It's BRAT Summer, Sure. But Softies Get (and Want to Look) Hot, Too.
It is frankly impossible to have missed the many, many, many ads, memes, and official events Charli xcx's new full-length, BRAT, has birthed. Be it vast, generator-indebted adaptations of the purposefully grainy cover's font, processing feuds "on the remix", or Apple dances, the British pop star has truly shaped and shifted culture.
It'd be straight up foolish to deny this, and Charli is owed all the flowers in the world for this accomplishment. And yet, one can be appreciative of her work in general, even enjoy it on a personal level – without wanting to wear lime green nails, cut-out rib tanks, and Balenci-beetle-like mirror sunglasses (all the time).
Summer is for softies, too, you know? Some of us are not yet at the "bumping that" stage, but are still spending money only to spite our exes, or desperate to even be sexy to someone in the first place.
This is not to say Charli didn't lend us a peek behind the curtain that conceals her more vulnerable side, too. But how BRAT has materialized in sartorial terms is not everybody's cup of tea – and that's alright, because taste is subjective, and I'd anyway like to declare that a BRAT summer is more of an attitude than it is a wardrobe.
To that end, I'd like to propose, then, a quick browse through some of this summer's other most coveted releases, and the visual world-building in action here. Featuring music for the sad or the mad, for when you feel happy or crappy – these are soft summer bops to inspire even softer summer 'fits.
Clairo – Charm
On her third album, Claire Cottrill journeys from her sophomore LP's folky atmosphere into a more 70s soft rock terrain. With hushedly sung songs of wishing to be desired and remembering past love, it's a quiet, observational piece, with endearing and relatable sentiments, tucked comfortably into babbling acoustic guitars and scene-setting Wurlitzer chimes.
Aesthetically, Charm translates into more natural, earthy colors, whimsical textures and prints, material mixes, and an overall bohemian quality. Not unlike Clairo herself – as seen on this article's lead image – you'll be decked out in thrift store sweater vests and knit polos, faded jeans or khakis, and granddad's trusted leather slippers.
Omar Apollo – God Said No
As is both apparent in his songs, and has been openly attested to, Omar Apollo is heartbroken and horny. On his breakthrough's follow up, Omar Apolonio Velasco – as is his legal name – is dealing with heartbreak, and all the longing and resentment that accompany it. This record is more, say, contemporary sounding than the above, though no less eclectic in its collage of emotions and instruments.
A known offender of norms, Omar Apollo does not shy away from the challenge that is to test the limits of menswear, and has frequently put his knack for experimental fashion on display. The styles in and around God Said No only underscore this, and see him pair traditional with surrealist elements, reclaim clichés, and revel in flamboyance.
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