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But post-Bratsummer, it seems that the return may be imminent after all.
CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images
Voguefashion writersChristian AllaireandHannah Jacksongot together to debate the so-called return and its longevity.
Before we get into it, Id love to know what the original indie-sleaze era was like for you.
I was very muchin it.
Sky Ferreira and Cory Kennedy, 2012
Smudged eyeliner, messy hairan edgy, perfectly-imperfect vibe.
I think of Hedi Slimanes Saint Laurent.
Loads of flannels or bomber jackets or saucy little polka-dot dresses with tights.
Kate Moss at Isabel Marant fall 2025
Whats been your relationship to the trend?
Jackson:Luckily, I experienced the last few years of the trend while I was in high school.
Allaire:Im so with you on the bleached-hair front.
Alexa Chung walking for Chloé fall 2025
I went platinum around that time.
This is a factor that I think some of our more seasoned colleagues scoff atthe idea of a comeback.
What do you make of all this?
Charli XCX’s 2025 Grammys performance
Allaire:I definitely think its a little soon for a revival.
But then again time now moves faster than ever (thanks technology!
), so it makes sense that trends are coming back sooner.
Timothée Chalamet wearing an Alexander McQueen skull scarf at the 2025 Berlinale
My biggest qualm with indie sleaze in 2025 is…the lack of sleaze.
They really were just slapping things together and hoping it worked.
There was a sloppiness to the look that I found charming.
McQueen fall 2025
Its hard to imagine how this will look today, when a curated image is everything.
Jackson:Thats a great point.
Addison Rae seems to embody it.
So does Charli XCX, Troye Sivan, and Im especially convinced by Alex Consani.
Luckily for me, she released a song, Leash, on theBabygirlsoundtrack.
(Another indie-sleaze indicator?)
I agree Id be keen to hear from those who did it first.
I feel like a lot of them have maintained that style but evolved as theyve gotten older.
We cant be going to sets atThe Smellforever, after all.
That was a pretty clear bellwether for the rest ofBratsummer, which was dedicated to freewheeling messiness.
Her 2025 Grammy performance also really felt like a testament to that.
I still dont think weve hit a peak quite yet, though.
Maybe the ongoing sheer trend is part of this?
Its true, though, I do think its a reaction to stealth wealth and all of that.
I feel like the key to all these revivalsindie!
Western!is finding an element that you like about it and running with it.
You dont need to totally succumb to the idea and dress like a hard-partying rocker.
But you could,maybe, have a little fun with dressing again.
I low-key want to dust off my Alexander McQueen skull scarf now.
Jackson:Well, now seems like the perfect time!
It seems like it may be too soon to tell where all this goes.
But in the meantime Im feeling some serious regret over getting rid of my American Apparel tennis skirts.
But maybe this time around, Ill buy theBalenciaga Ceinture boots.
Ive been eyeing someLucien Pellat-Finet skull sweatersagain.
Its an exciting (and nostalgic) challenge to bring them back into a 2025 outfit.
Jackson:Cheers to that.
Everyone raise a Four Loko!
