People Are Saying This Fast Fashion Brand’s New Look Is A Sign That “Right Wing Is In”

Whenever someone calls fashion a frivolous, non-important part of society, I tend to disagree. Yes, it can be that, but fashion is often the visual canvas where larger social, political, and cultural happenings speak.

From civil rights activists donning their "Sunday Best" at protests to assert respect, to hippies, punks, and the rise of the modern tradwife aesthetic today, fashion has consistently been a powerful form of political allegiance and expression.

And now, people are saying one fast fashion rebrand is the latest signifier of a cultural shift toward more conservative values. PrettyLittleThing, previously known for making bright-colored, bodycon-fitting club clothes, has rebranded to what a person in the industry might call "elevated neutrals" — beige, brown, and cream-colored matching sets and modernized basics. It's still polyester, just more covered up.

The brand completely scrubbed the social media of any trace of the former bubbly-pink "fierce affordable fashion" they used to advertise. Their new website reads: "Allow us to reintroduce you to PrettyLittleThing, the generation-defining style source for every kind of It Girl. With the belief that elevated fashion essentials should be available to all."

They've swapped bodycon mini dresses for blazers.

Waistcoats.

And a sea of neutral-toned sets.

People are...confused, caught off guard, and deep in debate. "i hope prettylittlething goes bankrupt because what the hell," one person wrote on X.

Others defended the shift. One person wrote in a TikTok, "Pretty Little Thing came out when I was 18. I am now 30. It was time for a rebrand. They had to grow up with their audience."

Yet, a large majority say the rebrand is emblematic of a larger cultural shift. "You know right wing is 'in' when a fast fashion company does a WHOLE REBRAND going from mostly 'club clothes' to half their pieces being 'modest/tradwife/cleangirl,'" user @varsha.yajman wrote in a TikTok, which has since received over 8.7 million views.

"the pretty little thing rebrand is crazy work moving to clean girl/office siren aesthetic away from kardashian/night life is the biggest recession indicator i’ve seen so far," another person wrote on X.

"Pretty Little Thing rebranding to a more toned down, preppy, clean girl version of itself is definitely an indication of the mental shift the world is taking on conservatism," user @wingless.social.b said in another viral TikTok debating the rebrand.

Still, PrettyLittleThing’s rebrand isn’t the only signal of a broader cultural shift. The rise of aesthetics like "cottagecore," "old money," and "trad wife," alongside the growing trend of girlhood infantilization (think: "girl math," "I'm just a girl" memes), have arguably also contributed to a romanticized modern vision of traditional gender roles. In this idealized world, women are content as long as they wear frilly dresses, create aesthetically pleasing content, kids in tow, or don designer clothes — a patriarchal framework dressed up as aspirational living.

Twitter: @DLVermeer

This isn't the first time political and economic conditions have shaped fashion trends. The "hemline index theory" proposes a correlation between skirt lengths and market conditions, suggesting that shorter hemlines align with economic prosperity while longer skirts signal financial downturns. So...perhaps the long hemlines of these "clean girl aesthetics" signal something much greater.

Similarly, researchers have long observed a pattern where economic downturns drive minimalism to the forefront of fashion, while periods of prosperity usher in more vibrant, maximalist styles. For instance, the 2000s embraced a maximalist, accessory-heavy aesthetic — think Juicy Couture sweats, designer logos, and chunky belts — only to be followed by the 2008 financial crisis, spurring the appeal of minimalism and more stripped-down ideals.

As major retailers struggled, startups like Everlane and Warby Parker emerged, offering a pared-down, utilitarian approach to fashion. In the aftermath of the downturn, the mid-2010s saw a resurgence of indie sleaze — a modern take on the rebellious '80s punk revival — and maximalist aesthetics once again (colorful athleisure, chunky jewelry, full-face Kylie Cosmetics makeup).

So, whether PrettyLittleThing’s rebrand is just a natural evolution, a sign of a conservative shift, or a warning sign of a recession, one thing is clear: the controversy surrounding it is yet another reflection of the cultural moment we’re in.

We’ve reached out to PrettyLittleThing for a comment on the rebrand and will update you if we receive a response.

But, let me know what you think — is fashion moving in a more conservative direction? Or is this just another trend cycle in motion? Let us know in the comments.