It’s not every day that Francis Ford Coppola gives his opinion on a TikTok trend.
But he took exception to the so-called Mafia Wife aesthetic, a sleazy fusion of fur coats, leather and leopard print that is presented on the platform as a kind of Mafiosa cosplay.
in Recent Instagram posts“The Godfather” director Coppola compared her style to that of Connie Corleone, the movie character played by her sister Talia Shire, describing her as a “sensual and fun Italian princess.”
Hundreds of videos on the app show young women with no obvious ties to organized crime experimenting with their own style, usually featuring heavy jewelry and thick eyeliner. .
TikTok churns out a new reigning “aesthetic” every few months, and the real-world influence on off-screen dress varies greatly. So what is actually driving this newly fashionable glorification of outlaw-adjacent women?
What is the “yakuza wife aesthetic”?
The most basic version involves wearing a real or faux fur coat over an all-black outfit. However, according to its proponents, appearance is meaningless without the accompanying attitude. Those who carefully study the Yakuza Wife’s work add red nails and lipstick, a voluminous hairstyle, and sunglasses large enough to act as a kind of windshield.
“Expressive, bold and unapologetic,” said Sarah Arcuri, a 29-year-old New Jersey resident who calls herself “Mob Wife Aesthetic CEO” on TikTok. She was inspired by the flashy-dressed women of her Italian-American family, as well as by the reality shows “Mob Wives” and “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” which she learned from high school. She said she was getting dressed.
Arcuri has been posting about the yakuza wife look since 2022, but it wasn’t until earlier this month that interest in the trend began to pick up. That fan is audio fragment The song, submitted by Kayla Trivieri, has since been used as the soundtrack for over 2,000 videos.
Well, let me give you some examples.
TikTokers primarily reach for examples of fictional gangster wives (and girlfriends) like Edie Falco’s character Carmela Soprano on the HBO series “The Sopranos.” Users of the app have been lip-syncing scenes of his altercation with Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and spreading images of Mr. Falco with French tips and big hair. Others point to her co-stars Drea de Matteo, who played Adriana La Selva on The Sopranos, and Karen Hill, played by Lorraine Bracco on Goodfellas.
Where did this come from?
Speaking of “The Sopranos,” many users of the app I believe that this tendency was instilled in me. HBO aired it in conjunction with extensive promotional efforts to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the show’s debut. In a statement, HBO spokesman Jason Mulderrig called the trend “evidence of ‘The Sopranos’ and its lasting impact on culture,” but he declined to author the trend. .
Arcuri and others see TikTok’s obsession with yakuza wives as a reaction to the minimalist perfection that sometimes advances on visual social media platforms. Last year saw the rise of a “clean girl aesthetic” (beige pullovers, neat updos, etc.) and “stealth wealth,” which prioritizes subtle symbols of wealth.
Sorry, but is this true?
Typically, TikTok’s “aesthetic” trends look like this: Identify a long-established style (for example, a rich older woman wearing a cardigan) and give it a catchy new label (Grandmas on the coast!). In this case, there are a lot of people dressed in the style captured by “The Sopranos” 25 years ago. are raising their voices About their looks being repackaged as “trends.” It remains to be seen how many people outside of that demographic will start dressing like this because they happened to see it on TikTok.
Does it have a deep meaning?
Similar to the clean girl and stealth wealth aesthetics, the Yakuza Wife look focuses on conspicuous symbols of wealth, but this time it’s one usually associated with nouveau riche. Especially those who have acquired wealth outside the rule of law.
From “The Sopranos” lil kim, even if she herself is powerful, the yakuza’s wife is an accessory to a more powerful man – her sex appeal, beauty, and style reflect his power back to him. Whether the yakuza’s wife knows about her situation or not creates her dramatic appeal. Is she ignorant and has no real power in her husband’s illicit realm? Or is she being smart and looking away while she enjoys his money? Anyway, in exchange for her silence, she ended up going shopping.
“As we’ve seen in movies and shows, it takes a certain level of toughness to live that lifestyle,” Arcuri says. “They can wear what they want and get away with it.”
I’m sure someone must be complaining about this.
Arcuri said she disagrees with critics who say the trend glorifies links to organized crime. And for all the influencers currently ordering fur coats, other TikTok users say these trends feel increasingly manufactured and meaningless. “There’s a bit of aesthetic fatigue on social media,” she added. “Every little micro-trend gets a label.”
Each label acts as an opportunity for influencers, brand And yes, there are media outlets that take advantage of trends and use them for their own purposes. Those who want to get the Yakuza Wife look may have to pay for it: a box of “mystery” items of used Yakuza Wife apparel Already on sale at Poshmark For almost $200.