How to get the ‘brat summer’ and ‘very demure’ look

Last month, American TikToker Jools Lebron posted a video, titled “How to be demure at work”, which went viral. Since then, several celebrities, from Olivia Rodrigo to Jennifer Lopez, have created videos lip-syncing to Lebron’s catchphrase, “Very demure, very mindful”. Another trend that went viral recently was brat summer.

So, we decided to break down the two contrasting style aesthetics in terms of make-up, to help you decide which team you want to belong to, brat or demure. Before that, let's try to decode what the looks mean.

“These are not trends of silhouette or colours. These are trends of vibes and moods, which you can recreate with whatever make up you have," says celebrity stylist Isha Bhansali. “The brat summer vibe, recently popularised by English musician Charli XCX, focuses on how to be stylishly unkempt, being yourself and not bothering about putting things together according to norms. Brat summer is typical Y2K fashion popular among the cool kids, the Gen Z.” She adds that demure is all about being well put-together, chic and cutesy. “It's a little more mature; someone who is basically very mindful of what they wear. All these trends follow the same path of achieving confidence in different ways,” explains the stylist, who works with actors, including Ayushmann Khurrana.

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According to hair and make-up artist Pooja Rohira Fernandes, who works with celebrities like Vaani Kapoor and Manushi Chhillar, brat aesthetic combines Y2K and the it- party girl era vibe, but gives it a more refined edge. “Make-up helps bring out this aesthetic in a big way,” she says.

Look towards Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears for inspiration for both the looks, Fernandes says. “I feel Lady Gaga has also channelled many brat make-up looks in the past. And for a demure aesthetic, Hailey Bieber does it best; it's super minimal and elegant.”

For people interested in the brat summer look, Fernandes suggests a wash of icy blues, or frosted eyeshadows, with a simple black liner. “For those who want to go all out, try the same colours but increase the saturation. Add a thick black liner, lashes are exaggerated, and stick on some rhinestones,” says Fernandes. “I love a dark ombré lip—reddish-black on the outer edges and fading into flesh tones in the centre.”

Demure, on the other hand, screams minimalism, a long-standing trend in make-up where the cheeks look naturally blushed, and there is no hard contour.

“A demure girl relies on soft blush, and a lip colour, balm, tint or lip oil in a shade closest to the natural lip colour," says Fernandes. “Less is more with the demure aesthetic but don’t be shy with blush. Finish with a subtle brown liner, a coat of mascara and some lip gloss.”

Dhara Vora Sabhnani is a Mumbai-based writer.

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