The Unapologetic Girlishness of Sabrina Carpenter
From Billie Eilish and her menswear bagginess to Olivia Rodrigo’s trademark archival designer grails, it’s not uncommon for pop stars to have a signature look.
But Sabrina Carpenter stands out in the sea of pop girls with her unapologetically girly fits.
And, suddenly, it’s cool to be girly. Brands that have long been associated with girlishness, like Sandy Liang and Mirror Palais — Carpenter has recently worn both — are suddenly everywhere while trends like “coquette-core” overtake TikTok feeds across the globe. Now, it isn’t just okay to be girly — girlishness is a point of pride and Sabrina Carpenter is its living embodiment.
Girlishness is crystal clear in every part of Carpenter’s public persona, from cover stories to music videos. Even while performing on Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour, Carpenter dressed like a baby doll with heart-shaped cutout corsets made by Ukrainian designer FROLOV.
With the help of stylists, Jared Ellner and Jason Bolden, Carpenter sprinkles in the occasional archival item, each piece fitting perfectly into the proudly feminine world that Carpenter has created for herself. Take the 2001-era Victoria’s Secret ensemble worn for a performance on New Years Eve 2023 and the vintage Chanel number seen on the cover of Carpenter’s latest single, Espresso.
And, of course, Carpenter has also worn her fair share of custom looks, like the delicate feathered mini dress and silver crystal top-meets-gold ultra-mini skirt ensemble — both designed by the late Roberto Cavalli — from Coachella 2024.
This push towards unabashed girliness isn’t exemplified only by the clothing that Carpenter wears. It bleeds throughout her entire brand and personality. The sets at her shows are strewn with heart motifs, her lyrics read like a close friend dishing out secrets at a slumber party, her music videos almost always include some of her best girlfriends.
Carpenter isn’t just a girly-girl, she’s a girl’s girl through and through. And she literally wears her heart on her sleeve.
