To use the slang of the times, in 2023, we entered our ‘clean girl’ era. With celebs like Sofia Richie Grainge and Hailey Bieber leading the charge, it was a year of slick buns, ‘no makeup’ makeup, and simple, understated outfits. But with 2024 well underway, it seems the internet is ready for a change. Enter, the micro-trend of the moment: the mob wife aesthetic.
Channelling on-screen icons like The Sopranos’ Carmela Soprano, American Hustle’s Rosalyn Rosenfeld, and Scarface’s Elvira Hanco*ck, the movement has been defined by TikTok as the more-is-more glam of an Italian mobster’s wife.
Proving there might actually be some legs to this trend outside the platform, it’s also been picked up in the real world. Celebs like Kendall Jenner, Dua Lipa, andHailey Bieber have all stepped out mob wife-inspired outfits in recent weeks, mostly consisting of faux-fur coats paired with stockings and an opulent blowdry. We saw hints of it on the runway, too, with Louis Vuitton and Chanel both leaning into the aesthetic in their spring/summer 2024 collections.
Interested in unleashing your inner mob wife? Keep reading for your guide to channelling the mob wife aesthetic.
If your scalp’s sore from slicking your hair back for most of last year, the mob wife trend will come as a welcome change. Big, bouncy hair is key to this aesthetic, so grab your Dyson Airwrap and a set of rollers and get to perfecting your blowout.
Importantly, as one TikToker pointed out, the aim is not perfection here. “If your hair isn’t [perfect], that’s totally fine. It’s an attitude; it’s an aura,” she explains, adding, “The mob wife is unbothered. She has places to be, she has people to see.”
Mob wife clothing is defined by opulence. Whether that’s floor skimming coats (faux fur is a favourite), or head-to-toe print (leopard or cheetah, obviously), there’s nothing quiet about this brand of luxury.
Accessories are another key component to nailing this brief. No matter the outfit, you can’t go wrong by throwing on a pair of oversized shades, plenty of chunky, robust gold jewellery, and finishing it off with some kind of heel.
Marking the biggest shift from the ‘clean girl’ trend is mob wife makeup. With a penchant for bolder, more defined looks, there’s no room for barely-there blush or concealer-only looks here.
Instead, reach for black eyeliner – messily smoked out across the lid – and lipsticks in either rich reds and browns. Of course, a heavy hand is key.
@aliciabreuer0 I think this is my favourite makeup look to date lol, maybe im supposed to be a mob wife… #mobwifemakeup #mobwife #makeup #beauty (Products used @Armani beauty luminous silk foundation 6.5 @YSL Beauty all hours concealer MN1 @Huda Beauty pretty grunge palette @REFY cream bronzer ‘tan’ @Fenty Beauty mascara @L’Oréal Paris le khol 102 pure espresso ysl lipstick shade 14)
♬ Love In Portofino – Dalida & Raymond Lefèvre Et Son Grand Orchestre
Finish off the look by ensuring you’ve alway got perfectly manicured hands: classic french tips or cherry red work best here. And bada bing bada boom, you’re a mob wife!
