Bridget Jones was known for her unkempt hair, hastily put together outfits and sometimes disastrous makeup, which she applied hastily in the backseat of a taxi at night.
It’s an aesthetic that Bridget’s character didn’t choose for herself, as she always strives to be a well-groomed woman with poise and grace. However, it seems she was ahead of her time; as the character’s unintentionally unkempt aesthetic has now become a style that American women aspire to.
TikTok fashionistas are trading in perfectly coiffed hairdos and chic outfits for the “overworked Englishwoman” style of oversized scarves, fingerless gloves and layers of clothing that she’ll undoubtedly shed later in the day after quickly getting dressed.
Inspired by famous romantic comedies like the Bridget Jones franchise starring Renée Zellweger and Keira Knightley’s Juliet in Love Actually, Generation Z women in America are actively trying to copy the casual clothing style.
The look consists of skirts, tights, ripped or not, a loose-fitting shirt with a thick wool sweater over it, followed by a long trench coat and finished with slightly smudged make-up and a clip with loose locks of hair.
A slightly unkempt aesthetic is now the latest trend for young Americans who are swearing off their sleek hair and stylish fashion ensembles to look like the ‘frustrated Englishwoman’
Inspired by the famous romantic comedies starring Renée Zellweger, American women of Generation Z try to emulate the improvised clothing style worn by heroines of chick flicks from the late 90s and 00s, such as Bridget Jones and Notting Hill.
The trend has become popular among American women who have uploaded videos in which they attempt to create a “messy minimalist” look, a departure from the earlier “clean girl” aesthetic that featured sleek buns and flawless makeup.
The new style is currently circulating on TikTok, with hundreds of videos of American women uploading tutorials showing how to create a dressed-up look.
In a clip, one woman described the look as follows: ‘[The] Ideal if you are late and don’t know how to pull yourself together.’
The popular look is currently making the rounds on TikTok, with hundreds of videos of American women uploading tutorials showing how to achieve the dressed-up look
Several Christmas films from the period feature female characters dressing in typical English style for the cold months, with long coats for on the go and knitted family sweaters.
In the same video, she tells viewers how to create a “worn-out” face with minimal makeup, using only concealer for blemishes and bringing the eyes to life by applying eyeliner around the edges.
She uses ‘hasty half strokes’ to give the impression that she just rolled out of bed.
While finishing off the outfit, she suggests wearing a long coat that you can throw on “over whatever you’re wearing” to create an intentionally messy look.
The popular look is currently making the rounds on TikTok, with hundreds of videos of American women uploading tutorials showing how to achieve the casual look
The look consists of skirts, tights, ripped or otherwise, a loose fitting shirt covered with a thick wool sweater, followed by a long trench coat and finished with slightly smudged make-up and a claw clip and several loose strands
The fall look is not only inspired by the famously frustrated Bridget, but also by the messy, undone looks of other TV favorites, including Keira Knightley in Love Actually and Kate Winslet in The Holiday . The actress was pictured in the film with a typical ‘frustrated Englishwoman’ look
The fall look was inspired not only by the famously exhausted Bridget, but also by the tousled, unkempt looks of other TV favorites, including Keira Knightley in Love Actually and Kate Winslet in The Holiday.
Both Christmas films feature female characters who dress in a special English style for the cold months, with long coats for on the go and knitted sweaters for the whole family.
The baker’s hat Keira wears in the family’s favorite Christmas movie has been used for countless looks online.
Such hats have been out of fashion for a number of years, but according to the aesthetics of the tired English woman, the thicker and more absurd the headgear, the better.
Popular hairstyles for a tousled look include uncombed locks that you can take straight out of bed and into work with you, and clips that hold your hair loosely in a wind-blown updo.
One baker’s hat Keira wore in the family’s favorite Christmas movie has inspired countless looks online
In another video, an American woman gives suggestions to complete the tired look.
She said, ‘Start with a pair of tights first. They can be black, brown, ripped, whatever, as long as you can’t see your legs.
‘You’ll want to wear a maxi or mini skirt, preferably with a pattern or pleats. Then grab a collared shirt, bonus points if it’s wrinkled.
“Then add a colorful sweater. If it’s not colorful, make sure it’s chunky or at least knitted.”
In addition to fictional characters, there are also a number of celebrities who have revived the style, such as Billie Piper, Helena Bonham Carter and Kate Moss, who have shown off their tired English looks.
In another clip, an American woman shows how to create an improvised look with a very specific makeup routine.
She described the look as “the epitome of messy minimalism,” explaining that the exhausted Englishwoman “probably doesn’t wear makeup, but if she does, she’ll still apply a few makeup products before she leaves the house.”
In the American creator’s video, she suggests using matte makeup to create a “winter look,” and a bright red blush to imitate “running errands in the cold.”