did instagram kill the it-girl? 📱👀📰
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ส.ค. 2024
- from clara bow to audrey hepburn to naomi campbell, it-girl's have had quite the cultural impact, but are they still around today? in today's video we dive into the history of the phrase "it", what "it" ACTUALLY means, and how social media affected the it-girl.
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Jennifer Aniston had a point when she said social media is destroying "movie stars" and "celebrities" but i don't think it is necessarily a bad thing
She would have had more of a point if she hadnt bundled it all under nepotism while literally being the product of nepotism herself.
@@Joohyukho we can say whatever we want about social médias, it at least allowed some young women like bella poarch, to become famous even tho they didn't come from rich families and without having to do some casting couches.
Yeah, I agree that it isn’t a bad thing.
@@Joohyukho yeah she could've been less condescending and dramatic like the loss of movies stars was a tragedy
🤢 It’s like when people were trippin on Kendal cause she never worked as hard as a real model and she’s always on top and payed the most. Modeling industry is brutal and social media is minimizing the hard work and ethics of people that didn’t get everything handed to them cause of …nepotism…. 🤮
Britney Spears deserves way more credit for being the IT GIRL of y2k in the late 90s, way before Paris Hilton was even relevant. Britney’s influence on pop culture from 1999-2004 BEFORE the Paris era in 2006 was INSANE. She was everywhere, in every magazine, we couldn’t get enough of her, the documentaries she did, she was all over MTV, VH1 etc
true, still, Paris was the real it girl, because she wasn't famous for any special talent. Brit was THE singer, THE performer, THE girl every girl wanted to look like and every boy wanted to be with
I was going to comment the same thing! She was such an icon and I was obsessed with her
@@maximilianfreinschlag4104 yes but way better singers etc didn’t even come close to Brit as far as it girl status. For example, barely anyone cared what Christina Aguilera was doing in her personal life, you couldn’t name her husband from memory, nobody really cared. And her vocal capability was much stronger than Britney’s. Britney was that girl… everyone was obsessed with everything about her.
@@justsinexo hahahah yeah that's true, no one really cared about xtina lol
Britney is not an it girl, she's a popstar
It's less Instagram, but social media in general. Everyone can be their own It girl because everyone can customise the perfect ideal in their head from a composite of their favourite aesthetics, styles and beauty looks without needing general media to tell us who is the It girl. There are just so many girls to pick from so we now make our own It girls!
and i think that's beautiful!
Looking at it another way though, a key part of the 'it' girl is the feeling they don't care about your approval. Social media is all about getting approval / follows from people.
Tiktokers
this is such a beautiful comment
@@muscleandhate I agree. I think this is just a small part of the biggest flaw on the internet tho. The internet is good and truly the great leveler but the ppl at the top still need control and are poisoning the internet in an attempt to do that. Like the og comment said we have access to so much now in terms of aesthetics, style and beauty we don't feel as compelled to adhere to the strict standards of classic media BUT brands and companies see that and attempt to exploit it by manufacturing authenticity and thus still pushing those standards to some capacity.
Everyone in the comments are mentioning different people that they deem as modern"it girls" and they barely mention the same person twice, proving that there is not a consensus of someone who is really an it girl for our current times.
Very true
So true. It not like the 50’s when you could say the definitive IT girl was Marilyn Monroe or the 80’s IT girl was Brooke Shields.
The 2020’s seems to have a more eclectic collection of ladies to choose from.
I have been seeing A LOT of people in these comments mentioning Alexa Demie though so interesting. I believe she has potential, or in other words, she has “it”
@@heathersaxton8118 She totally is, the different one, the it girl
It's true, I think that's mainly because we have different references that are heavily influenced by our center of interest. Personally I have no clue who Alexa is, but I would consider Emma Watson a modern hit girl. She feels so ingrained in pop culture despite how little she appears (which sort of make her more mysterious), and have this "non sexualised perfect feminine figure that can be both traditional and modern" feel Audrey Hepburn has.
I always used to wonder what it took for someone to become an “it girl” but now I understand it’s a state of mind rather than a title bestowed upon you by someone else
It’s the TikTok girls like Dixie and charli
@@Missmagazinebura no…
@@Missmagazinebura More like zit girls 🤢🤡
@@Missmagazinebura nah if anyone from the influencer circle can be considered an it girl it would probably be Emma Chamberlain
It is a title tho. That’s the whole point
Not in the entertainment industry, but Princess Diana was definitely an It Girl. She had this wonderously beautiful and honest soul, and her down-to-earth nature and rebellious side was completely out of the ordinary in the Royal Family. Even to this day, people are still infatuated with her, admire her and are inspired by her.
Princess diana is the MOTHER of IT girls, none of any industry girlies come closer to her popularity and love .
I was born after she passed but always looked up to her because my mom would talk about Diana to me. I even did a research project on her back in middle school like 2011 and remember hearing teachers being fond of Diana. I think it’s interesting as time passed that Diana has actually become popular again for my generation and even media. I even spoke about her in a college class of mine that she would’ve had a good influence on the times now if she was still alive.
Agreed
No
her fashion sense was unparalleled, despite some of the modern princesses tryna emulate, Kate doesn't even come close. I know some magazines and blogs like to mention Kate but her style screams English conservatism instead of Diana's je ne sais quoi
I feel like half the people in the comment section don't realize that just because you are a fan of someone, doesn't make them an IT girl. I'm a fan of Meg Donnelly, but barely anyone knows who she is which wouldn't make her an "IT Girl".
Literally it's annoying me lol. Just because you love someone and they're popular/successful/beloved doesn't make them the It Girl.
I agree. But I also imagine there's many people out there who have 'It' who aren't famous or haven't been discovered by the mainstream.
TEA
SHUT UPPPPP
I like Meg too
Honestly I think Lana Del Ray deserves “it girl” status for that mid 2010s tumble era. Everyone wanted to be her, and some people still do.
