The TikTok trend is more than just French manicures and furs; it concentrates on visible symbols of riches gained outside the rule of law.
It’s not every day that Francis Ford Coppola chooses to weigh in on a TikTok trend.
However, he made an exception for the so-called mob wife aesthetic, which is a louche fusion of fur coats, leather, and leopard patterns offered on the platform as a type of mafiosa cosplay.
In a recent Instagram post, Mr. Coppola, the maker of “The Godfather,” compared the style to that of Connie Corleone, a character in the film played by his sister, Talia Shire: “a sultry, delightful Italian princess.”
Hundreds of videos on the app show young women with no apparent marriage tie to organised crime trying on their own versions of the look, which typically includes heavy jewellery and eyeliner.
Every few months, TikTok introduces a new dominant “aesthetic,” which varies greatly in its real-world influence on offscreen attire. So, what is driving the recent glamorization of outlaw-adjacent style?
What is the ‘mob wife aesthetic’?
The most simple version involves wearing a real or faux fur coat over an all-black dress. However, its proponents argue that appearance is meaningless without a matching mindset. Experts of the mob wife oeuvre include red nails and lipstick, a high-volume haircut, and sunglasses large enough to serve as a windscreen.
“It’s expressive, it’s bold, it’s unapologetic,” said Sarah Arcuri, 29, a New Jersey resident who goes by the name “Mob Wife Aesthetic CEO” on TikTok. She has been wearing that way since high school, she claims, influenced by the flashily dressed ladies in her Italian American family as well as the reality shows “Mob Wives” and “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.”
Ms. Arcuri has been posting about the mob wife look since 2022, but interest in the trend has not increased until the beginning of this month. Its followers coalesced around a clip of music released by Kayla Trivieri, which has since been used as the soundtrack for over 2,000 more videos.
Some examples
TikTok users are generally looking for
incidents of fictitious mob wives
(and girlfriends) such as Carmela
Soprano, Edie Falco’s character in
the HBO series “The Sopranos.” Users on the
app are lip-syncing to moments from
her fights with Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and
sharing photos of Ms. Falco with French tips and long
hair. Others include her “Sopranos” co-star Drea de
Matteo, who plays Adriana La Cerva, and Lorraine
Bracco’s character in “Goodfellas,” Karen Hill.
Where does this come from?
Speaking of “The Sopranos,” many app users believe the trend was started by HBO to coincide with its promotion for the show’s 25th anniversary. In a statement, HBO spokesperson Jason Mulderig called the trend “a testament to ‘The Sopranos’ and its enduring impact on culture” but did not admit to starting it.
Ms. Arcuri and others see TikTok’s obsession with mob wives as a reaction to the minimalist perfection that is frequently promoted on visual social media platforms. Last year, there was a “clean girl aesthetic” (think: beige pullovers, tidy updos) and “stealth wealth,” which prioritised subtle signs of wealth.
Is this real?
Typically, TikTok’s “aesthetic” trends look like this: Identify a well-known trend (for example, rich older women wearing cardigans) and give it a catchy new name (Coastal Grandmothers!). In this situation, there are many people who dress in the way shown by “The Sopranos” 25 years ago, some of whom are speaking out about their appearance being repackaged as a “trend.” It’s unclear how many individuals outside of that group will start dressing this way after seeing it on TikTok.
Is there a deeper meaning?
The mob wife aesthetic, like the clean girl and stealth wealth aesthetics, focuses on visible signifiers of wealth, but this time on those typically associated with the nouveau riche. Specifically, those who gained money outside of the rule of law.
In most popular depictions, from “The Sopranos” to Lil’ Kim, the mob wife is an accessory to a more powerful guy, reflecting his power back to him through her sex appeal, attractiveness, and elegance. The mob wife’s dramatic appeal comes from her knowledge or ignorance of her own situation: Is she naïve, with no real influence in her husband’s criminal realm? Or is she cunning, turning away while he enjoys his money? Regardless, as a reward for her silence, she gets to go shopping.
“In order to be in that lifestyle, as we’ve seen from films and shows, you have to have a certain toughness to you,” Ms. Arcuri stated. “They can wear what they want and get away with it.”
Controversies and Perspectives
Ms. Arcuri stated that she disagrees with critics who claim the trend glorifies a relationship with organised crime. And for every influencer who is presently purchasing a fur coat, other TikTok users complain that these trends are becoming increasingly manufactured and meaningless. “There is a little bit of aesthetic fatigue on social media,” she said. “Every little microtrend is labelled.”
Each of these labels provides a chance for influencers, companies, and, yes, media outlets to take advantage of a trend and drive it towards their own goals.