The Mob Wife Aesthetic Is Winter’s Biggest Trend

11 months ago

ICYMI: mob wives are trending

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The Mob Wife Aesthetic Is Winter's Biggest Trend

It seems TikTok (in true TikTok fashion) has opened the door on yet another trend this season, with Gen Z turning their attention to their latest style icon: mob wives. Here’s everything you need to know about the coveted mob wife aesthetic – and how to channel the look yourself.

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What Is The Mob Wife Aesthetic?

As it’s name suggests, the mob wife aesthetic revolves around the fashion and beauty of women married to mobsters. ‘Drawing inspiration from the iconic aesthetic showcased in timeless movies and TV shows such as “The Sopranos” and “Goodfellas”, the Mob Wife aesthetic is all about embracing audacious, messy glamour,’ explains Nicola Moulton, a makeup and skincare expert at Beauty Pie. ‘It is a celebration of unapologetic brazenness, a departure from the demure looks that have dominated recent beauty trends. It’s a bold statement that refuses to conform, encouraging individuals to embrace their inner power and confidence.’

@vialsss Replying to @Conjured Scrolls happy mob wife, happy mob life 💍❤️ #mobwife #mobwifeaesthetic #POV #mobwives #sopranos #carmellasoprano #tonysoprano #skit ♬ original sound – vialsss

Those with their finger on the pulse (and a TikTok account) will have noticed the trend creeping onto their feeds over the last few months, with creators fully immersing themselves in their ‘mob wife era’ with full-on wardrobe transformations, makeup tutorials and even dramatic (and sometimes comical) skits. ‘TikTok has become the epicentre of this movement, with users eagerly sharing their interpretations and tutorials, fuelling the trend’s meteoric rise,’ adds Nicola, who also notes that on-app searches for ‘mob wife’ have accumulated over 310 million views.

And while those who now emulate the trend aren’t associated with organised crime (we hope), they tap into one very specific social group to make the look happen: Italian-American women, usually from New York and New Jersey. As Nicola mentioned, it’s typically fictional versions of these real-life women – like Drea de Matteo and Edie Falco in The Sopranos, Sharon Stone in Casino, and Lorraine Bracco in Goodfellas – that form the blueprint. But for more modern inspiration, you can look to the likes of Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber and Jennifer Lawrence.

@thesweetpaisana How to dress like a mob wife (in the style of how to dress like you’re from the lower east side) yes this is satire (kind of) use this sound to show me your mob wife style! #mobwife #mobwives #italiangirl #italianamerican #italianamericansbelike #fashiontiktok #mobwifewinter #fyp ♬ Mob Wife Energy Activate – The Sweet Paisana

If you’re looking to dial into mob wife fashion, then you’ll need a clear visual in mind. It’s sexy black leather, an abundance of animal prints, stacks of gold jewellery, oversized sunglasses, full fur coats (although we’d recommend faux fur or vintage, if you’re on the hunt for a new one) and loud designer bags. It screams above the lofty perch quiet luxury found itself on last year, and tops it all off with big bouncy hair and red lipstick.

But where does the line settle between trend and cosplay? You can’t really tone down the mob wife aesthetic, but you can make it look more your own (and not like it’s wearing you) by teaming it up with items your regularly have on rotation or by isolating key features from the trend that appeal to you.

@audreypeters Never liked black puffers anyways tbh #mobwifeaesthetic #mobwife #mobwifewinter ♬ оригинальный звук – Modeling.1

What Is Mob Wife Makeup?

As for the makeup, the big and bolder is usually the better. Mob wife makeup is all about expanding on glamour and drama through vibrancy and defined shapes; it’s almost a little scary, but also plenty sexy. ‘Think silver smoky eyes that command attention, vampish lips that leave a lasting impression, and hair that’s larger-than-life but slightly off-kilter,’ recommends Nicola, who also highlights that the trend has adapted for modern MUAs with quick-and-easy tutorials. ‘The larger-than-life mob wives were often bankrolled by their husbands, and had ample time to spend at the beauty salon. Now, the tutorials embrace a much faster, easier way to look super-groomed, and the end result is to please yourself, not your husband.’