Lana has it girl status, because she doesn't rely on the press to keep being talked about like current 'it' girls. She is past her peak and still has a large fanbase.
True, but tbh during that time I didn’t even know who she was, I did know who kylie Jenner was or Cara delavine, (I’m not American) therefore I believe it kind of proves moderngurlz’s opinion. And none of my friends knew either
@@Aaa-dv3oi I was gonna make this comment too. As someone who’s not American, I never heard of Lana until recently
What are they talking about the fact is that you don’t know anything until tiktok shows you and it’s sad
Lana del Rey and Marina and the Diamonds had the whole website in a chokehold
I agree and I think it's a good thing because all these "it girls" seemed very depressed with the way they were treated by everyone.
And still all girls want to be the “it”! We see how popular girls are affected mentally from all the attention as well as verbally attacked, but yet, girls still want attention and popularity. Just look at all the attention-seeking women (and men) on social media.
exactly! it takes a lot to keep a certain image for the public's entertainment
The phenomenon of the it-girl in my opinion has disappeared because of the absence of fantasy. There's no rarity and the curtain has risen to reveal all the details of these people's private lives. For me no one can appropriate this title, it's something that never really existed
It's impossible to believe that any of these people are genuinely not trying, a hallmark of "it" since silent films.
u perfectly explained it
Seems like the It Girl era was at its prime way back in the day. It’s also giving nostalgic vibes. Great analysis overall. We really do appreciate your consistency.
anya taylor-joy def a major IT girl rn, pap pics of her doing casual things like smoking or walking a street going viral, private but seems wholesome and poised in interviews. people have become fascinated with her more and more, and she especially has such a unique and standout look that an IT girl must have. she doesnt need to make 10 posts a day to keep people interested and most people generally know of her without being overly exposed to her, 100% an IT girl
AGREED
Some people don't even know who she is though. Isn't the whole thing of being the "IT Girl" having everybody know who you are or at least your name alone? Like Britney Spears or Marilyn Monroe.
@@undisclosedprincess7958 exactly, she is only know mainstream for the queens gambit. she is FAMOUS in high fashion twitter but that is not enough.
@@undisclosedprincess7958 Than Alexa Chung wouldn't be included but she is
@@undisclosedprincess7958 I think that may be a part of the evolution of the It Girl: only known/revered in certain circles. The exclusivity wouldn't be how much we know about the person in question but who knows about the person in question
"Today they're sensible and end up with better health but we had more fun." -every generation after finding out that all the drugs they did in their 20s were terrible for them
I guess it's just a coping mechanism for them. "Yeah, you're more healthy and emotionally stable, but WE had fun ruining our bodies and acting like morons in our twenties, so we're actually cooler and better than you!"
@@mynameisreallycool1 Honestly they are. I would have loved to be a long-cigarette-smoking, cocaine-consuming flapper
@@gabetratz2364 Yeah lmao right? 😋
Gen z in 2040 when vape gets banned for causing lung cancer 😂
@@prod.murmur Absolutely. Happens to every generation. The cycle continues. When people are young, they do drugs, then get older and resent the young people who aren't as stupid as they were and say, "You're missing out!" It's like, on what? Having rotted teeth, brain damage, and lung disease? Good! I know people my age who have been doing drugs since they were kids (I'm in gen z), and some have it really bad today, at just 23. Drugs are scary, and the fact that many adults act like it's something "cool" or that it makes you "more mature" is just garbage.
I feel like Megan Fox was a huge 'it' girl of the 2010's era. Like, her image was EVERYWHERE, and everyone either wanted to be her or be with her. She also gave interesting interviews but stayed off social media during this period, which I think contributed to her allure...
Cara too
I thought this too. Megan fox was it
Late 2000’s*. Her decline started in 2010
I will say Kylie fashion from 2014 -2018 had girls in a choke hold the edgy tumblr style to the ig baddie with some edge to ig baddie with the “swag “ fashion to ig baddie and let’s not forget the amount of hair dye videos on TH-cam that teal ombre hair she had
I miss that era
and she had that kind of shrug it off indifference that Kim or the others could never have, I'd say kourtney is closest to that particular quality, but she's still definitely not a modern-day it girl
@@Missmagazinebura omg me too I loved it. King Kylie era was it!
yesss the king kylie era ❤ i’m from singapore & the influence was there for me 😂 i think she was the few celebrities where i wasn’t bored with her snapchat stories
I'd say during the King Kylie era Kylie was the 'It girl"
I think a lot of the commenters missed the part where the video stated that celebrity is not equal to "It". A famous person having fans and a following who wish to emulate them or dress like them can be Influential but "It" is a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that's not as easily replicated. Basically, if you can easily explain why their famous or what makes everyone crave them, they're probably not It.
I think the most fascinating thing about this video is how, growing up (and even still now), most of these women were not “It Girls” to me. It just really highlights how culturally specific “it” is and I think that’s so interesting. For me, it was Josephine Baker, Halle Berry, Grace Jones, Janet Jackson, Ciara, Destiny’s Child, TLC (especially Left-Eye), Lil Kim, Aaliyah, Lisa K Bonnet, Angelina Jolie, the Supers, etc. who were the It Girls and they really shaped who I view now to have “it.”
i totally agree. different demographics have different standards of what "it" is, so your cultural/racial background (or even specific niche) definitely influences who you consider an it girl.
I consider the "it" girl to be a total package (talent, looks, personality, status). I wouldn't consider most TikTokers "it girls" because most don't have the personality or talent.
Yes!
Yup! I’m like none of these girls were “it” girls for me.
Mine were Jlo, jessica alba, Megan fox, Angelina Jolie, Rihanna. The chokehold Rihanna had on the girls with red hair! Man what a time. Double points if you could pull it off with a red lip.
Oh I loved me some coco! I remember when she walked the red carpet in that black mesh dress. I was obsessed.
But I’m Mexican and grew up in an urban area. Still have no idea who that Emma chamberlain girl is. Nor do I care.
