Camp style

An aesthetic phenomenon so hard to pin down that it took Susan Sontag 58 notes to capture its essence, camp hinges on irony, flamboyance, humour, self-love and parody – as Susan wrote: “Camp sees everything in quotation marks”.

It can be decadent, tongue-in-cheek and incredibly subjective. Not simply a wardrobe style, camp spans performance, identity, pop culture, politics and – most importantly – queer culture, where it has played an important part of the history of the queer community.

Camp was the theme of this year’s Met Gala and Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute exhibition ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’ which featured clothing from Louis XIV’s court, ’80s Chanel, 19th century queer pioneers Fanny and Stella, Gucci, and much more.

Read more: What exactly is camp fashion and why is it having a moment?

E-girl style & e-boy style

Those teens on your Instagram explore page with cute blue hair, heavy eyeliner and fake freckles? Probably e-girls or e-boys.

Pigtails and candy coloured or high-contrast hair is popular (like those bleached fringes borrowed from the late ‘90s), as are graphic beauty looks – especially winged eyeliner. E-boys seem to love centre-parted bowl cuts that we haven’t seen since Nick Carter was a teenager.

The aesthetic is an ironic, hypnotising chimera of pop culture references, borrowing from goths and emos, skate culture and anime.

While image is everything, namely the digital avatars of ourselves (which is where the name e-girl comes from), there’s also something more honest about their presentation of self than traditional influencers. Filters are exaggerated and obvious, embracing a super-charged digital look that’s also nostalgically low-fi.

It’s theorised that the subculture rose from the video app TikTok, and aesthetically we see it as the edgy younger sister of the famous ‘Tumblr girl’ look.

The term “e-girl” itself stems from online gaming, where it was used as an insult before being adopted by the younger generation who have shifted its meaning to something more positive and self-referential.

Steampunk style

Far from a new trend, steampunk obviously still puzzles people… and drives them to Google. This retro-futuristic (and divisive) aesthetic draws from science fiction and 19th century industrialism – think Victorian Gothic, with corsets, leather, tiny sunglasses and top hats.

With strong roots in DIY communities, on a broader scale most recently it’s been visible in the movie Mortal Engines and the series His Dark Materials, while in high fashion it endures in the ground-breaking designs of the late Alexander McQueen (pictured).

Harajuku style

Another assumed to be well-known search term this year, Harajuku style refers to the street fashion seen in Tokyo’s Harajuku district – famous for outrageous outfits, bright colours and eclectic ensembles that span a broad range of distinct aesthetics and subgroups of Japanese youth.

Beginning in the mid ‘90s and enduring through the ‘00s, Harajuku street fashion was given a global audience by the influential magazine FRUiTS, created by photographer Shoichi Aoki, and the movement began to influence western culture.

Gwen Stefani appropriated the term in 2004 with her album Love. Angel. Music. Baby album and her kawaii (cute) “Harajuku Girls” backup dancers – a decision she defends.

Aoki closed FRUiTS in 2017 and GQ declared the Harajuku look “dead”. Though, to our eyes at least, echoes of the aesthetic can be found in the e-girl look – and Aoki is still documenting street style.

Preppy style

Distinctly American (though adopted worldwide) aligned with wealth, privilege and WASP-y (white Anglo-Saxon protestant) ideals, this subculture and aesthetic is associated with Ivy League colleges like Harvard and Yale and private prep-schools – where the look gets its name. The style was well established by the ‘50s and, though timeless, has gone through periods of wider popularity – while within certain groups it remains the norm.

Traditionally a signifier of class and generational wealth (though the look has been subverted by many other demographics since) preppy fashion incorporates garments like chinos, polo shirts, argyle sweaters, loafers, wrap dresses and oxford shirts – with brands like Ralph Lauren making the look famous.

It’s influenced by traditional British style, with the likes of hunting jackets and rugby jerseys, and also draws inspiration from sports associated with the upper classes, such as rowing, polo and golf.

The look was defined aptly by The Official Preppy Handbook, a tongue-in-cheek book published in 1980 that satirises the aesthetic and its socio-economic subtext – and is still well worth reading.

Yankii style

Another subculture from Japan, yankii (pronounced yahn-kee) emerged in the 1950s, following World War Two, among predominantly working-class and suburban youth. Founded in rebellion, yankii embraces the distinctions of class and rejects societal constructs of acceptability.

It’s a look that has endured to this day – with many people committing to it for their whole lives. Due to this and its origins, yankii is more than just a trend or aesthetic; it is a subculture and community of its own.

Yankii draws inspiration from popular culture – such as greasers, punks, and elements of what is referred to in America as “white trash” (a term now seen as disparaging and problematic) – but it also incorporates traditional Japanese elements like kanji characters, and is aligned with bōsōzoku (Japanese motorcycle gangs).

Many proponents of yankii style dye their hair blonde or red, slick it back Elvis style or rock a perm. Yankii women can often be found wearing versions of school uniforms.

Yankii’s influence extends beyond Japan with people worldwide appreciating its significance, and its influence can continue to be seen throughout fashion and pop culture. The rebellious nature of this 60-year-old subculture continues to feel relevant in this geopolitical climate (which possibly explains it’s Google popularity).

Vintage style

The popularity of vintage fashion is only increasing, and so it should. Not only does it offer a unique look and the joy of the hunt, it is also relevant to the shifting attitudes around sustainability – with vintage offering an environmentally friendly option when updating your wardrobe.

From ’40s pin-up or ‘70s style to the enduring popularity of the ‘90s and, of course, the resurgence of the ‘00s and ’80s, decades past provide endless inspiration – as is telling by the popularity of vintage on Google’s search engine.

Although the definition of vintage is hard to pin down – and naturally shifts as time goes on – generally it refers to clothing that is at least 20 years old, though it can denote secondhand garments of more recent provenance.

Here at FQ we are big fans of vintage style, and have delved into this topic many times.

Read more: How to shop for and wear vintage like you know what you’re doing

VSCO girl style

Although this is another aesthetic that originated on the video app Tiktok, the name “VSCO girl” actually comes from the photo editing app VSCO that makes digital photos look like film.

Predominantly adopted by teenage girls, the aesthetic is defined by a specific look – think scrunchies, bucket hats, dewy natural skin (thanks to VSCO girl favourite, Mario Badescu facial spray), Kånken backpacks by Fjällräven, and disposable cameras.

She will have a tan (real or otherwise) and long beachy blonde hair, will be wearing Birkenstocks, Vans or Crocs with an oversized sweatshirt. VSCO girls care about the environment, or like to appear as if they do – favourite accessories are stainless steel water bottles and nature backdrops.

Emo style

Another surprise entry on Google’s trend list; emo style is… back? It could be influencing e-girls? Or perhaps older millennials are just on a nostalgia trip (for those who missed it, the subculture broke into the mainstream during the mid ‘00s) with the news of emo-icons My Chemical Romance reuniting.