Time To Enter Your Villain Era Starting With Your Wardrobe
Fashion is the best way to express yourself, especially through the many phases of your life. Maybe you tried embracing being "that girl" with early mornings, meditations, and smoothies, or maybe you tried the "hot girl summer," where you wear and embrace whatever makes you feel confident and happy in your self-love journey in the summer. Many people on social media describe these different styles or phases in their life as some sort of "era." By definition, "era" simply means "a period of time marked by distinctive character, events, etc.," per Dictionary. Alt or alternative, hippie, edgy, baddie, and more are all words many social media users have used to describe their style, or their era, at the time of them wearing that style.
At the core of it all, fashion has been the main source of expressing those eras with strong visuals. Now, the concept of a villain era is making its rounds on social media with over 108.7 million views under the hashtag #villainera. This one is all about power and a realization of putting oneself first, something that has been impactful in how it is translated into villain-era fashion.
What is a villain era?
Going through a villain era means you will start setting your foot down more sternly against the things that can negatively impact you or your mental well-being. Spiritual influencer @earthtoalix on TikTok explains that a villain era is a beautiful transformation when someone reaches the point of being fed up, particularly people-pleasers. "The most important thing about a villain era is that it is the portal to the life that you are dreaming of," Alix says in her TikTok video. "Going through your villain era doesn't actually mean that you are being cruel or evil, but it can feel like you are being cruel or evil if you're making boundaries for the first time in your life." Essentially, entering your villain era consists of putting yourself and your energy first. Generally, it comes down to setting boundaries to make sure you are only around people who are good and uplifting for you and what you value.
Social media influencer @padzdey explains in a TikTok video that your villain era is about asserting boundaries, expressing and communicating your needs, and prioritizing yourself. Your villain era is a time to reclaim your energy and ultimately, reclaim your power as well. When you do this, there might be a "drastic change" in you from the viewpoint of others, especially if you were prone to let others treat you however they want. "What someone may be used to, they're not receiving anymore," Padzdey explains in her video. "And then comes in being perceived as a villain." In your villain era, you are prioritizing your well-being as you stand up for yourself and begin to care more intentionally for yourself.
Aesthetics of the villain era
Because the concept contains the word "villain," many fashion lovers have had fun interpreting this era in fashion. Your villain era is all about reclaiming your power in all your angst and rebellion; therefore, its fashion is a strong visual representation of this. It's all about bringing your sexy confidence to the forefront unapologetically, per ishonest. For example, Taylor Swift's "Reputation" era, where "the old Taylor died," thus, led to her transformation of fierceness, visually represented by dark, edgy aesthetics like villain era style. Now, with her song "Vigilante Sh*t" on her new album "Midnights," one phrase stands out: "dressing for revenge." Rather than seeking verbal arguments or stances, "dressing for revenge" could mean that one is using fashion to do the talking, partly inspired by the "revenge dress" concept (via Town & Country).
To dress for your villain era, implementing dark colors, like black, and other edgy elements. Leather, studs, form-fitting silhouettes, and platform shoes are the best basics to start with. Ultimately, villain-era fashion is inspired by the likes of punk, gothic, emo, and alternative looks also associated with rebellion. "Being in my villain era doesn't make me evil or contemptible. I'm not suddenly mean or immoral," Valentina Mejia wrote for Refinery29, detailing her own experience with her villain era. "Conversely, it gives me permission to be kind to myself, to create my own rules, and to confidently live and dress as boldly as I want." Overall, "dressing for revenge" in your villain era sends a message to the rest of the world: you are sexy, confident, and not to be messed with any longer.