The uber-popular "soft girl" aesthetic can seem pretty nebulous—it's not as singular as cottagecore or punk, and notably merges borrowed elements from adjacent aesthetics. It's a cozy, watered-down cousin to the theatrical e-girl aesthetic, and also shares some shapes and color schemes with the Totally Spies-esque Y2K fad. In any case, a "soft girl" is uninhibitedly feminine, somewhat doll-like, youthful, and sweet. In contrast to the retro-loving, city-ready vibe of the Y2K dresser, a soft girl is more of a introverted, indoor romantic with a capacity for the cutesy and kitschy. A soft girl might share silhouettes with a Y2K girl, but will trade in the funkier prints for hushed florals, and will swap the neons and reds for candied or fruit-inspired hues.
In case you're looking to try out different aesthetics, we've compiled ten outfits here that can serve as your entry point into the soft girl lewk. Scroll on ahead!
10 Soft Girl Outfits to Wear If You Want to Give the Aesthetic a Try:
1. Gingham on Gingham
Take a page from the cottagecore book and slip on some picnicky prints. Add flare by rocking a peplum top over a slit skirt. Make sure to pile on some hair accessories too!
2. Babydoll Dress + Hair Bow
Commit to the doll-like look by donning a trendy babydoll dress and sticking a cute bow in your hair. The key to rocking this aesthetic is to just go for it. Soft girls on TikTok don't hold back on flushed makeup either; you're free to dress larger-than-life!
3. Crochet or Knit Cardigan + Baby Tee + Denim Skirt
Yup, denim has a spot in the soft girl's wardrobe! Just make sure to style it with marshmallowy pieces, like this alluring crochet cardigan with massive flowers. It's just too cute! Plus, it adds such a fun texture to outfits.
4. Floral Maxi Dress + Mary Janes + Socks
Venture to the moodier side of the aesthetic by wearing a floral frock and the schoolgirl's black shoe + sock combo. You can opt to forego the white socks in favor of floral mesh ones to complement your dress. We'd go right ahead and accessorize with a compact pink bag, because pink is a soft girl's holy grail.
5. Empire Waist Top + Cardigan + Knit Skirt + Cute Bag + Butterfly Necklace
Point is, hoard clothes in friendly, candied colors. Tease a bit of a K-style sensibility and don a lightweight floral top and a light green mini skirt. If you're not a skirt person, you can always swap one for a pair of colored trousers in a cheerful shade. Lastly, let your unapologetically girly-girl instincts do their thing: If you feel like accessorizing with pretty pendants, go for it!
6. Chunky Sweater Vest + Oversized Collar + Jeans + Chunky Boots
Not a fan of the aesthetic's obsession with cotton candy hues? Don't sweat it: Thankfully, neutrals are allowed, too. Here's a poetic spin on the trendy knitted sweater vest. Style it with an antiquated (but stylishly so) supersized collar, easy jeans, and neutral-toned boots. Truth be told, that collar spells all the difference. This actually underscores an important feature of the soft girl aesthetic: The insertion of romantic, cutesy, and sentimental details will be your look's qualifiers.
7. Argyle Sweater + Pearl Necklace + Tennis Skirt
If the outfit goes well with flowers and the prospect of drinking hot chocolate on a weekend, it's probably a soft girl-approved look. The tight cuffs and balloon sleeves also give this OOTD an unexpectedly princessy vibe, which is a win. So cute!
8. Oversized Pullover + Milky Prints + Plaid Skirt
The way soft girls style plaid will make you forget that the print is also heavily associated with '90s grunge. Here, plaid fully co-opts itself with the cuteness of this slouchy sweater, whose pretty prints call to mind milk and biscuits and strawberry-coated white chocolate. We'd wear this with chunky white sneakers to seal the deal.
9. Lacy Cami + Ribbed White Shirt + Cargo Jeans + Furry Bag
Another flagship piece of the soft girl aesthetic is the lacy cami, particularly the flimsy type that borders on lingerie, yet bears the adorable colors and patterns of a doll's dress. Such a cami is often worn over a shirt, which is a throwback to how grade schoolers would dress in the mid-2000s. Pile on the texture and tote a fuzzy bag to match.
10. Jumper Dress + White Long-Sleeved Top + Chunky Cream Sneakers
If you liked the previous OOTD, you might also want to try latering a jumper dress over a romantic white blouse. It's a dainty look, but also keeps all the fun-loving, childlike traits associated with the aesthetic. Offset the flowiness of both the dress and blouse with a sturdy pair of chunky kicks.
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