Social media has long dictated aspirational lifestyles, from the perfectly curated ‘That Girl’ wellness routines to the intellectually chic ‘Lit Girl’ aesthetic. This comprehensive guide unpacks the evolution of these influential trends, revealing their underlying pressures and a surprising new shift towards literary-inspired perfumes as a more personal, less visible form of self-expression.
If you’ve spent any time scrolling through social media platforms like TikTok, you’ve undoubtedly encountered the pervasive concept of “That Girl.” She’s the epitome of perfection: waking up at sunrise for yoga, journaling, exercising daily, and consuming ultra-healthy meals. This aspirational figure quickly became a blueprint for self-improvement, promising a pathway to a seemingly flawless life.
The Perilous Pursuit of the ‘Perfect’ Self
While the initial appeal of “That Girl” is understandable—who wouldn’t want to be their best self?—the trend quickly revealed its darker underbelly. It promotes an incessant need for perfection, often featuring slim, wealthy, and conventionally attractive women, thereby reinforcing narrow societal beauty standards. This hyper-fixation on self-optimization can lead to toxic thinking patterns, performative wellness rituals, and feelings of inadequacy if one doesn’t “go the extra mile.”
Psychotherapist See Rut K. Chawla discussed this phenomenon, noting, “it’s a funny dichotomy, because on one hand we have the encouragement of a very egocentric, self fixated / absorbed way of being – and on the other, treating oneself like a project that must constantly be improved in order to avoid what is actually going on internally.” Many, like writer Kevin La Minto, experienced firsthand the burnout and dissatisfaction that come from adhering to such overwhelming and unrealistic routines, highlighting that true wellness is about what makes you feel good, not what looks good for the camera.
Enter the ‘Lit Girl’: An Intellectualized Aesthetic
As the conversation around the “That Girl” trend evolved, another aesthetic began to gain traction: the “Lit Girl.” This figure presents a similar aspirational ideal, but with an intellectual veneer. She reads Joan Didion, sips black coffee, carries a tote bag, and curates her feeds with aesthetic photos of artful notes and messy bedside tables. The “Lit Girl” embraces authors like Sylvia Plath and Eve Babitz, often expressing a longing to have been born in a different decade.
The rise of the “Lit Girl” can be seen as a response to the “anti-intellectualism” observed on platforms like BookTok, where books are often reduced to “singular tropes.” While seemingly more profound, critics argue that the “Lit Girl” is also a commodified product, designed to appeal to specific gazes and algorithms. As Helena Aeberli points out in her essay, the “lit girl” is often not real, but “she only exists as a figment of our imaginations, in the hallucinatory collective consciousness of the internet, created by clever marketing teams and micro-trend forecasters.”
Pushing Back: The Quest for Realistic Routines
Thankfully, the online world isn’t monolithic. Many influencers and users have begun to push back against these highly curated, often unattainable aesthetics. TikTokers like @thrivebypao shared “relatable” morning routines, showing themselves sleeping in, watching TV, and eating toast, proving that wellness looks different for everyone. Similarly, users like @the_peoples_princess and @dve_luz have posted videos showcasing the less-than-aesthetic realities of daily life, providing a much-needed antidote to the productivity-obsessed content.
This movement highlights a crucial point: self-improvement should center on genuine well-being, not performative acts aimed at validation from followers. The healthiest and happiest version of yourself is unique to you, not dictated by societal or social media standards.
The Invisible Evolution: Literary Perfumes and the Sensory Shift
In a surprising new development for the “Lit Girl” trend, the focus is shifting from overt visual display to a more private, sensory experience: literary-inspired perfumes. This is perhaps the most intriguing evolution of aspirational online culture, where the aesthetic becomes less about being seen and more about being felt. As reported by Elle, this latest iteration isn’t meant for public consumption in the same way a perfectly plated smoothie bowl is; it’s an “IYKYK” (If You Know, You Know) accessory.
Authors and perfumers are increasingly collaborating to bottle the essence of beloved books and literary concepts. Sable Yong, beauty editor and author of Die Hot With a Vengeance, developed a perfume with notes of red wine spilled in a Birkin, stale cigarette ash, plum, and rhubarb to capture the “lived in-ness of beauty” from the indie sleaze era she writes about. Bestselling author Leigh Bardugo (Ninth House) finds scent to be a powerful character signifier in her stories and has noted the brand Imaginary Authors’ literary-inspired fragrances. Similarly, Arabelle Sicardi, author of The House of Beauty, is releasing pre-orders of their debut with custom scented bookmarks and runs “Perfumed Pages,” an experimental creative container for scent culture.
Even iconic authors like Bret Easton Ellis have an official American Psycho cologne, created with the brand 19-69. Claudia Dey collaborated with Universal Flowering on a perfume for her book Daughter. This shift underscores a growing desire for authenticity and connection in an increasingly digital world.
The Allure of the Intangible: Why Scent?
The turn to fragrance, a medium that defies visual capture and social media performance, is deeply symbolic. In an age where everything is flattened by AI and digital screens, scent offers a visceral, grounding experience. Leigh Bardugo articulates this, stating, “This is a time when culture has really flattened and experience is hard to come by. There’s this idea that anything that you can imagine through AI suddenly becomes real, and scent is not like that.”
Perfume connects us to the physical world, creating personal rituals that encourage presence rather than endless scrolling. It’s a deliberate choice, an act of self-care that is inherently non-performative. The community building around olfactory enthusiasts, such as Sicardi’s “Perfumed Pages,” further reinforces this desire for genuine connection and shared experience away from the pressure of online validation.
Moreover, literary perfumes offer authors a novel way to engage with new audiences and even secure additional funding for their work. Sable Yong notes that the “Venn diagram” of her book readers and perfume buyers isn’t a full circle, indicating that the scent takes on a life of its own, intriguing a new demographic.
Véronique Hyland‘s ‘Millennial Pink’ perfume offers a unique sensory experience.
The author’s book, Dress Code, offers insights into cultural aesthetics.
Mona perfume, a collaboration inspired by Claudia Dey’s work.
Beyond the Screen: Embracing Nuance and Authenticity
The journey from the visually demanding “That Girl” to the subtly evocative “Lit Girl” with her literary perfumes reflects a broader societal yearning for authenticity. While social media trends will continue to evolve, the increasing embrace of personal, non-performative forms of expression—whether through realistic morning routines or unique fragrances inspired by literature—signals a powerful shift. It’s a testament to the idea that true self-improvement and genuine connection thrive beyond the highlight reels, in the nuanced, tangible experiences of real life.