No disagree lol
Still confused on how ANGELINA JOLIE was not included her impact is insane
Nah
I couldn't agree with you more ...Angelina was that chick
wait true. I see her on screen and she's still got it
Yeah she never loses it
Would you consider Alexa Demie an it girl since she is so private? I mainly agree on the modern day it girls we have with Zendya,Bella,and Emma. I just feel Alexa is so alluring yet holds back on revealing herself and uses mystery as her advantage.
i think alexa definitely has potential to become a major it girl (her style and aura have a lot to do with that) but i think for the modern era she's almost *too* private. she hasn't done many projects outside of euphoria and i think that's still what people associate her with. to be "it" ppl's first thing when they think of you can't be a character you played once, *you* have to be "it"
@@ModernGurlz alexa as a person I guess she can be an it girl actually I know she's too private but not that much like people want to watch her and are interested in her
The "it girl" has to be aspirational in some sense. I don't know if people really try to be Alexa Demie since people don't even know much about her to begin with.
I feel that Alexa will get to It Girl status once we see her doing other mainstream projects outside of Euphoria. Zendaya is definitely an it girl though, at least to me she is. She's been everywhere, from Disney to Euphoria to Dune to Marvel.
@@gummy5862lots of people are, though. Maybe it depends on the social media circles you run in. There are "it" girls mentioned in this comments section that I've literally never heard of. Meanwhile all I get on my timeline is Alexa Demie/Maddy Perez diet/workout/fashion videos and people analyzing how her intensely private nature has helped her become so popular.
i agree with the king kylie analysis because you really can't deny she was everywhere esp when she dropped kylie lip kits or when people thought she was the lead singer of terror jr.
I hear the terms "it-girl" and "it-boy" being thrown around all the time in kpop circles. It's pretty annoying that people are constantly fighting over who's THE 4th gen it boy for example. Multiple people can have it-factor at the same time 💀
Literally tho but Jennie will always hold the title for me anyways idk about y’all tho 😭
Who’s Jennie
@@y2klove581 i’m a blink and LOVE jennie but she isn’t an it girl, she doesn’t set trends outside of korea, the whole point of the it girl it’s to be known and influential globally, among other things
Yes the fight over whether the 4th Gen it boy is Hyunjin or Yeonjun caused such an outrage on Twitter
@@aathenaiz6151 but she did trended things, remember the green lettuce hem shirt she sold out and got everyone to buy? the pattened two piece she wore in the airport and was only popular because she wore it and was incredibly niche before her appearance. there's multiple videos replicating jennie's fashion, how is she not setting trends when her clothes been duped over the internet numerous times and the reviews are constantly mentioning her name. she's def known here in the west too, i see her photos plastered on billboards for multiple big name brands and she's identifiable among the western industry's circle too now.
I also think it has to do with the slow, but noticeable shift towards diversity. All of the "it" girls that you can buy posters of tend to be white (Marilyn, Audrey, etc.). Notice that women like Janet Jackson, Grace Jones, and Dorothy Dandridge don't come immediately in the "it" girl conversations, when by their very nature (the fashion, cultural influence, media attention) they fit the definition. Social media allows people to follow a diverse set of people who have "it", but through different lenses. Traditional media tends to only present "it" through a Eurocentric one.
Such a great point. Grace Jones was so influential to the modeling and fashion industry that she single handedly spurred a shift towards androgyny. Yet, she regularly gets overlooked on lists of top supermodels.
I was going to comment this!
Yesss, great comment!!
Let’s not forget Josephine Baker too
THIS
i still kinda want to know more about why we think of certain celebrities as it girls and others as not, despite being as influential as the it girls. beyonce, nicki, taylor, katy, they’re all people who are highly influential, but not seen as it girls. it’s such an interesting phenomenon to me
I had the same question. I wonder if it's because the girls you named are all established and sucessful. It Girls tend to be more up and coming.
@@darkraven2116 I think it has to do with fashion and beauty as well. If you think about it, yes, those girls named are beautiful, and very influential as well, but I can’t think of a single person that would look up Beyoncé’s outfits to recreate. You get what I mean?
It has to do with their charm and mystique. The celebrities you mentioned are too famous and out there. They're influential, sure, but not mysterious and alluring enough to be considered an It Girl.
They all have curated looks and their influence ends with their music, not their lifestyle. btw, Beyonce cos-plays as an it girl but sis is not a fashion girlie/has a defined style. I love to death tho.
I think it goes by how much does the media/society/whatever subgenre you're part of cares about you even if you're not making any content or doing anything particularly interesting. What you eat, what you wear, what type of guys you date, where you party, what's your favorite/least favorite brand, etc.
So in that sense, Beyonce was before, but Gen Z doesn't really care I would say we respect her but we wouldn't make a new fan page. Nicki and Taylor have been and still are, I still see them both in magazines and they could just be going to get groceries. I haven't heard anything about Katy since 2017...
This is such a fantastic analysis! I really agree that Emma Chamberlin is an It girl from the influencer sphere. I think her personality has remained so authentic and relatable despite her rise to fame and fortune.
Don't forget the big wave of hate she got in like 2019 for "trying to be relatable."
Remember those videos named "The "Down Fall of Emma Chamberlain."
@@katgreer6113 funny how they shamed Emma for “trying to be relatable”, but when Shane Dawson was a multimillionaire and joking about being “poor and dirty” everybody ate that up.
@@Pink_pr1ncess FRRR
Mysoginism is strong af!!!
Yes though I dislike Emma's personal style it is UNDENIABLE that many teenage girls look to her for fashion and lifestyle inspiration. They see her as their trendsetter and like to copy her outfits piece for piece. For younger Gen Z I think she is their it girl right now.
