It’s been a few days that the word “brat” has gone viral on social media, with Kamala Harris not being left out of the new craze adopted by “Generation Z”.
‘Generation Z’ is gearing up for a ‘brat summer’, which is highly inspired by the release of Charli XCX’s popular new party album ‘Brat’.
The album, which hit millions of streams in the first week of its release a month ago, is made up of dance tracks such as ‘Club Classic’, ‘Guess’ and ‘Girl, So Confusing’, all performed by the brunette Brit.
A search for “brat summer” yields thousands of posts, with self-proclaimed “brats” explaining what the term means.
It essentially represents a kind of recklessness, roughness and supreme confidence – the opposite of last year’s clean girl aesthetic, characterized by elegant minimalism, neutral colors and a kind of decorum.
“Unwashed hair, cell at 18%, drinking soda from a can, I’m afraid brat summer has begun,” content creator Steph Amoroso wrote on TikTok.
Others have described ‘brat summer’ as sleeping in last night’s make-up, stumbling out the door at 2am. after a night of clubbing or ‘hitting’ some spontaneous tattoo.
Some consider it to be the antithesis of the “clean” and “super groomed” aspect that social media influencers so often display.
When asked what she thinks “brat summer” is, Charli XCX described the attitude and aesthetic as “trashy.”
“A pack of cigarettes, a Bic lighter and a white top without a bra,” the creator said in a viral video.
Brat – this summer. 15 songs. 41:23 minutes long. on repeat. https://t.co/JHsLbjO049 pic.twitter.com/cLh1vInL9Z
— Charli (@charli_xcx) February 28, 2024
“Brat summer” even has a distinctive color. The green color that is the same shade as Charli XCX’s album cover.
According to stylist Chris Horan, 65 color swatches were tested before the singer settled on the shade of green.
Those adopting the “brat” lifestyle have incorporated the bold color into their wardrobes, and even tech companies are trying to get in on the trend.
It has even taken on such dimensions that Instagram now has a “brat” filter that colors the image with that particular shade.
“Kamala Harris is a brat”
US Vice President Kamala Harris appears to be embracing the ‘brat’ lifestyle as her official campaign account on X (formerly Twitter) changed its banner to match the ‘brat’ style.
This comes after Charli XCX declared her support for the Democratic presidential nominee early Monday, writing in a X post “kamala IS brat.”
The post currently has over 52.8 million views.
kamala IS brat
— Charli (@charli_xcx) July 22, 2024
In addition to Charli XCX’s endorsement, it is believed that the Democratic presidential candidate and the rapid reception of support for her campaign may have adopted this trend due to its viral nature.
Abigail De Kosnik, an associate professor at the Berkeley Center for New Media at the University of California, told NBC that the presidential candidate is “connected” to popular culture in a way that other Democratic candidates have not been able to in the past.
He called the tactic a refreshing change for voters who often see Democrats as boring or old-fashioned.
“The brat girl is like the unexpected leader, the unexpected winner,” said Abigail De Kosnik.
“People were pessimistic about Joe Biden, but there’s so much excitement right now about Kamala Harris. I really hope she can take advantage of that and win,” one of her supporters said.
