On TikTok, the movement caters predominantly to women, specifically Gen-Z women, and the desire to achieve a delicate, care-free, ultra-feminine aesthetic. The lifestyle—while carefully crafted—sells the allure of a life defined by one thing: leisure. For many, the appeal is in admiring the beautiful aesthetics, like glitter and pastel accessories, and make-up tips to get the perfectly blushed, and a general sense of ease.
But when taken too far, the ideals of soft girl culture give way to some hard consequences—on women’s mental health and for society. The sudden end of the “Girlboss” and the transition into this aesthetic marks an interesting societal trend into rigid definitions of femininity and limiting roles for women. The seemingly harmless elements of soft girl culture blend a little too easily into old-fashioned manifestations of gender. Taken to the extreme, soft girl practices have resulted in an increase of traditional wives (or, as coined by the Internet, “tradwives”). Both concepts are reminiscent of the subservient roles that women have fought so long to break