Does anyone know what movie these ladies are from? 1:13
i think you can also spot it girls in your daily life, like when they have something that attracts you to them, let it be their style, their personality or whatever
they exist IRL? 😂😂😂
I remember when, in 2013, Barbara Palvin came out of nowhere and day to day was THAT girl, she was everywhere and I think part of her popularity came from wattpad fanfic, where she protagonist every single one
“i put my long brown hair in a messy bun and didn’t wear make up”
@@aathenaiz6151 lmaooo 😭
@@aathenaiz6151 that sentence gives me night terrors
there were sooo many ‘cringey’ stories & fan fictions especially, but they were also fun to read 😂
i still think the trend of reading & writing stories is better than being on social media all the time 😢 i’m glad i grew up during the 2010s & not now. i feel like the world became more obsessed with social media than ever thanks to the pandemic trapping us indoors
I remember seeing Sean O' Prey and Barbara Palvin on the cover of every Mafia/Gangster story on Wattpad 💀😭😂😂😂.
I think the “it factor” doesn’t exist. It’s just ppl who are chosen to represent this vague idea wonderment and intrigue in order to sell you something, drawing you in, but keeping you insecure enough to know you’ll never have “it” so you’ll keep buying into the fantasy. It makes us believe that Some ppl are inherently superior, but in reality they’re selling you a dream.
just a dude looking around and your comment makes the most sense to me lol. proper marketing can do wonders
Didn't feel anything special about the it girls, didn't understand why they were supposedly better than the other ladies
THIS
wow. TRUE
it does exist. look at people around you. it is just called charisma when you are not a celebrity. When you are a charismatic young celebrity you will quite likely become "it".
@@mosquitonarium The thing is ...charisma does not make you superior. We value this in a capitalist society because it "shines " but in today's society Ghandi would be considered a weirdo or nerd. This why this whole concept of " it factor" is damaging and rooted in the " not like other girls" mentality.
At the end of the day "it " is just an act.
When I think about this concept of "it girl" Alexa Chung is definitely the first name that comes to mind (maybe I spent too much time in tumblr during the 2010's). Great video as always!
Thank you for including Chloe Sevingy, she was such an interesting and personable type of cool it girl. She was a once in a lifetime type of it girl
Aaliyah, Zendaya, Naomi Campbell, Selena, Angelina Jolie & Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are the standouts for me.
Do you mean Selena Quintanilla or Gomez?
@@ricexcake143 Quintanilla of course
Aishwarya Rai ruled the world for a while, wish she makes a strong comeback
Yeah she basically just named white women 🤣🤣
@@katscandance wtf? most of them werent white at all
Because of Social Media, there's no MYSTIQUE anymore and if you have the drive ,you can create your own fame now.
bruh split facts
josephine baker was also and it girl in the 20s. Anita pallenberg and Marianne faithfull were also sixties it girls and I’m pretty sure Bianca jagger was a it girl of the 70s. And Grace jones was one in the 80s.
Honestly this is a subject that deserves multiple parts. You can expand on this in so many different ways from decades, ethnicity, countries, different medias, etc… and honestly I would eat it up! Lol
the king-kylie era was absolutely iconic; i was so close to dying my hair the same way omfg
Alexa Demie for sure. Her role as Maddy Perez has definitely influenced this, but she comes off very nonchalant and uncaring about her fame, while also being stunning, influential and intriguing. She barely posts, but she has 12 million followers on Instagram, and a clear impact on aesthetic and people are flocking to her posts. She seems to only post when she feels like it, but they all have at least a million likes (I live for Fairy Tales). No one actually knows how old she is. I feel like this all culminates into it girl vibes.
i think an “it girl” who fits Elinor’s definition would be Alexa Chung, she never takes herself too seriously and doesn’t do things just to keep her in pop culture. she had a cool girl laid back vibe that makes her stand out to me
I think 2018-2019 era Ariana Grande also deserves the "It Girl" title. Sooo many people where doing whatever they could to emulate her style from how she dressed during that time, to her hair, personality, aesthetic, some of her common phrases, ect. Starbucks even teamed up with her and came out with their cloud macchiato during that time. She was everywhere and so many girls wanted to be just like her.
yea also when ari came out with her first album her style had so many of us girly girls in a chokehold lol. she was the quintessential girly it girl. not many ppl at that time were doing that ultra feminine thing and most were leaning into more edgy and urban styles. the soft girls loved 2012 ariana
I’m gonna throw in Lily Rose Depp as an up and coming it girl. She’s all over Pinterest, mysterious and has a distinct look and style that I have already seen young girls on tiktok try to replicate. I think she definitely has It and I’m predicting that when ‘The Idol’ comes out in 2023 she’s going to skyrocket into a different level of fame
I thought the same when I first saw her but not anymore. Her acting is not the best and we haven’t heard of her since her relationship with it-boy Chalamet ended. I think she’s gonna stay in her parents’ shadow.
@@SvobodovaEva I agree that her momentum has slowed down, she needs to get into another PR relationship ASAP
@@Lalalalala629 She needs to be cast in a big project but I don’t think she has what it takes, there’s a reason she’s only had minor acting roles despite being the child of one of the most famous actors ever. And she’s only 160cm tall so I guess a modeling career is also not happening.
I feel like the media is trying to pump her out as the next nepotism it girl. We ain't for it.
@@SvobodovaEva she has been cast in a big project, it’s called the idol. look it up. it’s made by the same people who made euphoria, in the same style. people have been anticipating the show and hyping it up for a while now. she’s going to gain a lot more fame when it comes out next year, 100%. she’s also the face of Chanel so she does have a modeling career. she’s for sure an it girl tho, regardless of her acting abilities she has that it girl factor.
