This summer, everything changed. Okay, we’re being dramatic. But we were hit with a craze so omnipresent that all micro-trends quaked in inferiority. For the first time since Hot Girl Summer hype dominated airwaves and inspired countless Instagram captions, a new girl entered the villa: Brat Summer, here to set us free. 

It started, as so much does, with Charli XCX. Charli released her now-canon Brat to instant critical and commercial acclaim in June, an album that has now scored every spec of content and club dance floors in the world. There were Lorde, Robyn, and Addison Rae remixes, there was an entire “aesthetic” identified by Charli (braless white tank tops and Bic lighters). We all caught Brat fever, but now, it’s evolved into a full flu. 

Last week, Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the presidential race and endorsing  VP Kamala Harris. Within hours, Kamala had adopted the Brat aesthetic on her Twitter account, with the text ‘Kamala Hq.’ This came after endless fan-edits of Kamala Harris appearing in public soundtracked by hit Charli XCX single “365,” and was followed by CNN’s Jake Tapper breaking down what ‘Brat,’ the concept, really meant (according to Charli, Kamala is Brat). 

We know that by now you’ve seen the TikToks, you’ve heard the podcasts. There have been endless musings on what it is to be ‘Brat,’ how to achieve ‘Brat,’ what a ‘Brat’ lifestyle looks like. We don’t need to be your Gen Z correspondent as to what it means to be carefree, yet bogged down by existential questions, or whether you can rot in bed all through the warmer months while still projecting Brat. What we can do is tell you how we perceive all the brattiest Brats out there, and the essentials they seem to be sharing this summer. 

The Brat Anthem (“Your Love is My Drug,” Kesha) 

Brats were not born out of nowhere. Unlike that Flo Rida joint, “Right Round,” or anthemic “TikTok,” Kesha gets real on her uber-bratty banger, “Your Love is My Drug.” An ode to an overwhelming crush, “Your Love is My Drug” has one of the best bridges of any pop song in the past two decades (I don’t care what people say, the rush is worth the price I pay, being very Brat-coded). Kesha is finally being recognized for her artistry, which means this should be queued up immediately. 

Apple-Flavored Everything

Brats love lip gloss but – in homage to Charli's viral song that almost ended up on the cutting room floor – anything Apple-flavored will do. We’re talking pies, cobblers, Appletinis. Although, there's nothing more Brat than applying your splurge-purchase lip gloss and immediately licking it off. 

An Improbable Heel

If you can’t get your hands on a Jeffrey Campbell Lita, pretty much any platform heel will do. Your shoe needs to be elevated on the toe for sheer practicality, but that’s where it should stop making sense. If you can’t explain how it balances, it has a standout, shocking feature and doesn't leave your feet bleeding after hours of dancing, it’s Brat.

A High-Octane Undereye Mask   

Rot in style. Dieux gets recovery right with these reusable eye masks, perfect for the morning after.  

Shield Sunglasses to Block Out Reality 

Not a want, but a need. Next time you find yourself spiraling over the future, past or even present, just put on these bad boys and color the world the perfect IDGAF green.  

A Club-Ready Phone Case

Yes, Wildflower collaborated with Ms. Charli herself to create the ultimate phone case for late-night mirror photoshoots. Now you're ready to go. 

Image via Instagram