Leopard print is the new black: the mob wife aesthetic

The recent TikTokification of fashion has led to a faster-than-ever trend cycle. The mass popularisation of aesthetics has taken over not only the ‘FashionTok’ hashtag but also transformed street style. Last year, the clean girl aesthetic, focusing on natural makeup, slicked-back hair, and a minimal colour palette, took the Internet by storm. Celebrity it-girls such as Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner were frontrunners in this trend. However, a new year brings along a new attitude, with the darker and more brooding Mob Wife aesthetic set to take over.

It is ultimate mix of femme fatale and girl boss

What exactly is the Mob Wife aesthetic? (Sicilian husband not included). The Mob Wife aesthetic builds on the recent popularisation of hyper-femininity, with Barbiecore’s youthful hot pink tennis skirts and the Coquette trend’s innocent trailing bows giving way to a fusion of classic elegance and bold statement pieces. The ultimate mix of femme fatale and girl boss, the Mob Wife’s sexy but sleek allure adds a certain glamour to the fetishisation of the criminal underworld.

Leopard print is the new black. Quiet luxury gives way to excess. The diamonds are enormous, and the necklines are low. Slinky sunglasses are being replaced with ’70s-big frames. Floral sundresses and ballerina buns are being set aside for slinky, barely-there slip dresses and unrepentantly big hair (“That’s why her hair is so big. It’s full of secrets.”).

Why has the popularised aesthetic of the year changed from the minimalistic allure of 2023 to maximalist trends in 2024? Historically, fashion trends have always been used to signify wealth. In 17th-century France, men wore high heels to show political privilege and their laissez-faire attitude towards manual work. In Elizabethan England, yellow teeth were popularised as they showed that you could afford expensive sugary products. Today, this show of wealth continues with the trends showcased by the top (and most expensive) fashion houses suited to distinguish their wealthy clientele from those who can’t afford to follow them. The trends showcased on Paris and London runways represent the economy of the time, with a two-to-three year delay for the runway collections to be replicated by mass production. Nowadays, it takes a further one-to-two years for the fast-fashion brands to recreate and mass-produce runway trends. The trends of today represent the economy of three-to-four years prior.

The hallmark of the Mob Wife aesthetic is extravagant excess

Cast your mind back to three years ago: the world was emerging from an economically devastating pandemic (Covid-19 – have you heard of it?), with the world as a whole heading into a recession. Thus, the Mob Wife trend, characterised by opulence (I can afford a mink coat and spend hours on my makeup because I’m so rich that I don’t have to work) was born.

The hallmark of the Mob Wife aesthetic is extravagant excess, with fashion powerhouses such as Saint Laurent and Christian Dior recently showcasing darker and sexier silhouettes. Fur coats, leopard print accessories, and Halston-like draped gowns scream opulence, with last year’s trend of girlhood giving way to womanhood. Hardened by life, the Mob Wife sits sipping martinis, using a $100 note as a coaster, as the rest of us search for loose change in order to pay the gas bill. Her recently manicured nails tap rhythmically on the table as she takes a drag of her cigarette, leaving red lipstick stains on the tip. ‘Bella Ciao’ fills the room as she waltzes in her razor-cut stilettos, her heels tapping on her kitchen’s marble flooring matching the beat as she wipes the blood off her newly painted kitchen cabinets. The Mob Wife is not just a fashion trend – it’s an attitude.

How do you get do you get the look? 
1. Tailored silhouettes
Think Tom-Ford-era Gucci, with figure-hugging pencil skirts, waist-sinching gold belts, and barely-there miniskirts. You’ve got it, so make sure to flaunt it!

2. Animal prints
Leopard print is now a neutral, with snakeskin and crocodile-textured faux leather no longer reserved for nights out. It’s time to go big or go home.

3. Killer heels
The higher the heel, the higher the status. The Mob Wife doesn’t need a spare pair of flats for the subway, so neither do you.

4. Over-the-top glam
Throw away your tinted moisturiser and fluffy brows and replace them with heavy, sharp eye makeup and bold lipstick. Put away the hair gel. Instead, opt to backcomb to the high heavens. Nothing is too much (even for a trip to Tesco).

5. Extravagant jewellery
The bigger the better. The more, the better, and it’s real gold, of course (wink wink).