With a cherry lollipop, a baby pink shirt with lace trim, and rose-tinted glasses, you too can be a part of the “coquette,” “Lolita,” and “Lana Del Rey” aesthetics. Despite their seemingly innocent appearances, these aesthetics have problematic origins, such as the sexualization and objectification of young girls that are commonly overlooked amidst the hyper-feminine oversimplification of these styles. Understanding the ramifications of these terms is crucial if we intend to celebrate femininity without encouraging the sexual exploitation of young girls.
Although the term “coquette” has evolved significantly, its origin in seduction and manipulation has been persistent yet overlooked. Historically, the term “coquette” referred to a seductress; stemming from its etymology and use in classical French literature, the “coquette” was used to describe a dangerous woman who utilized her physical allure as a weapon to control men.
Today, the term has evolved into a more innocent-looking aesthetic that often disregards the word’s origin and definition.
The “coquette” aesthetic parallels another unsettling style: the “Lolita” aesthetic. While the “coquette” represents deception by charm, the “Lolita” style highlights exploitation. Vladimir Nabokov’s 1955 book Lolita is both a cautionary tale and a disturbing read, as it follows its unreliable narrator, Humbert Humbert, through his obsession with his stepdaughter. The author’s intention of upsetting and cautioning against sexual exploitation is in sharp contrast to social media posts captioned “Lolita aesthetic” that feature young girls wearing pink cardigans, citing the novel. How did a term rooted in exploitation manage to be a term describing youth and femininity?
The theme of “Lolita” as an aesthetic does not remain confined to modern media and fashion. This is also prevalent in the music industry. Artist Lana Del Rey has commercialized this controversial aesthetic. Her songs, including “Lolita” and “Off to the Races,” utilize the term “nymphet,” which Nabokov coined to describe young girls who seduce older men. In her music video for “Ride,” Del Rey visually evokes imagery that some interpret as referencing these problematic aesthetics as she is dressed in large bows or sits on an older man’s lap in multiple scenes.
Del Rey is known for the raw and unapologetic way she writes about love, loss, and trauma. She connects largely to a young teenage audience, who are captivated by her distinctive melancholic tone. Due to Del Rey’s exploration of complex emotions, younger listeners often misinterpret the themes, leading to the romanticization of dark messages.
Some of these misinterpretations can lead to actual trauma. Many internet influencers describe how Del Rey’s songs captivated them at an early age with the concept of an age-gap romance. YouTuber Jordan Theresa admits how she was groomed as a teenager by an older man, encouraged by Del Rey’s oeuvre, regardless of the artist’s intentions.
Searching “Lolita aesthetic” on TikTok yields: disturbing videos of children and adults alike cosplaying “Lolita,” lip-syncing to Del Rey’s music, amidst 13-year-old girls posting screenshots of their messages to their adult boyfriends. Scroll further and one may find posts of teenagers expressing regret regarding how young they were when they interacted with Del Rey’s music.
Every day over 500,000 online predators are lurking on social media, according to Child Safety Los Angeles (2024), and 1 in 5 girls are sexually exploited or abused according to the National Centre for Victims of Crime (2024).
These figures underscore the importance of critically analyzing the content we consume, especially when it comes to these aesthetics that blur the lines between youth and sexualization. It is essential that we thoroughly scrutinize the content we seek out and promote media literacy to protect vulnerable individuals from potential harm.
You may enjoy Del Rey’s music or a baby pink colored shirt, but by labeling yourself as an enjoyer of the coquette style, you ought to be aware of the consequences that go beyond simply personal taste. By neutralizing these terms, we reduce them to digestible trends and erase their more complex, darker pasts. This is why it is time to recognize the detrimental implications of romanticizing youth and innocence in a sexual context.
