Charli XCX, pop icon, singer and songwriter is, in her own words, “just living that life.”
Known to bridge the gap between experimental and mainstream pop, Charli XCX is also no stranger to experimenting with her style. The distinct nature of her avant garde aesthetic has helped Charli XCX cultivate her cult classic status.
The British musician’s unofficial debut began with her album “14,” which was released on Myspace in 2008 when she was 14 years old. The album represents Charli XCX’s early exposure to the club scene in Essex, England which can be seen both in her eclectic music and messy style.
However, the artist’s first official release was her 2013 album, “True Romance” with Atlantic Records. This was deep into the 2013 tumblr era, and Charli XCX was one of tumblr’s it girls. This demonstrates her deep connection with the internet which still can be seen today during the release of “Brat.”
In 2013, Charli XCX would be seen commonly wearing American Apparel-esque plaid skirts and chunky black shoes. The singer also commonly rocked her hair in its natural state paired, often tying the whole look together with a dark eye look, which was synonymous with her music at the time, which was often dubbed “dark wave.”
Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood is also well known for incorporating plaid and grunge elements into fashion which is perhaps why Charli XCX wore clothes designed by Westwood so often.
“I always love wearing Vivienne Westwood,” Charlie XCX said in an interview with Elle. “Her dresses just seem to fit me perfectly, and she makes dresses for girls with curves – I love that.”
The avant garde nature of Westwood’s designs paired well with the messy and creative aesthetics of Charli XCX which explains why some of her most iconic looks throughout the years have been designed under the Westwood label.
For her second studio album, Charli XCX took a more mainstream approach.
“Sucker”— Charli XCX’s 2014 album — brought the singer more into the limelight for her hit song “Boom Clap.” This album was less punk than Charli XCX’s previous work.
Not only did her music veer towards the mainstream but so did her style. In this time period her style was much more bright and colorful. One of her more iconic looks from the time included a Moschino Barbie dress and a zebra print catsuit.
As Charli XCX exited this commercial pop era, with the release of her 2016 EP “Vroom Vroom,” her style began to shift from bright colors to a more bondage and sporty-inspired aesthetic.
The EP was produced by PC Music’s SOPHIE who is also known for her experimental nature. Contrasting the pop gone bad energy of “Suckers,” “Vroom Vroom” allowed Charli XCX to dive completely into the deep end of her bad girl persona.
Following this less successful release, Charli XCX released a mixtape in 2017 titled “No.1 Angel” in which she delved into her more experimental and emotional side.
At the time of the release, the singer was also touring with Halsey who had a big impact on Charli XCX's style. She began to get into wearing custom designed pieces as well as matching sets more than ever before.
In 2019, came Charli XCX’s long-awaited self-titled album, “Charli.” During this time, she was best-known for her bob wig and experimental aesthetic. This can be seen in the similarities between her and SOPHIE.
Some of the artists most well known looks during this period were her yellow Jean Paul Gaultier Met Gala dress, a navy blue Alessandra Rich dress and her Fendi black tulle Brit Awards dress.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, causing Charli XCX to move indoors and focus solely on creating new music. She released her fourth studio album, “How I’m Feeling Now,” in May of 2020.
During this time Charli XCX was seen almost exclusively in white tank tops and T-shirts, looks that assumably resulted from the extended period of time she spent in her home.
Following the release of “How I’m Feeling Now,” Charli XCX came back swinging with her 2022 album “Crash,” the last album Charli XCX recorded under her contract with Asylum and Atlantic Records.
The lyrics featured on this record dealt mostly with the singer’s tumultuous feelings about her music career along with lyrics highlighting how she felt restricted by the industry.
Bloody imagery, big teased 80s-inspired hair and black posh outfits were just a few of the things that defined Charli XCX’s “Crash” style. The singer finished what, at the time she thought was the end of her career, with a “crash.”
Charli XCX quickly bounced back better than ever with her latest album release “Brat.”
The marketing behind this record was brilliant, creating an undeniable association between the album and the color lime green. Charli XCX also brought back her iconic natural hair, proving yet again that the judgment of others means nothing to her.
The singer also ditched her glam makeup for messy and smudged eyeliner, a callback to the start of her career in 2013. Throughout this new era Charli XCX has teamed up withe celebrities including Julia Fox, Rachel Sennott and Addison Rae, allowing her to enter the music game as one of the most popular artists once again. Since many of the looks are callbacks to the singer’s past looks, it shows audiences just how much Charli XCX has influenced pop music throughout the last decade.