To me the "it" girl is a natural beauty, with lots of charisma, and has the unexplainable eletric magnetism. Women wanna be her and men wanna do her lol. With makeup, plastic surgery, and social media its easy for more ppl to be in this "category" of woman
2:50 and that's part of how there really aren't any concrete "it" girls/boys. The air of nonchalance, the insisting you're not "It" is in fashion nowadays. Like it's in style to not care too much about anything, unless it's certain things, but even then not being too passionate about it, being casual is something that's been building over the last few years. The whole "we're all worthless sacks of meat on a dying planet lol 😆" attitude, that you don't care too much about anything, especially your fame and popularity. Being "relatable" is marketability, the "I'm just a regular Joe" is part of PR nowadays. So if everyone is insisting they're not "it" and not even to a genuine degree
bella is 100% the it girl. she helped sell sambas and solomons and really impacts fashion, dates hot and famous men, and it actually good at her job
Nah
I disagree, it girls have to be known whether or not someone follows their niche, and I just heard about her like two or three years ago and I'm not exactly unfamiliar with fashion or the internet. I know I'm just one person, mind you, but still.
For me, Bella lacks personality. She’s pretty but I have no clue who she is as a person and therefore I don’t aspire to be her. And the controversy around her plastic surgeries also rules her out.
@@SvobodovaEva very true
Nah i feel she just randomly started trending on tik tok and next year she won’t be as popular
One that I think of that the media really focused on in the 90s is Carolyn besette Kennedy. There was a fascination of her and jfk jr and how effortless their style was.
She was definitely one for sure!
I feel like the idea of the “it girl” in mainstream , “household name” media, is very Eurocentric. So many amazing women from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds have pioneered trends and aesthetics while being unsung heroes of the fashion industry. Josephine Baker, Selena, and Sade come to mind. I feel like the it girl today is a collection of that embodiment with the most desired physical ideal. Amazing video !
Wow so true the idea of it has always been so Eurocentric and therefore not very inclusive. It’s always a white girl from a famous/rich family or one whom hangs around celebrities.
The conversation never includes black it girls who’ve inspired trends today or the unsung heroes who’ve impacted popular culture in different ways
Josephine Baker to me definitely. I don't really know about Selena and Sade.
Aaliyah!
i feel like lily rose depp is an it girl as well, being a nepotism baby, pretty, somewhat mysterious and dating timothee chalamet at one point i feel like these are factors that makes her an it girl, also can’t forget when she wore the chanel chain dress in the met gala and everyone started trying to make a replica out of it lol
I disagree with the notion that the ‘IT girl used to be less manufactured’. The images of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn were propped up by Hollywood Studios, who would pick two or three main actresses, and have them star in all the major movies they released. I think the lack of definitive ‘It girls’ goes back to the fact that the notion of popularity has changed. Hollywood studios no longer solely invest in two or three ‘It girls’ that they cast in all their movies so they no longer exist as the sole arbiters of popularity, and people no longer buy magazines en mass. Nearly everything is digital now, which means the average person can easily create their own public persona and no longer require the help, nor really face any significant competition from, major Hollywood studios (at least not enough to impede their own popularity). I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.
i love your channel sm, your topics are always so engaging and the visuals are gorgeous always
Would say it began before social media, I would say the reality Tv show began the decline. Where similarly to social media anyone could become famous. This ambition for fame, popularity and money is what started it all. Going against the IT girl ideals where they don’t care about that. Since then, I feel that be it small scale like having lots of likes and followers, to large scale like fame and celebrity,
I would argue that Lori Harvey, if she isn't already, has a legitimate shot at becoming an IT girl. Something she has that other modern-day girls do not is an aura of mystery. We very rarely hear about her personal life because she comes off as quite private. She single-handedly re-popularized Pilates at the 2022 Met Gala, wearing a black Michael Kors cut-out dress, showing off her abs. Essentially becoming the trendsetter for that sort of fitness in our modern era, it adds to the point in the video that most influencers aren't setting trends; they're just following trends that have already been proven successful. Lori has done something that the other girls haven't been able to do so far. Also, she was dating what some girls might consider one of the most attractive men of our modern era, Michael B. Jordan, and their breakup sent shock waves through the Internet. She has yet to even speak about the breakup, adding to her mystique. Her dating life is usually what draws most people in, but after dating someone, she rarely, if ever, speaks about them afterwards. Lori is regarded as a high-value role model by a subset of women on the Internet, particularly those in the femininity community. Any interview that she has done usually only serves to highlight her current career endeavors and talk about how other girls can, in a way, "level up" by taking her advice. If anyone deserves the "IT girl" badge of honor in the 2020s, I think it's Lori Harvey.
I agree! And she’s becoming more and more popular that many white news media that focus on celebrities talk about her now
Lori Harvey definitely is the new 'It girl' in the urban community..She's gained more mainstream popularity due to her high profile relationship with Michael Jordan..Besides being pretty there's a certain allure she has because she moves in silence...Her mother taught her well
@@1sotrue Her mother definitely did teach her well I’m trying to be like Lori when I actually grow up lol 😭🤞🏾
I’ve been saying this for a while. I’m 27 and Rihanna was my IT girl once upon a time but I agree Lori has the IT factor now! She’s my fitness goals 😊
I think Jennifer Lawrence was briefly/almost an it girl, but she leaned too hard into the nonchalance and ended up coming off as too inelegant to a lot of people. I respect that she just decided to take a step back from keeping up the very public celeb persona though, it's pretty toxic.
To me, an It Girl is someone who will be remembered and referenced long after their time has passed as a cultural icon. I think it’s easier to figure out who those current people might be if we think about it through this lens.
Jordan Teresa just covered this topic really well too
ok. i wanna watch this one tho
I thought that as soon as I saw this pop up, this was released very close after and the videos are very similar???? bit sus
I really thought she'd mention that video in the description or comments, since it was only 10 days ago.
Someone who is an it girl from the 2010s is ariana grande, not only her music but her fashion and personality was so popular, majority of teens were mimiking her style, like the first thing you think when you see a ponytail is her...
That high pony was popularized by Madonna long before her time though. Thats who I think of. As do many others.
