South Africa’s creative industry is no stranger to trends. We’ve seen the rise and fall of minimalism, the slow death of agency bean bags, and the great 2023 rebrand where every corporate suddenly looked like a tech startup. But now, a new epidemic is sweeping the nation, infiltrating advertising agencies, influencer feeds, and creative pitches faster than you can say “Canva template.” Ladies and gentlemen (but mostly ladies), we present: The Clean Girl Aesthetic.
What Is This Sorcery?
For the uninitiated (or those too busy actually working), the Clean Girl Aesthetic is a highly curated lifestyle trend where women—predominantly young, well-moisturised, and impossibly well-lit—embrace the art of looking effortlessly put together. Think slicked-back bun, dewy skin that suggests a 27-step skincare routine, neutral-toned athleisure, and just the right amount of lip gloss to make it seem like you just casually exist as a glowing goddess. Duh, don’t you even read the slang dictionary in your spare time? Here’s what it says. Clean Girl
On the surface, this seems like a harmless trend. Who doesn’t want to look fresh and put together while sipping an oat milk latte? But in the South African creative industry, where chaos reigns supreme and briefs change more often than the load-shedding schedule, this aesthetic is raising a few existential questions.
On the surface, this seems like a harmless trend. Who doesn’t want to look fresh and put together while sipping an oat milk latte? But in the South African creative industry, where chaos reigns supreme and briefs change more often than the load-shedding schedule, this aesthetic is raising a few existential questions.
The "Effortless" Lie We Tell Ourselves
The biggest myth about the Clean Girl Aesthetic? The effortlessness of it all.
Just like any spontaneous agency brainstorming session that has actually been meticulously prepped for two weeks, the Clean Girl Aesthetic is anything but casual. It’s not just about throwing on a linen two-piece and running out the door—it’s about carefully curating a look that whispers “I am unbothered” while subtly screaming “I spent R3,500 on skincare this month.”
Let’s not forget the intense level of maintenance required to pull this off. Clean Girls don’t just wake up like this. No, they wake up two hours earlier than you, gua sha their faces into oblivion, strategically highlight their cheekbones, and ensure not a single flyaway exists in their sleek bun. It’s a full-time job, except nobody is offering medical aid or even a payslip.
Just like any spontaneous agency brainstorming session that has actually been meticulously prepped for two weeks, the Clean Girl Aesthetic is anything but casual. It’s not just about throwing on a linen two-piece and running out the door—it’s about carefully curating a look that whispers “I am unbothered” while subtly screaming “I spent R3,500 on skincare this month.”
Let’s not forget the intense level of maintenance required to pull this off. Clean Girls don’t just wake up like this. No, they wake up two hours earlier than you, gua sha their faces into oblivion, strategically highlight their cheekbones, and ensure not a single flyaway exists in their sleek bun. It’s a full-time job, except nobody is offering medical aid or even a payslip.
The South African Spin: The Tidy Hun Aesthetic
Of course, local creative agencies have put their own spin on the trend. Enter: The Tidy Hun.
While the global Clean Girl leans into understated luxury, the South African version knows she’s dealing with taxi fumes, unpredictable weather, and a budget that doesn’t quite match her global counterparts. Our Tidy Hun will rock a Woolies R99 bodycon dress, pair it with Air Force 1s that have seen better days, and slap on a slick bun reinforced with half a tub of Sta-Sof-Fro. Her aesthetic isn’t just about looking put together—it’s a survival mechanism.
Creative agencies have quickly taken note. Pitch decks are now mood-boarded in monochrome, fonts are deliberately understated, and every second social media campaign features a local influencer looking dewy and carefree while subtly plugging an overpriced lip oil. It’s giving “effortless elegance,” but it’s also giving “we only had budget for neutral tones and a ring light.”
While the global Clean Girl leans into understated luxury, the South African version knows she’s dealing with taxi fumes, unpredictable weather, and a budget that doesn’t quite match her global counterparts. Our Tidy Hun will rock a Woolies R99 bodycon dress, pair it with Air Force 1s that have seen better days, and slap on a slick bun reinforced with half a tub of Sta-Sof-Fro. Her aesthetic isn’t just about looking put together—it’s a survival mechanism.
Creative agencies have quickly taken note. Pitch decks are now mood-boarded in monochrome, fonts are deliberately understated, and every second social media campaign features a local influencer looking dewy and carefree while subtly plugging an overpriced lip oil. It’s giving “effortless elegance,” but it’s also giving “we only had budget for neutral tones and a ring light.”
