What Is The 'Coquette Aesthetic'? The Reasons Why People Are Putting Bows On Things, Explained

A pickle, a pile of cash, a pair of weights, a boyfriend: it might not seem appropriate to wrap a pink ribbon around these objects and make them into symbols of innocence and girlhood, but that's exactly what TikTok has been up to. The 'coquette' aesthetic may be as old as pink ribbons themselves, but it's found a new life and cultural resonance online. Let's explain how this meme works, and tie it all up in a neat bow.

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7308491307289251078

What Is 'Coquette Aesthetic'?

'Coquette' means a flirtatious woman, and the word is derived from the French "coq" (which means "rooster") turned into a feminine word. So a coquette a girl who struts her stuff the way a rooster would.

Online, the Coquette Aesthetic, like others, is a collection of vibes, objects, and colors which come to represent a certain kind of personality and attitude towards life. Coquette aesthetic is girly, involves light and airy colors, ornamentation, and fabrics. Often, it seems to be paired with a form of wistful melancholy focused on the contemplation of beauty.

On TikTok, some have started to work ironically with the coquette aesthetic, coquettifying not just themselves but random objects lying around the house. The earliest viral example of this trend came about in December 2023, with the bowl of macaroni below, and through that winter it picked up steam. Bows began to festoon a variety of objects.

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7307729883227131182

Where Does Coquette Aesthetic Come From?

'Coquette' has come to represent an aesthetic of traditional, girly femininity drawing from many sources. One of these is the work of Lana Del Rey, whose online vibe has made traditional American girly aesthetics into a serious matter. Other sources include the novel My Year Of Rest And Relaxation and the Trad Girl trend.

Why Are People Posting About The Coquette Aesthetic?

The tying of bows around different objects could be a way to poke fun at the trussing, accessorizing, and curating that goes into following any online aesthetic. The message seems to be that if you can tie a bow around your own wrist, you might as well tie one around your takeout Chick-fil-A and have the same effect.

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7308190822166449438

Appreciation of online aesthetics is often both sincere and ironic at the same time, and the story of coquette aesthetic seems to be no exception to the overall trend.

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For the full history of the Coquette Aesthetic / Bow Trend, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.