Yes this is what I think it takes to be an it girl, people outright copying your outfits, makeup, hair, voice, lifestyle & hobbies. That's what Ariana was for a period of time definitely. Like there's a difference between the general public liking a celebrity vs. the general public trying to BE that celebrity
@@holagataeang nobody but your old ass thinks of Madonna when seeing a ponytail
@@exaggeratedswagger7485 you seem pretty starved for attention right now since you're trolling comments that don't concern you. So, I'll entertain your sad ass for a bit out of pity. It's unfortunate that you have such useless parents who couldn't even do the bare minimum and teach you about kindness and respect for others. Which is pretty damn shitty for you seeing how no one wants to date a rude fuck, and how being a habitual asshole isn't a personality trait employers look for when/if hiring. With that being said, enjoy being a lonely broke jerk since Wi-Fi/phone services don't pay for themself, and your hand WILL inevitably fail to get the job done one day. While you do that, my "old ass" will just be here enjoying my husband, our home, and our disposable income of which I spend on whatever the fuck I want. 😊
@@cc-gx8hr So true.
Question: What happens to the it girls of the past? What are they called now? The people who witnessed these women grow or even die would still call them it girls. Is it? You can't totally describe the it, it's just there, regardless. There are celebrities in the past before that were discovered by just strolling around malls, now I see most celebrities as manufactured. They don't have that real "it factor". Most of it we are just sold to. I think the last it girl existed pre-internet Era maybe the early 2000s. After that... Everything seems not organic. Just saying.
Agree, and I would say that old it girls eventually become legends see Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe to Naomi in the 90s ; They all became legends in their respective fields.
Maybe icons?
yeah and a lot of them are industry plants or nepotism babies. kardashians, bella hadid, lily rose-depp, etc for example in terms of nepotism/family connections shows how it girls of the modern era, though nepotism has always been a thing , are often manufactured either literally in terms of industry plant/being groomed to celebrity status or due to the rise of social media and increased 'relatability' expectations which destroy the intrigue and mystery of the it girl.
They became ex-it girls. exits lol
@@parastooabr1524 lol
Yeah Bella, Alexa, Zendaya and Emma for current times and that’s it
Edie Sedgwick was everything. It girl, “youthquaker”, and girl of the year. My all time fave
In my opinion Alexa Demie has the title of the modern IT girl
Yepp for me it's between Alexa or Zendaya
As a 31 yo I’d say zendaya is an it girl. Which probably means Alexa demie is the it girl of the two lol
Dunno, Zendaya is much more effortless in my opinion. Alexa is just as beautiful, but her whole vibe feels almost as she's acting and portraying a character.
To me, Chloe Sevigny is still "the coolest girl in the world." In my eyes, she's one of the very few true "It" girls. Cool, elusive, and started from humble beginnings. She was a girl from Connecticut who moved to NYC and hung out with normal people, then was "discovered" by taste-makers and forged her own path through many scenes over time. Her integrity has remained in tact, and from the looks of it, hasn't changed much since the 90s. She's the coolest.
I like the fact that nowadays people can be "it" in their own niche social media circles. I never understood why people are all so obsessed with the same person, whether they are interested in what they do or not, just because they're popular. At least now the it girls I follow are people I'm interested in, and it doesn matter if people outside of their niches doesn't know them
Jennifer Lawrence was a good example of an it girl when she first came onto the scene
AGREE
One of the main things that has come to really bother me about these videos when talking about influencers and beauty is how often black women, asian women or Latina women(if not white) are excluded. It girl is not dead. It’s just not white anymore. And I think this a constant problem with these videos because I can EASILY say the modern day it girl is Marsai Martin. It’s just insulting how commonly in these video you exclude poc women from the conversation. You named dropped 3 poc women out of the 10-15 white women you presented. “It” is just not white right now.
Yes! Thank you!
Honey, marsai is no where close to an it girl. If you are a fun just say that.
@@adeolandamase194 this is bird brain activities
@@Peacherin0 you're the one who isn't making sense. There are it girls in every race to be honest, and I'm black. How can you say marsai is an it girl if people barely acknowledge her presence in the room.
Always love the historical breakdown. Thank you so much for your time and effort you put in.
I really think that this is a really interesting topic because I talked a lot to some people in the media research recently talking about that superficial influencers get more and more unpopular and there’s a lot of people here in Germany which are influencers get into more serious topics like mental health to still get attention….. The problem about this is that the topics are still very about consumerism and very flat😅 We just had a little a scandal about a former soccer wife influencer person Who made this mental health retreat on a Greek island with a lot of German influences but it was just big advertisement and a lot of critics about this in the mental health community and the whole society in Germany about that this was not good and not representing mental health issues 😅 so I am very interested by how social media will change because I think that a lot of people still use social media as A kind of escapism from reality and don’t want a serious topics and activism
I definitely think at least for this generation Zendaya is THEE It Girl. From her fashion to being the star of being of blockbuster movies and the cultural phenomenon that is Euphoria, there’s no denying that she has influenced a whole generation of young people, most of which have watched her grow up to be the incredibly successful and talented young woman she is today. So if there were a top contender for it it’d for sure would be her.
Not really
Thanks to her stylist + she doesn't have a SOLO blockbuster film under her belt. I admit her red carpets are top tier tho
her normal life fashion is not good tho.. she slays when it comes to carpets and events but her every day fashion? no thank you
Audrey Hepburn / Anya Taylor Joy (elegant and graceful with a quirky side, unconventional girl next door, elusiveness in both acting roles and public persona)
Marilyn Monroe / Sydney Sweeney (bombshell blonde, underused talent, over sexualized, controversial, misunderstood)
Eartha Kitt / Zendaya (biracial but used as the face of Blackness, unique beauty, nonchalant cool girl, effortless charm, classy with an edge)
I find that similar archetypes of “It girls” reinvent themselves.
But still...this is exactly the energy I wanna emulate.
You hit every point with so much accuracy and ease. Love watching modergurlz evolve as a channel.
