of a flirtatious nature.

In a controversial move earlier this summer, Charli chose neon green as the backdrop to her album cover, which is perhaps the most iconic feature of a Brat summer. Upon revealing the album art, she received internet backlash, asking why fans feel so much ownership over female artists that they expect their likeness on a cover.

There is more to Brat Summer than accessorizing, reminiscent of Y2K and indie sleaze trends. It is a state of mind – being an “It” girl without working for it.

In the music video for “360” from Brat, the alt-pop star enlisted the help of several It girls past and present, including Chloë Sevigny, Julia Fox, Gabbriette Bechtel, Rachel Sennott, Chloe Cherry, and Richie Shazam. The video even features internet star Emma Chamberlain – the queen of messy buns and oversized sweatshirts, as well as a three-time Met Gala red carpet match.

Charli’s Brat Summer is all about effortless style, unapologetic pettiness and smashed beef

The singer has embodied an effortless It girl persona throughout her album campaign: At a Los Angeles show promoting the album, she told the audience, “I don’t want to sing this one. I just want you to f—ing sing this one while I drink wine, OK?”

A plain green background and blurry, basic font spelling out the album name on the album cover give the promotional cycle of the record a jaded feel as if Charli will never take anything too seriously.

Unapologetic pettiness has also defined Brat Summer. The Face interviewed Charli about the album and called it her “most aggressive and confrontational record.” She doesn’t hold back when it comes to speaking her mind.

“I can be bitchy, but I don’t know if I’m a bitch,” the singer said on the Las Culturistas podcast earlier in June. “I don’t think that you become a bad feminist if you maybe don’t see eye-to-eye with every single woman. That’s just not the nature of human beings.”

Throughout her song Mean Girls, Charli praises a little bad behavior — breaking your boyfriend’s heart and using your “razor-sharp tongue.”

The Face quoted her as saying, “I miss the days when pop music was really volatile and crazy. I miss the Paris Hilton days. Everybody is so worried about everything right now, how they’re perceived, if this art they’ve created is going to offend.”

When Charli and Lorde remixed Girl, it was so confusing that they squashed unnecessary beef, as Brat summer should also be about squashing unnecessary beef. Based on a line that says they have “the same hair,” fans had speculated that the Brat track, which describes Charli’s frustration with a friend not following through with plans to collaborate on music or spend time with her, was about Lorde.

They “worked it out on the remix,” where Lorde admits to feeling intimidated by the English performer but has always respected her work.