Did you see Rita Ora in a full length leopard print coat? She really nailed that "mob wife" look.
Dressing like "mob wives" (the fur coats, the dark lipstick, the leathers, the oversized sunglasses, and devil-may-care attitude) has been around since before TikTok made it famous. Examples of mob wife aesthetic can be seen in movies like The Godfather and in TV shows like The Sopranos.
As a term, "mob wife aesthetic" gained prominence (as with most social media trends) in TikTok in the beginning of 2024 and some may call it the pivot from the "clean girl aesthetic" that's been popular since 2020. Those who dress in this aesthetic revel in the look being grown up, confident, and sultry. Part of the aesthetic is the confident and self-possessed attitude that makes high glamour so enticing. Because the energy is one gives off in part is what makes the "mob wife" aesthetic, it's not necessarily about expensive new clothes or makeup or shoes. It's about a mindset that you're in control and the clothes and the hair follow.
According to creator Sarah Jordan Arcuri, TikTok's"Mob Wife Aesthetic CEO," the way you know you're doing the mob wife aesthetic correctly is if afterwards you look like you're going to a funeral.