If you're deep in the depths of BeautyTok, you'll probably have heard about a little thing known as the 'coquette aesthetic', which has garnered more than 1.5 billion views and manifested into various categories including 'coquette make-up' and 'coquette nails' (the latter essentially being another iteration of the minimalist nail).
The coquette beauty trend is nothing new. Those who lived through the Tumblr era will instantly recognise the look of frilly sundresses, tumbling Princess Aurora-waves, ribbons, and generous sweepings of blush. It was an overdose of pastel pinks, whites and beiges. Sweet, but perhaps too sweet for everyday styling in 2023.
However, Hailey Bieber's recent hair and make-up look over the weekend made us realise that perhaps there is a way to give the coquette look a chic, modern upgrade.
In a selfie posted on Instagram, the model and founder of beauty brand Rhode wore not one, not two, but three beauty trends simultaneously. She accessorised her brunette bob with four organza bows, opted for a subtle pink cat-eye flick, and offset the girly vibe with a vivid lemon yellow manicure - a hue seen across the SS23 runways. Despite all the pinks in Bieber's look, the vibe still felt oh-so-cool thanks to the execution and balance.
Keeping the bows small and against a laidback hairstyle kept it unfussy and instead of going with a shimmery, dolly-eyed look, Bieber went for a graphic line. When paired with blush and a glossy lip, the overall effect is fresh rather than overdone. Meanwhile, the pop of bright yellow on her nails breaks up the romantic colour palette.
ELLE Edit: Coquette Beauty
It's a look that will work on every skin tone and hair type, and takes much less time than having to perfect that waterfall wave.