I love seeing the different “types” of celebrities or the category they fit in like Americas sweet heart is very different to a it girl imo American sweet heart would be someone like Taylor swift back in 2013 or like the main pop girls (Britney, Ariana etc) are there own category or even like the under dogs who aren’t really under dogs in the industry (SZA for example)
It’s interesting how there’s categories for celebrities with a certain image that’s what I’ve seen to see anyways 🤷♀️
I'd argue that Angelina Jolie is missing from this list. She had America in a chokehold with her wild child background and controversial relationships and contrasted this with her humanitarianism and family-orientation. Aniston was a sunny lovable girl, but Jolie was a FORCE.
Right now I think Anya Taylor-Joy and Florence Pugh have good chances of ascending to IT-girl status in the 2020s. Like if you were to ask people in 20 years who the IT-girls of the 2020s were those are my predictions. It is hard to know for sure obviously, but for me they both balance the line between down to earth and nice, yet also unattainable- and it seems effortless
Anya Taylor Joy I can see but Florence Pugh not sm. She mostly does more indie low profile movies and isn't as prevalent in the fashion sphere which imo is important for someone to be qualified as an "IT girl". She's an extremely talented actress (one of the best of her generation I'd even argue) but she's no IT girl.
With multimedia... there are many IT girls. 💡
I feel like Ruby Rose could be considered a 2010s It Girl, and perhaps even Lana Del Ray. As for modern It Girls, I agree about Zendaya and maybe even Anya Taylor Joy could classify as a rising one.
Edited to add that I think Mia Goth may also be a newly rising It Girl, especially after her recently released movie, Pearl.
IT -
a shape-shifting creature known as a Glamour, who is billions of years old. Although It lived on planet Earth for many years, It originated in a void/dimension outside the regions of space known as the Macroverse. Since It's true identity is unclear, due to its shape-shifting abilities and being from another universe, It's real name and species are also called Deadlights, but few know this, which is why it's referred to as IT.
The it girl has disappeared because the nature of celebrity is gradually becoming so fragmented.
In the past, mass media and entertainment created universal celebrities that everyone recognised.
Today, there are countless online spaces totally separate from each other. Some names may reach the mainstream, but unless you actively make the effort to engage with what that person is doing, you won’t care about them. Just because I’ve heard of Addison Rae or Emma Chamberlain doesn’t mean I care about their content. In the past, if they were promoted via the vehicle of mass media, EVERYONE would have known a lot about them and their work.
Today, an ‘It girl’ in one online space will be a complete unknown in other spaces. There are also a lot more of them, because becoming a celebrity is easier than ever.
This fragmentation just dilutes the public’s attention and makes real, universal celebrity a phenomenon that is dying out. Hence, the ‘it girl’ is dying out.
And I really don’t think that’s a bad thing. I love being able to choose which people i follow and which to ignore. It wasn’t like the early 2000s where the same names and faces were shoved down your throat whether you liked it or not.
I thought of Jennifer Lawerence for 2010s It Girl
Also since the rise of kpop .. there are tons of “it girls” that the media agree with and I think kpop idols have what it takes to be it girls
I think the more parts of POC cultures bleed into mainstream media all cultures would chose a different IT girl depending on their culture and rather the are involved in pop culture or prefer the cultutal eras of the 90’s. I’m Latina and into pop culture and I would say Alexa Demi and Kali Uchis are definitely it girls. I think in mainstream media would say there are no IT girls because IT girls are usually white women and exclude infamous black, Latina, and Asian women.
I’m an old gal, but we had some great it-girls of color in the 90s. Not that a few examples means equal representation, but ladies like Selena, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, and the amazing TLC were up and coming it-girls we all wanted to be like “back in my day” lol
Social media can create a false reality of being the “IT GIRL” but you cannot fake it IRL. There are still it girls you meet in person who cannot fake that special quality.
I'm glad you mentioned the socialites- first time I saw It Girl was Brenda Frazier, debutante in the 40s who was followed by photographers...also Gloria Vanderbilt as a young debutante
I think Anya Taylor joy and Florence Pugh are also it girls right now. They are so authentic to themselves and have a form of elegance in everything they do even when it’s a goofy selfie
Definitely Anya. Anya and Zendaya both.
Yes to Anya, perhaps no to Florence. Don’t get me wrong, I love her. But she’s not as well known.
No
Anya yes but not Florence. I only know her because of Olivia Wilde drama.
I think people are moving toward appreciating and marking *fictional* it girls from movies, TV, or even musical personas. Even back when Gossip Girl was first starting out, people said they wanted to be like Blair Waldorf, not Leighton Meester. Now it seems people want to dress like the characters from Euphoria, not necessarily like the actresses when they aren't on set. It seems like even Taylor Swift has 'eras' that people emulate based on album directions and concepts, rather than anyone wanting to be like Taylor as a whole. Wanting to be like your favourite character has always made more sense to me than glamourising the life of a real person/celebrity, because they really are unattainable and there is some mystery left when the movie is over about what happens to them next. Great video
I'm going to give Zendaya props for being the only person of colour on this list. That being said however, the fact that the it girl is always slender, relatively fair skinned and young is a worry overall.
Naomi Campbell too but its still worrying. I was hoping that in the internet era it would get better but Addison Rae and the DiAmelio sisters follow the same trends
Chloé Sevigny was such an IT girl in NYC in the mid-90's and most people that didn't know her in real life did not understand why. I presume she has something in person that we can't see because I still don't get it.
I guess she has a cool sense of fashion and something unnamed that doesn't translate through the camera.
just had a rant about this:
1) a lot of these girls aren't "it-girls" and just get praised for stealing from other cultures, fitting standards and being rich. people can't praise people who aren't original or cool and then get mad there's no original or cool people. like kylie stole her "king kylie" aesthetic from a black girl (not just the surgeries and adopting a "black look" but the fashion) and still got all the acclaim like that is not an it-girl. like these girls just follow trends
2) they still exist: rowan blanchard, ariana grande, doja cat + a lot of people who smaller on social media e.g. tiktok, twitter, ig, pinterest & shockingly girls irl. a lot of these girls we just don't know about, don't care about or aren't popular enough to be recognised as an "it-girl" or don't fit people's out-dated standards so they're ignored even if they're who everyone's copying.
