Feral Girl Fall Is Upon Us

Last year, hot girl summer proved to be fleeting when the Omicron variant struck and the world once again entered a fall and winter of climbing cases. We said goodbye to our "vaxed and waxed" fantasies, forced to succumb to another season indoors in our sweats.

Or did we?

In times of turmoil and grief, fashion can be a beacon of light and a source of hope. When our visions of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a bunch of strangers in a sweaty bar came crashing down, our clothes came to the rescue, allowing us to live out our wildest dreams. The result? A resurgence of the party girl aesthetic, which allowed us to wear our most risqué pieces of clothing without an actual reason.

Now, thanks to vaccines, double-boosted queens are hitting the town in their Friday best every day of the week. And the best part is that this trend isn't just reserved for party-goers or bar frequenters — feralcore is for everyone. Going to Starbucks? Put on a halter top. A few errands to run? Pair a bra top with your favorite flossy pants. All the celebrities are stepping out in skin-baring looks, and it's now trickled down to the TikTok crowd, Gen Z, millennials, and beyond.

Whether you're ready to take on girls nights out or simply embracing sexy style, feral girl fall is upon us. Below are the easiest trends to incorporate in your everyday wardrobe.

Going Out Tops

Gen Z has been quick to establish tiny tops and baggy pants as their go-to uniform. Now, shirts once reserved for clubs have made their way to everyday activities, like trips to the grocery store and even the office. We've been influenced by celebrities to embrace halters, upside-down tops, and ultra-cropped tees — most of which are faored by Dua Lipa, who has turned plunging tops into picnic attire.

Bra as Shirts

While it may seem odd to wear a bra as a shirt outside the house or gym, it's become the norm in recent years and is a relatively easy trend to copy. If you're not ready to bare it all, layer this piece of lingerie over a tee or under a blazer to balance things out.

Low-Rise Pants

Nothing is more Y2K than a pair of low-rise pants, which have made a comeback with the rise of early aughts fashion. You can thank celebrities like Emily Ratajkowski, Hailey Bieber, and Bella Hadid for the resurgence of the controversial look, but don't be afraid of the shrinking waistline — instead, use it to elongate your torso.

Bratz Monster Platforms

Forget your comfortable going-out pumps and dainty kitten heels; monster platforms are a major shoe trend these days. Think: Bratz Dolls and Versacé. The shoe is more versatile thank you'd think, and can be worn with pants, skirts, or dresses, just like model Paloma Elsesser demonstrated here.

Micro Minidresses

We've moved past prairie frocks and flowy maxidresses. In 2022, it's the shorter, the better. Micro-length skirts, dresses, and shorts have dominated the runways and award show circuit over the past year. The The Miu Miu micro-mini paved the way for the comeback and made Sydney Sweeney and Nicole Kidman poster children for the fad.

Cutouts

Cutouts have become somewhat of an inescapable fixture in today's fashion and pop culture world — one scroll through TikTok, Instagram, or your favorite online retailer will prove that. The trend's most popular purveyors (Miley Cyrus, the Kardashians, Hadids, Lipa, etc.) have inundated our timelines daily with funky slits and holes in odd placements (à la ovary cutouts). Kendall Jenner even wore the most extreme cut-out dress to a friend's wedding.

Mesh Material

Naked dresses have been a red carpet staple for decades, but the trend is now acceptable for normal, everyday wear, even if you're not on a runway or in front of flashing cameras. Pair a sheer shirt or dress with a coordinating bra and undies set for a sexy but put-together look that can work for day or night.

Corsets

Netflix's Bridgerton and the world's obsession with period dramas led to the rise of regencycore and even caused a corset shortage. But we've moved well beyond the ballgowns, and the corset – once a garment used to perpetuate toxic beauty standards — is now an empowering, versatile top that can elevate pretty much any outfit. Style your own over a shirt (like the look above) to carry the trend through the winter months.

Flossing

No, we're talking about removing food from your teeth. Rather, this is the name for stringy, skin-baring designs. While the trend was established in the early 2000s by popstars like Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, and Britney Spears, modern-day celebrities and style connoisseurs, including Bella Hadid and Julia Fox, have brought flossing back into the spotlight.