Down To Clown

I blame Chappell Roan for the resurgence of the Clowncore aesthetic.

In the last few years of her rise to fame, she’s reminded the world how fun and camp it is to don a white, powdered face and red grin. 

While some folks (me) equate clowns to the creepy villains in the sewers luring children to their death, many see clowns as the fun-loving, cheeky bringers of joy and whimsy. The Clowncore aesthetic itself is categorized as a colorful and nostalgic embrace of childhood whimsy. 

According to the Clowncore Aesthetics Wiki, “Clowncore (also known as Circuscore) surrounds things such as clowns, mimes, and jesters, as well as things associated with them such as carnivals and fanfare in general… It is often based in childhood nostalgia. Content from this aesthetic is usually bright and happy and childish.” 

There has been a wave of clown and circus-inspired fashion for the last 5 years. Here are some of my favorites:

Sartorial Magazine noted this aesthetic may have risen in popularity post-pandemic as a way to combat the effects that uncertainty, pain, and isolation caused. “The pandemic has been hard on our collective mental well-being. Now, we are breaking out and exploring different ideas. Clowncore represents our overarching desire to let loose–we all want to have a little more color and fun in our lives.”


The fashion world saw a similar rise in trends like “dopamine dressing” coming out of the pandemic. According to Refinery29’s reporting on Clowncore, a retail analysis from EDITED found that, “rainbow graphics experienced an 11% increase in arrivals across 2021 vs. 2020, while smiley motifs grew 37% YoY.” 

 

“Clowns and their bright, rainbow-coloured outfits always made me so happy as a kid, and that’s exactly how I feel about Clowncore in fashion today.

I absolutely adore the clashing prints, fun makeup, and circus-like collars that are so prevalent in this aesthetic. It’s nostalgic and expressive in the best way possible.”

- Sara Camposarcone, Harpers Bazar

 

Why is it being embraced by younger generations on TikTok- again? It’s counter culture. 

It’s reminiscent of the Traditional Goths of the 80s, painting your face white and drastically altering your appearance was a way to counter the status quo. And a way to play with gender norms and society’s expectations for women’s beauty, specifically. 

 

“Today, alternative style has really become mainstream. Everyone has tattoos and dyed hair, you can buy rock tees and ripped jeans at Forever 21.

As such to really stand out and show your individuality, it's sort of pushed everyone to take their creativity to the nth degree,”

-  Hester Sunshine, Refinery29

 

And just like Trad Goths, Clowncore has also been embraced by some in the LGBTQ+ community, in part for that same countering of culture and freedom to play with gender expression. 

At the end of the day, Clowncore basically flips every fashion rule you were ever taught. 

Don’t wear clashing patterns? Do it. Tasteful restraint? Never heard of her. 

This aesthetic celebrates chaos—in the best way. It’s about ditching the rulebook and letting your imagination run wild, one polkadot and giant ruffle at a time.

 
 
Prianna Pathak