3) the idea is kinda outdated (not finding other women inspirational or inspiring but the idea that there's an "ideal woman" and we should all just follow her example) but like the standards and rules that they should follow and how there can only be one like i'm not acting like misogyny etc. doesn't exist but i feel like we're just moving forward and the way women are looking at women is slowly changing.
4) a lot of these just reads as celebrity worship (i don't want to bother explaining this one because i don't want to deal with the drama, if anyone bothers to read this), especially with that jennifer aniston comment.
tl:dr - the idea of one girl above the rest we should all aspire to be is kinda outdated and if you want to find original cool people look for them because they are out there
i agree
such an underrated comment 👏🏼
THIS!!!! 🙌🏾👏🏾
A lot of social influencers and consumers are constantly trying to get the “EFFORTLESS LOOK” that look that confidence is the IT GIRL ! If you have it you have if you don’t you don’t .
Social Media cheapens fame
I’d say Zendaya is the current it girl.
And bella hadid
@@whatevezzz oh Bella is most definitely up there.
Everyone mentioning, that "girl A" is an it girl you forgot to mention. Don't forget that there are it girls tied to different niches, lana del ray is tied to the 2014 tumblr sadgirl niche. Yes, jennie and wonyoung are it girls, but their niche or influence is a lot more on kpop
It girls are not only about being mainstream, it's also about influencing groups outside the mainstream.
I feel like It Girls has to have international appeal, and that long before there was a term for it, it girls have always existed. From women in historical eras like Cleopatra and Marie Antoinette to more contemporary figures wildly known. Because of the mass commodification of It Girls, they factor into this category I imagine.
Jennie and wonyoung? Nope
I can't believe you made an entire video about It Girls and Beyonce isn't mentioned once
I love your videos so much!! 😭😭 The interesting topic, the amount of research, your manner of speaking… perfection!!
If I had to name “it girls” today I would say Lori Harvey who popularized the Pilates era we’re in now, I would say Zendaya, Bella Hadid, Alexa Demie, Lily Rose Depp, and Jennie Kim. They have an air of mystery and are always copied I see them everywhere. I think it girl is not just popularity but influence, aesthetics, and mystery, a type of privateness to them but some how people create whole narratives about you if that makes sense.
I completely agree with Kylie. I’m not a Kylie Stan or anything but don’t like when people try to diminish her influence. Girls were copying her style in the 2010’s, can’t deny that. As for the it girls now, I would say Alexa Demie. Emma is everywhere too, so I agree with that one.
Love binge watching ur videos to see you've uploaded a new one😜
I think fka twigs could be included under the umbrella. She really gives me the same energy as Chloe Sevigny in that Jay McInerney quote. I think she’s someone people really admire for her uniqueness and creativity-in all aspects of her creative output-and even when something feels curated, there is still an almost artistic authenticity to it. She’s really thought deeply. She also definitely has an untouchableness/ethereality and a mystique, even with the subject of her personal life and abuse being in the media over the last few years. If anything, I think being made privy to those things made her more of an ‘it girl’ under the rubric of the video (I am NOT trying to glamorise abuse and say that going through that makes someone cool or gives depth, just that we have seen her experiences, her pain, and her healing, and it only makes our appreciation of her more full-bodied, more comprehensive in a particular way) in that we sympathise with her and feel outrage at her treatment in the same way we do for Princess Diana, also mentioned in the video. Also, aside from two very high-profile relationships (high-profile from the outside, if you get what I mean) she is very private and has only recently started to open up and show her personality a bit more.
No she’s not that popular
@@cleo3271 That’s very fair, she isn’t as popular as some of the other names mentioned in the video and comments, but I think if you look at the qualities of the 60s/70s it girls, that is, being popular in a smaller/specific subculture/movement/sphere, as opposed to the mainstream, I think she does qualify as that. And I also think it raises a good question as to whether today’s it girls must achieve that sort of mainstream popularity to be deserving of the title. Because our world is so globalised it would definitely make sense if that were the case. Another question would also be, if someone meets the markers of it girls past (not necessarily all the markers of one era, but maybe markers across different eras) and not necessarily all the markers of it girls present, should they count as an it girl in their present era?
@@alexeliz75 😂😅I am 100% a fan so you got me there. I’m curious about why you think she isn’t one-is it about popularity or something else?
Somehow social media killed the "it girl" and still managed to keep beauty standards inaccessible.
I think Cara Delevingne was THE IT GIRL between 2011-2016, and Zendaya between 2017-2022
I was raised on 00s fashion magazines, so I've perceived it-girls as socialites famous for being famous
Really enjoyed this video. I feel like when fashion blogging (as in having a website not just posting to instagram) was at it's height in the 2010s there was a bunch of people that were 'it-girls' to their respective audiences. They wanted to know more about them, wear what they had, emulate their looks etc. and prior to instagram. I'm very out of the loop when it comes to current it girls but I also think a lot of people are moving past it because social media gives you the chance to present yourself as your own version of an it girl (and have that seen by an audience whether big or small) so you don't need to look up to someone else. Also I like the point you made about people copying what is popular on social media because that makes people all kind of blend in so although there's a lot of popular people no one really stands out.
Just wanna say that I found your channel while looking up reviews for Craft Legacy and instantly was hooked. I love your deep dives into history related to fashion, social trends, status symbols. Keep it up!
There are so many references today to focus on one it girl.
Back in late 2000s I remember Chiara Ferragni , Olivia Palermo, Micha Barton, Siena Miller just to name a few
I would probably ad Emma Watson to the list. She is incredibly recognisable, attractive and her character is still very unique, and this despite appearing in very few projects.
I see her walk in the footsteps of the "feminine ideal" hit girl of Audrey Hepburn, being less sexualised but more admired for her charm, personality and youth.
In term of aesthetic she sort of indirectly popularised the "dark academia/fantasy" aesthetic due to her heavy association with Hermione granger, and her it factor really contributed to make the aesthetic look appealing.