Here's What the “Mob Wife” Aesthetic Says About 2024 Beauty Trends

 

Carmela Soprano. Sharon Stone in Casino. Fur coats, gold earrings, and French manicures. Less is no longer more. Think Drea de Matteo as Adriana La Cerva in The Sopranos with her voluminous curls and smoky eyes; Michelle Pfeiffer's sleek bob with bangs, long nails, and slinky gowns in Scarface; the women of The Real Housewives of New Jersey and Mob Wives, resplendent in leopard print and their eyes framed in lots of eyeliner. It's messy, Pamela Anderson-style updos, dramatic eye makeup, and stiletto nails, paired with black leather, a real or faux fur coat, and a fabulous bag, or maybe a martini glass. Overnight, everyone went from slicked-back buns to big teased hair. TikTok's reigning “clean girl” is gone, and in her place: the mob wife.

With its throwback feel — incorporating elements of the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and Y2K — mob wife glamour is the most recent example of a new generation discovering “vintage” aesthetics and bringing them back into the spotlight (even if that's just on your phone screen for now). It's the eternal birth and rebirth of a trend. “I enjoy seeing how Gen Z breathes new life into the now-vintage trends that we thought were a thing of the past,” says Donni Davy, head makeup artist on Euphoria and co-founder of Half Magic. “It’s like we get to rediscover them, and in turn, maybe even discover a new version of ourselves.”

To be very clear, the mob wife aesthetic isn't new. It's also worth pointing out that some TikTok users have criticized the aesthetic as cultural appropriation, and other creators have then called out those users for ignoring the influence of Latinx and Black women on past trending aesthetics, namely the clean girl style. It's the same vicious cycle that just about every so-called TikTok trend follows.

Regardless of the (likely multiple) origins of the look, all this over-the-topness seems to be a firm confirmation that we're moving away from an age of minimal makeup and hair and into a more opulent world of beauty. “I’m personally really excited to have a break from the clean girl aesthetic. I was getting so bored," says Haus Labs global artistry director Sarah Tanno. “The mob wife aesthetic has a feeling of unbothered glamour. I think it’s trending because women like feeling powerful and glamorous.” The perfect example of our return to full glamour: Savannah James attending the Schiaparelli haute couture show in Paris.

And the mob wife look, or maximalism in general, doesn't just live on TikTok under a single hashtag. It's merely one microtrend among many — remember the tomato girl, vanilla girl, and “old money” aesthetic of TikToks past? There's no telling how long the mob wife look will be “trending,” but it could unlock some clues as to what's on the horizon for glam trends this year.

“In 2023 there were so many micro makeup trends and many of them were based on food and beverages. I think that was all a warm-up for creativity to blast off in 2024,” Davy explains. “One of the things I’m hoping to see in makeup this year are trends that are based more on moods and characters rather than fruit and coffee." Davy notes that TikTok users have so much power in driving beauty industry trends as a whole, so the popularity of trends like the mob wife aesthetic doesn't just show up online or the red carpet — it eventually makes its way to the makeup counter.

Bolder, stronger, more pigmented formulas are already making their way to shelves. Charlotte Tilbury has introduced five new Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipsticks with several power reds, contouring sticks are resurfacing (we love Victoria Beckham Beauty Contour Stylus and LYS No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick), and mascaras are bringing all the drama, like the Best of Beauty Award-winning Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara.

It's all slowly coming to life on trendsetting celebs like Dua Lipa and Hailey Bieber, both cosmetically and sartorially. Davy believes that this hyper-glam era could be due to the natural pendulum swing from one extreme to another. "A switch to minimalism was like a swing to the other end … but minimalism gets old quickly, and I’d say it actually inspires maximalism!" Makeup artist, photographer, and brand consultant Robin Black put it succinctly: “The speed that beauty trends are coming and going is causing some serious whiplash,” she says. “It's exhausting to see your feed filled with a new trend every day, and I get the sense that people are tired of trying to figure out if they are a strawberry girl or a tomato girl.” This mob wife-inspired maximalism is an intriguing contrast to the clean girl and vanilla girl and the hyper-feminine, girlish cottagecore and coquette vibes of 2023.

Many beauty fans are craving change — in a big way. “It’s all about decadent, self-indulgent glamour,” says Black. “The way mob wives are portrayed in film, they’re not the nicest women, generally speaking. They’re not getting up at 5 a.m. to do yoga, they’re not drinking green juice. They smoke, they drink, they curse, they betray their husbands,” she explains. “It's a little relief after the wellness, happiness, and positivity shoved down our throats along with unattainable clean beauty standards. It’s a fun character to play.” In some way, it's ironic that doing so much more requires so much less effort — and pressure. “Mob makeup is fun. Leopard print is fun,” says Black.

The same goes for hair. Editorial stylist Heggy Gonzalez says, “I think that whatever you wanna wear and however you want to do your hair and makeup is your aesthetic. I also believe it's OK not to do trendy things if they don't feel right to you.” Gonzalez predicts “a more layered approach” to hairstyling. Now is the time to plug in your hot rollers and purchase some hairspray. Brands like Sisley Paris (try the Hair Rituel The Invisible Hold Hairspray) and Davines (Allure editors love This Is A Medium Hairspray) are on board with formulas that make the historically crispy styling product refreshingly wearable. “The hairstyles have a slightly undone feel with texture and movement reminiscent of the ‘90s mixed with ’70s glam," Gonzalez shares. “I also think you can take those slicked-back hair looks, add accessories and a bold lip, layer different patterns and textures into your wardrobe, and get a totally different vibe that feels unique to you.”

Celebrity hairstylist and House of Freida partner Laura Polko also sees elements of the '90s influencing the mob wife aesthetic. “We've moved into that big, bouncy supermodel blowout and we’ve seen everything get more extravagant,” she explains. “When I think ‘mob wife,’ I think feminine, hair tossed up perfectly in a disheveled way.” Polko also credits the popularity and ease of blow-dry brushes for the boost (literally) in big hair. Allure recommends two Best of Beauty Award winners: Dyson's Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete Long and Revlon One Step Volumizer PLUS 2.0 Hair Dryer and Hot Air Brush. “People are putting more effort into their hair instead of just letting it be.”

Ahead, how TikTokers are taking their hair and makeup to the max.