Heroin Chic’s Sultry & Sullen Sister
@kyliejenner 
@ameliagray 
@bellahadid
From its initial roots blossoming in the 90s, heroin chic is entirely in its regeneration phase. BBLs are being replaced by BFR or buccal fat removal. Kate Moss is no longer society’s It Girl; instead, we have figures such as Bella Hadid and Amelia Gray dominating the runway scene, editorial spreads and social media. They sport the skinny physique, snatched cheekbones, thin brows and dark circles. Not quite heroin chic; it’s more glamorous and less grunge, hence Cocaine Chic (try to ignore the controversy surrounding the trend based around addiction. That is another dialogue in itself.)
Gabriette (@gabbriette), without a doubt, has single-handedly inspired a new population of Gen-Z to debut the thin brows and dark eye look, something which I think the beauty industry has been CRAVING after years of thick and groomed brows with equally perfected glitter cut-creases and winged liner. But with every alternative look, social media users cling to the intricacies and develop another niche microtrend. In the past 6 months alone, we’ve been through several trend cycles, from vanilla girl, balletcore, pink pilates princess, and Berghain bitch: now we have a new addition…
Cocaine Chic.
Please don’t hate me, but I love this era of beauty and fashion. Something about it is so reminiscent of 90s media. From the thin/bleached brows sparking images of Angelina Jolie to the contrasting ‘yassified’ Kubrick stare featured in selfies, it serves as a twist on the horrifying classic look to a now glamourous form of intimidation. Perhaps that’s the entire appeal? Perhaps intimidation is the new innocence when discussing outward appearances and how we showcase ourselves to society?
Unfortunately, Cocaine Chic has its negatives (disregarding the ill-considered name and its irrelevance and inaccuracies when compared to literal cocaine additions and lifestyles, which in itself is problematic, and all the other distinguishable traits associated with it…) Just like every other fashion/lifestyle trend, it promotes unrealistic beauty standards: but on a side note, does anything not?
Cocaine Chic prioritises thinner bodies, something we have seen across the media, from new diets trending to the Kardashians ‘reportedly’ removing their implants losing drastic amounts of weight. It is as if the past 10 years of body positivity movements have been disregarded, and body neutrality is once again out of fashion. I’m guilty of this myself, it was only towards the end of 2022 that I devoted a lot of time towards losing weight, and I am still striving for a, perhaps, unachievable look. However, I worry that for younger individuals, this rise in pro-thin media and pro-ana content online, especially on TikTok, will cause a significant rise in children with disordered eating and low self-esteem. Beyond promoting thinness, the beauty standards alone are difficult to achieve if you aren’t blessed naturally like Amelia Gray or Miss Bella Hadid. Whether you stray towards the gua sha or the buccal fat removal, there is nothing wrong with that. I just wish those decisions were made without the overwhelming involvement of digital westernised media.
However, it is so important to note that the consequences following the microtrend of ‘cocaine chic’ does NOT fall on the shoulders of the individuals who showcased the aesthetic initially. Gabrriette and Amelia Gray are not enforcing these beauty standards; they just exist within a society that prioritises profit over individualism. They simply live authentically, share it online and influence their audiences, which is harmless (within this context). It is the conglomerates, the large corporations and media organisations that place pressure on consumers to adapt, spend and evolve into the latest ‘beauty trend’ regardless of the cost. Both literally and metaphorically, the industry depends on your emotional investment and financial backing, and they do not care for the consequences.
Long story short, I love the aesthetic, its sultry and sullen, traits I often wish I could convey. However, I hate how capitalism has ingrained the notion in me that just because I love how an aesthetic looks means I must invest and alter my appearance to feel happy existing.
But if I ever get buccal fat removal anytime soon, just forget I wrote this. x
j'adore georgia 