Bye bye basic! How loud fashion, chunky jewellery and messy beauty is replacing minimal chic
The vibe? Controlled. Polished. Curated. Quiet.
Image credit : Pinterest | Clean girl makeup ruled every feed: slick buns, dewy skin, neutral nails and gold hoops so tiny they whispered instead of spoke.
When beige was a personality
Minimalism mirrored a world trying to hold itself together. After lockdowns and collective anxiety, aesthetics leaned into order. Everything was streamlined, symmetrical and filtered within an inch of its life. But perfection fatigue is real. And people are tired.
Because here is the truth: when your entire personality is “effortless”, the effort is exhausting.
Image credit : Pinterest | Minimalism mirrored a world trying to hold itself together.
Enter: Everything loud
And no I am not saying it was bad, it carried its own vibe. But now? Well, now the pendulum has swung so hard it has knocked the neutral-toned vase off the table.
Maximalism is back, and it is not asking politely.
Fashion has ditched stealth wealth and embraced loud luxury. Logos are visible again. Colours are loud enough to be heard from space. Neon green, electric blue, hot pink. Silhouettes are dramatic. Fabrics are voluminous. Clothes take up space, physically and metaphorically.
Image credit : Pinterest | Pendulum has swung so hard it has knocked the neutral-toned vase off the table.
Accessories are no longer shy supporting characters. They are the main event. Ghunghru bangles that jingle with every move. Heavy chandelier earrings that brush your shoulders. Chunky rings, layered necklaces, bag charms that look like a personality test. Dainty has left the chat.
Even the so-called “mob wife” aesthetic has entered as a bold correction to the clean girl era. Faux fur, leopard print, thick gold chains. It is glam, it is dramatic, it is extra on purpose.
Image credit : Pinterest | Maximalism is not just about tacky glitter and oversized hoops. It is about reclaiming joy.
Beauty gets messy (finally)
Makeup has also broken free from the tyranny of subtlety. The glass skin obsession has softened into something more human. Smudged liner, bold red lips, metallic shadows and textured nails with chrome and three-dimensional charms are thriving. Beauty brands focused on pigment and play are leading the charge, encouraging experimentation rather than correction.
Instead of chasing flawlessness, people are chasing feeling.
This shift is also cultural. The clean girl aesthetic was criticised for being expensive and exclusionary, often centring narrow beauty standards and high maintenance routines disguised as “natural”. Loud aesthetics feel more democratic. More playful. More real.
Image credit : Pinterest | Smudged liner, bold red lips, metallic shadows and textured nails are now in!
Why loud feels right now
Post-pandemic life does not want to whisper. It wants catharsis. It wants to be seen.
From colour-drenched homes to high-energy social spaces, loudness has become emotional release. Even trends like vocalising financial boundaries reflect this shift toward bold honesty.
Image credit : Pinterest | Post-pandemic life does not want to whisper. It wants catharsis. It wants to be seen.
Maximalism is not just about tacky glitter and oversized hoops. It is about reclaiming joy. It is about rejecting unattainable perfection. It is about saying: I am here, I am layered, I am messy, and I am not shrinking.
Quiet had its moment, and now it is time to be loud.
