Why is TikTok's mob wife trend controversial?

“Clean girl is out, mob wife is in,” declares TikTok. 

It’s a complete rebuttal of what the clean girl aesthetic meant. Instead of an effortlessly fresh and natural look, the mob wife aesthetic is glamour with a capital G. Gone are the slicked-back buns, French manicures, and polished neutral basics. Instead, we have voluminous blowouts, long pointed nails, leopard prints, oversized fur coats, smoky eyes and gold stacks. A lot of fur coats.

Think Adriana La Cerva from The Sopranos, Karen Hill from Goodfellas, and Elvira Hancock from Scarface. The mob wife aesthetic aims to replicate the depiction of 1980s Italian-American mob wives from iconic TV shows and movies.

Why is it popular now?

Minimalism and maximalism come and go in cycles, as people tire of current trends and seek something new. It's been a consistent pattern: the maximalist fashion of the 1980s gave way to minimalism in the 1990s. What's new with social media, however, is the speed at which these trends are replacing each other. With minimalist fashion (as represented by trends like quiet fashion) in vogue last year, TikTok began looking for something more flashy and opulent — and landed on the mob wife aesthetic. 

Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos and Scarface streaming on Netflix, the mob wife trend takes inspiration from the bold, glamorous outfits donned by the women in these crime shows. It’s not just the outfits though, it’s also about what they represent.

Mob wives are depicted as no-nonsense, playing crucial roles as the matriarchs of their husbands’ criminal empires. It’s about being “bold, tough, fearless and unapologetic — all traits I think are admirable, aspirational”, said Sarah Jordan Arcuri, one of the influencers popularising the trend.

How is it controversial?

There are those claiming it’s cultural appropriation, as the trend draws from stereotypes of Italian-American immigrants. 

More amusingly though, in an age where everyone is empowered to wade into social media debates, there are also former mob wives weighing in on the trend. Firstly, taking issue with how the trend may not necessarily reflect what mob wives actually wear. Secondly, finding fault in the trend and its glamourisation of what was a difficult time for these women.

The glamourisation of crime is nothing new: movies and shows like The Godfather have been doing it for years. We’d ascribe values to them: loyal, charming, caring about their communities. Even in Asia, we’d often see this happen with Hong Kong gangster flicks and Yakuza movies — they’ve even inspired their own looks, with yakuza-inspired tattoos or Mong Kok style which originated from what Hong Kong street gangs wore. 

While most people merely watch these media for leisure, it can have a negative effect. There are studies suggesting a link between gang violence and gang movies. Glorifying crime can lead to behaviours like drug use being viewed as cool, while humanising gangs glosses over their worst excesses like human trafficking. And there’s the ethical concern of how people’s real trauma with gang violence can be turned into mass entertainment. 

Another commonly cited issue some have with the mob wife trend is the proliferation of vintage furs. While the use of new furs is a no-go for most, vintage furs have plenty of room for debate. Some argue that the animal’s life has already been taken — why not make the most of it? After all, faux furs — even as they improve by leaps and bounds — are still uncomfortable and tacky to many. Others disagree, believing that wearing vintage furs normalises and popularises the act of wearing furs in the first place.

Is this trend spreading to Asia?

The mob wife trend has spread to Xiaohongshu (China’s version of Instagram). Chinese netizens are putting their own spin on the trend, taking inspiration from Chinese media like Blossoms Shanghai.

While the useage of fur coats might be a bit impractical for Singapore’s weather (but certainly not impossible!), the smokey make-up and the leopard prints can very much be used in our climate. And to some, the mob wife aesthetic is an attitude, one characterised by boldness and glamour — which you can definitely pull off in Singapore, as Amanda Leong attests.