Slang changes drastically from generation to generation, and parents can have trouble understanding what their kids are talking about. TikTok mom Christina (@kriskamishka) went shopping at Target with her Gen Alpha daughter and tried to figure out what each fashion style was called in her daughter’s dictionary. People across the internet were also intrigued by how slang has changed so much since their time.
The video begins with the caption, “My Gen Alpha Daughter Gives Me a Fashion Tutorial at Target.” Holding a cropped, long-sleeved shirt she bought at Target, a little girl can be heard saying, “When I say ‘aesthetic,’ it’s like beige.” “I’m here with my Gen Alpha daughter, see what she calls everything,” Christina says. She then shows a photo from an ad showing a model wearing a pink athleisure set, while her mother explains, “Apparently, this is preppy.”
“Preppy, no, more coquette,” my daughter said, showing me her pink shirt. Then my daughter explained what preppy means. According to her, it’s bright. According to ScaryMommy, the word originated from kids who went to prep school and was associated with wealth. Then they moved on to talking about pants, and Christina said that beige wide-leg pants were “aesthetic” and the same pants in black were “e-girl.” E-girl culture seems to be a fashion influenced by anime, game culture, 90s and early fashion.
Then she sees the same shirt in brown and calls it “cottage core.” “It’s the same shirt,” her mother jokes. The little girl sees two similar shirts, one white and one purple. She calls the white shirt “Coquette” and the other “Livy.”
@christihh commented, “So confused! I thought preppy meant polo shirts and loafers.” @katertot.gone.wild wrote, “Cargo pants are labeled as cottagecore so I’m not interested in hearing their opinion on fashion.” @HoosierMama shared, “Times have changed. Preppy has always been collared shirts, khakis and pleated skirts.” @tokenmama710 commented, “I’m 25 and this makes me feel so old. Honestly confused.” @morales_916 wrote, “I get it all but can someone explain ‘aesthetic aesthetic’ to this old millennial?”
In the following video, her mother explains what a coquette means. She shows a photo of a pink and white dress and bows, calling it a “coquette.” “It’s super feminine, pearly girly, pink, pastel, cute, girly, flirty like a modern-day Marie Antoinette,” Christina explains. She differentiates between “preppy” and “coquette,” saying she’s “kind of like an upgraded VSCO girl from the old days.” “She’s the kind of person who thinks neon, Lululemon, Stanley Cups, smiley faces,” her mother says.
She goes on to explain that the word “preppy” can be used in a positive way, not just as an insult. “If someone says, ‘Oh my God, I’m so preppy,’ that’s a bad thing, but if someone says, ‘Oh my God, I’m so preppy,’ that’s a good thing.” The mom also talks about what the aesthetic means to her. She explains that it’s mostly beige, white, and cozy. She then talks about cottagecore, a style influenced by a country vibe, and includes a lot of greens, browns, and whites.
For more fashion and skincare content, follow Christina (@krishkamishka) on TikTok.
