Get Ready to Step Into The Dare Girl Autumn
Written by Elizabeth Weiss
Image courtesy of Jennifer McCord
Following Brat Summer, The Dare’s (aka Harrison Patrick Smith) sudden success was cemented through his collaboration with Charli XCX. Brat has taken the world, and summer, by storm. As we move away from the dog days of summer and step into endless leaf piles, it’s time for a new movement. The Dare Girl Autumn.
If you haven’t seen the endless videos pop up your For You page yet, it’s time to familiarize yourself with the trend. Here’s what you need to know.
Image courtesy of Jason Omar Al-Taan
Who is The Dare?
Musician and songwriter Harrison Patrick Smith reinvented himself as The Dare after moving to New York City. Formerly known as Turtlenecked, he didn’t gain success until he signed with Republic Records in 2023. Interestingly, he hopped around with previous professions and even worked as a substitute teacher. Raunchy hit“ Girls” was actually released in 2022, and despite gaining recognition by The New York Times didn’t pick up until his collaboration with Charli. His debut album What’s Wrong With New York? dropped September 6th, and since then he has been crowned an indie sleaze legend.
The Fundamentals
In essence, the core of The Dare Girl Autumn is channeling your inner indie sleaze. While you can’t literally transport yourself to 2007, you can 100% get the vibe. To help you understand the transition from Brat to The Dare, we have to start by defining Brat. In an interview posted on The News Movement’s TikTok, Charli XCX established how she sees it. It can be quiet luxury (such as a yacht, of course) or more trashy with plentiful cigarettes, and strappy white tank tops. The indie sleaze aesthetic central to this autumn, hones in on chaotic spontaneity and disregards any form of luxury. Besides putting “Girls” on repeat, some like minded artists include The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, MGMT, and Interpol. Essentially, any British indie rock musician accompanied with a pair of wired earbuds will get you into the proper mindset. Furthermore, you want to embrace that infamous grimy and carefree that you feel after sleeping in your makeup (but intentionally of course).
Get the Look
Get ready to scour Depop for 2000s Urban Outfitters and pull out all your band tees. It’s time to get the look, babe. The fun part of the indie sleaze/The Dare Girl Autumn trend is that it’s perfectly okay for your outfit to not quite go together. In fact, as mentioned above, the messier the better.
The Trendsetters:
Some fashion icons you can pull from for inspiration include Cory Kennedy, Alexa Chung, and Sky Ferreira. UK television Skins and old American Apparel ads are also credited for mimicking the aesthetic. Obviously, this time around we will not be glorifying substance abuse.
Image courtesy of Matt Cardy
The Clothes:
Image courtesy of Bryan Bedder
When dressing for autumnal weather, keep in mind layering is key. While not everyone lives in New England like me, everywhere is subjected to unpredictable cool breezes or unexpected rain storms. Some basics include colorful tights, leather or leopard print jackets, tote bags, tennis skirts, Dr. Martens/combat boots, a-line dresses, knee-high socks, and Wayfarer Ray-Bans. For a simplistic look, you could throw on a pair of shorts with ripped tights underneath, a white tank, and a leather jacket. Most The Dare Autumn outfits compose of these key elements. The best part is you probably already have these items in your wardrobe or can easily source them at a thrift store.
The Makeup:
Image courtesy of Neil Mockford
Makeup beginners and connoisseurs alike can easily nail the look. If you sleep in your makeup or even just pretend to, you’re golden. Think smudged mascara, disproportional eyeliner (great for the fellow girls who suck at eyeliner,) chipped black nail polish, and as red is so in this season a red lippie.
In conclusion, fun and freedom is the heart of The Dare Girl Autumn. Think outside of the box and break all boundaries. Fashion is supposed to be exciting, and this trend allows you to follow the beat of your heart. So sorry, but it’s time to bid farewell to Brat Summer.
