For Your Consideration: Goofy Girl Winter

You’ve heard of Hot Girl Summer...

You’ve heard of Hot Girl Summer and Sad Girl Autumn – now get ready for (what I’ve coined) Goofy Girl Winter. Think balaclavas, Ugg boots, sleeping-bag-adjacent parkas, larger-than-life ear muffs, etc. Whatever silly accessory will keep me warm this season, I’m layering it on. In 2019, Vox defined Hot Girl Summer as “the mentality of going breezily about one’s own business regardless of what anyone else might think,” and that’s what Goofy Girl Winter is all about. 

I define GGW accessories as anything that would look ridiculous outside of the context of the fashion industry. See example: balaclavas. The warm face covering was featured on runways from Miu Miu to Raf Simmons, and #balaclava on TikTok has reached 141.2M views as I am writing this. Not only is a balaclava going to perform well on social media, it’s going to keep you toasty this winter (which is totally the most important function of those two). Though, we may look back in a few years and admit the mask/hat/scarf multitasker looks a bit silly.

Speaking of masks, I wonder: is there some appeal of anonymity that both masks and balaclavas serve? While the primary use of my surgical mask is obviously to protect myself and others from Covid-19, I do love being able to hide my face. And I’m not the only one. Whether I’m having a breakout or simply don’t want to run into anyone I know in my neighborhood, I love throwing on a mask and sunglasses and disappearing into the background. A balaclava is the ultimate disguise.

But back to avoiding the cold. While winter clothes keep you warm and cozy, no one looks…well, hot. To be honest, bundling up is decidedly unflattering. So why not run with looking goofy? 

Goofy Girl Winter and Hot Girl Summer may seem like complete opposites, but the attitude remains the same – wear what you want, do what you want (so long as you’re not hurting anyone) and don’t mind what anyone else thinks.