We knew this was coming, didn’t we? Ever since the Mean Girls trailer dropped, the internet has been sounding off about everything. Millennials, who have never let that movie go since it came out 20 years ago, were offended by the tagline “Not your mother’s Mean Girls.” How old did the marketers think millennials are?
Then, the clothes. Immediately, the internet tore down the costumes. What made the original movie so iconic was partly the costumes. What can beat Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams in low-slung jeans and pink stilettos? Looking back, it’s an apt representation of 2000s style and Y2K trends — though maybe not an accurate representation of what actual high schoolers look like.
The new Mean Girls was neither. It felt like a SHEIN caricature of how Gen Z dresses. From tacky corsets to dirty sneakers and Regina George in Doc Martens and cargo pants? It managed to feel unrealistic to Gen Z while also missing the mark on the glamorous and aspirational camp of the original.
The lackluster outfits were especially disappointing, considering the Y2K revival of Gen Z fashion. The over-the-top, kitschy Y2K TikTok fashion would have felt more at home on the Mean Girls set than the costumes we actually saw. Give me Miu Miu and a Diesel skirt, or give me death.
While Mean Girls-style is getting skewered, Renee Rapp is only shooting to greater levels of fame. After her powerful debut on SNL this weekend as the musical guest with host Jacob Elordi, going viral for her unhinged (in the best way) press interviews, and releasing a banger of a debut album last year, Renee is on the rise.
More than her character of Regina George, Renee’s style speaks to Gen Z. Her vibe is very cool and very queer. Whether she’s doing press or on tour, Renee Rapp is quickly carving out a signature look that I’ve been obsessively pinning to my mood board. Every time she steps out — yes, even the time she face-planted on the streets of NYC — I scour the internet to ID her pieces.
If you’re more inspired by Renee than Regina, you’re in luck. Renee’s style isn’t just better, it’s more accessible. You can get Renee Rapp's Tour Looks on Free People to curate an aesthetic worthy of your favorite queer pop star.
I tried some pieces from the collection and these are my favorites:
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We The Free Final Countdown Cuffed Low-Rise Jeans
We The Free Final Countdown Cuffed Low-Rise Jeans
Low-rise jeans are back! Where they were in Mean Girls, we’ll never know. But Renee Rapp knows what’s up and these are the chicest cuffed jeans around.
We The Free Electric Feels Dropped Wide-Leg Jeans
We The Free Electric Feels Dropped Wide-Leg Jeans
If Gen Z likes anything, it’s wide-leg jeans. Something about this Rocky Road shade makes me think of the cowboy trend, which is one of my favorites. This effortless cool-girl silhouette is exactly what I’d expect from Renee.
We The Free Ryder Sport Vegan Moto Jacket
We The Free Ryder Sport Vegan Moto Jacket
A leather jacket is synonymous with the rockstar aesthetic. 2023 brought back the “Rockstar Girlfriend” trend of Tumblr days past, it subverted the trope and asserted that girls are the rockstars, not just groupies. Just take a look at Daisy Jones and the Six. This vegan leather moto jacket is perfect for your own rockstar girlfriend aesthetic.
Stardom Baby Tee
Big jeans and a baby tee: the ultimate combo. The patchwork star detail is effortlessly cool, just like our mother Renee Rapp.
Dr. Martens Jetta Boots
Regina George in Dr. Martens? Confusing. Renee Rapp in Dr. Martens? That feels right. These zipper Jetta Boots are a great dupe for The Row boots — and probably better quality for a fraction of the cost.