The Clean Girl Effect on Creative Work
Beyond just the influencer economy, the Clean Girl has infiltrated how agencies approach branding. Gone are the days of loud, maximalist, in-your-face creative work. Everything is now soft, minimal, and stripped back.
Remember when agency creatives used to push boundaries? When fonts were illegible but somehow genius? When a campaign could be chaotic, loud, and filled with hand-drawn illustrations that made no sense but felt alive? Well, those days are gone. Now, everything is beige. Everything is tasteful. Everything is designed to fit seamlessly into a perfectly curated Instagram grid.
Clients love it, of course. It looks expensive without actually being expensive. It appeals to the ever-elusive “sophisticated millennial woman” demographic. And most importantly, it’s safe.
Remember when agency creatives used to push boundaries? When fonts were illegible but somehow genius? When a campaign could be chaotic, loud, and filled with hand-drawn illustrations that made no sense but felt alive? Well, those days are gone. Now, everything is beige. Everything is tasteful. Everything is designed to fit seamlessly into a perfectly curated Instagram grid.
Clients love it, of course. It looks expensive without actually being expensive. It appeals to the ever-elusive “sophisticated millennial woman” demographic. And most importantly, it’s safe.
The "Not-So-Clean" Reality
While we love a good aesthetic moment, let’s be honest—this trend is exhausting.
The South African creative industry thrives on a little bit of chaos. We don’t do “effortless”—we do “miracle-working under impossible deadlines.” We don’t do “minimalism”—we do “let’s throw everything into this campaign and see what sticks.” And let’s not pretend that anyone has time to be a Clean Girl when the average workday includes three emergency client meetings, a last-minute pitch rewrite, and a production shoot that ran over budget before it even started.
The true South African creative icon isn’t the Clean Girl; it’s the agency senior who pulls an all-nighter in a coffee-stained hoodie, fueled by Red Bull and sheer willpower. It’s the strategist who scribbles ideas on a napkin while waiting for their Uber. It’s the copywriter who somehow turns a brief that says “make it pop” into a fully-fledged 360-degree campaign.
The South African creative industry thrives on a little bit of chaos. We don’t do “effortless”—we do “miracle-working under impossible deadlines.” We don’t do “minimalism”—we do “let’s throw everything into this campaign and see what sticks.” And let’s not pretend that anyone has time to be a Clean Girl when the average workday includes three emergency client meetings, a last-minute pitch rewrite, and a production shoot that ran over budget before it even started.
The true South African creative icon isn’t the Clean Girl; it’s the agency senior who pulls an all-nighter in a coffee-stained hoodie, fueled by Red Bull and sheer willpower. It’s the strategist who scribbles ideas on a napkin while waiting for their Uber. It’s the copywriter who somehow turns a brief that says “make it pop” into a fully-fledged 360-degree campaign.
What does the he Future hold? The Post-Clean Girl?
Trends are fleeting, and much like the agency bean bag, the Clean Girl aesthetic will eventually fade. We’ll look back and wonder why we all collectively decided that looking like a rich housewife on her way to Pilates was aspirational.
Until then, creative agencies will continue to embrace the Clean Girl Aesthetic for as long as it works. But deep down, we know that our industry thrives on mess, chaos, and a little bit of good old-fashioned unhinged creativity. And let’s be real—no one ever created a groundbreaking ad campaign while being “effortlessly put together.”
So, to all the Clean Girls out there: we see you. We admire your dedication to looking like you just stepped out of a Vogue editorial while sipping your perfectly foamed matcha. But for the rest of us in the creative trenches? We’ll stick to our questionable sneakers, mismatched outfits, and coffee-fueled genius. Because in the real world, creativity isn’t clean—it’s gloriously, unapologetically messy.
Until then, creative agencies will continue to embrace the Clean Girl Aesthetic for as long as it works. But deep down, we know that our industry thrives on mess, chaos, and a little bit of good old-fashioned unhinged creativity. And let’s be real—no one ever created a groundbreaking ad campaign while being “effortlessly put together.”
So, to all the Clean Girls out there: we see you. We admire your dedication to looking like you just stepped out of a Vogue editorial while sipping your perfectly foamed matcha. But for the rest of us in the creative trenches? We’ll stick to our questionable sneakers, mismatched outfits, and coffee-fueled genius. Because in the real world, creativity isn’t clean—it’s gloriously, unapologetically messy.
