After reading an article that Dr. Lauren Griffin, one of my favorite religious studies professors at LSU, wrote about coquette Catholic girls and the changing definition of religion, I was inspired and felt the need to add my two cents. In her piece, she talked about the nuances of religiosity and how our definition of what it means to be religious has changed due to social media and the spread of aesthetics.
As a religious studies and digital advertising student, I love when there are moments where religion and creativity intertwine. A great example of this is the coquette Christian aesthetic. If you don’t know, the coquette aesthetic is a fashion trend that began around the 2010s. It’s all about pastel colors, bows, lace, ballet shoes, frilly dresses and ribbons. It’s like the Rococo style of France with a modern American twist. This aesthetic attracted the attention of Catholics and that is when coquette Catholicism was formed.
I can’t help but see the coquette Christian girl as a marketing trend. For one, it formed on social media and is a popular trend on TikTok and for two, clothing brands like Princess Polly and Urban Outfitters offer clothing styles that mimic the coquette fashion. It would be smart for any clothing brand to include this style in their products because it’s trendy. As for the aesthetic itself, coquette Christian girls are so cute to me. However, many religious fundamentalists and traditionalists feel as though these women are heretical.
Steve Larkin, columnist at the National Review, opposes the sub-cultural Catholic aesthetics that exist today. He says that “Catholicism is a religion, not a vibe,” implying that the aesthetic trends like coquette Catholics are not religious. Here’s the thing, while I understand that romanticization can be problematic, I don’t see the problem with someone finding beauty in their religion and choosing to display that beauty in elaborate ways.
I say, creativity is divine. This is why there’s beautiful elements in both Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Look at their iconography and the architecture of their cathedrals, all of which are nothing short of beautiful. If beauty is already embedded into the foundation of these practices, why can’t beauty then flow into one’s style as well?
In her article, Dr. Griffin states, “religion is changing. Perhaps the question to ask, then, is not whether these creators are being ironic or sincere, but rather how platforms like Instagram and TikTok might be starting to reshape the concept of religion itself.”
I agree with her. I personally, don’t see an issue with the coquette Christians and from the perspective of a scholar of religion, what more so needs to be focused on is the definition of religion.
Religion has become an amorphous entity because times have changed. Generation Z is known to break barriers and pave new paths. We are also more progressive than other generations. Hence why so many of us question and challenge the many systems that other generations chose to comply with. Due to the institutionalization of religion, this too has fallen victim to Gen Z-led scrutiny.
Could it be that the many issues that relate to the church or some people within the faith have pushed some Gen Z religious followers to make their own religions or redefine religion? Homophobia, pedophilia, sexism, exploitation, greed and nationalism grow exceedingly in religious contexts. Just look at Pope Benedict’s assault scandal, Protestant megachurches and the rise of Christian nationalism. Perhaps these are factors in the changes of religiosity, and thus the spread of religious romanticization.
Nonetheless, since the concept of religion has morphed into a nebulous cloud, I think it’s nonsensical to criticize people about their religiosity. How can you judge someone for not being properly religious, if religiosity itself has gotten more complicated? The complexities of religion is providing inclusion in a space that was once, and in some places, still very exclusive.
In regard to the criticisms of aesthetics like this one, I understand why traditionalists are upset with the exploitation of Catholicism in pop culture and clothing stores. A key distinction needs to be made, though. Catholicism itself is not some quirky trend, but the way in which a person who just so happens to be Catholic chooses to style themselves can be.
All in all, I think the coquette Catholics are adorable and that they’re still valid as Christians, because it is okay to serve God and looks simultaneously.
Amyri Jones is a 22-year-old digital advertising and religious studies senior from Baton Rouge.
