Delightfully Disheveled: The Frazzled Englishwoman Aesthetic in 2025

You don’t have to be a true Englishwoman to dress like one. You don’t even really need to be frazzled. The only requirements are a couple of pairs of tights, a few wrinkled but clean blouses, and a visible sense of confusion and/or flightiness.

Inspired by the eccentric Englishwoman working an office job, the “frazzled Englishwoman” aesthetic has entered the fashion world. But it’s not a new aesthetic, really, and none of its components are exceptionally avant-garde or fresh; think pieces from your 2014 Tumblr era, your mom’s kitschy polka dot prints, or the Oxford shoes the old-fashioned kids wore to school.

The aesthetic is mainly inspired by 2000s rom-coms with working English women as the leads: think Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones in Bridget Jones’s Diary or various Keira Knightley and Kate Winslet characters, especially Knightley in Love Actually and Winslet in The Holiday. There are some exceptions, such as Zooey Deschanel in 500 Days of Summer: while not English, her character embraces a lot of the key aspects of this aesthetic.

Fashion and lifestyle site Byrdie claims that one of the key strategies to embracing this look is to pretend that Colin Firth is your love interest, and everything else will fall into place naturally. If you’re not into Colin Firth, then you can follow this outfit formula: colorful tights, layers, something knit, a scarf, and a pattern or pop of unexpected color. A classic example of this look would be a white blouse, an oversized knit pullover sweater layered on top, a miniskirt, some tights, and a skinny, skinny scarf.

Though not necessary, many “frazzled” women don’t have time for elaborate hairstyles and will simply choose to pull their hair back with a claw clip or French pin. However, they’ll make sure to keep wisps of hair in their eyes or have baby bangs sweeping across their foreheads.

While this trend originally peaked in the 2000s and resurfaced in early 2024, variations on the aesthetic have been keeping it fresh and relevant. Embracing the layered principle of the style can make for plenty of outfit combinations and create unexpected silhouettes—perfectly exemplified through outfits by Portuguese fashion Instagrammer @sofs.garcez. The base of Garcez’s looks is something flowy layered with another article of clothing—usually oversized—and embellished with her addition of bright eye makeup, pops of metallic, and jewelry with a lot of spiral designs.

English fashion influencer Ellie Rose Baker is another creative who keeps the “frazzled Englishwoman” aesthetic alive, primarily leaning into unexpected colors and patterns that surprisingly complement each other. In all of Baker’s looks, there’s no obvious “rule” for the patterns or color palettes she chooses; her outfits work well because she combines things most people wouldn’t ordinarily think to pair, such as stripes with polka dots or multiple bright tones.

Another beauty of this aesthetic is that it’s timeless. As different trends come and go, components of the “frazzled Englishwoman” can always be incorporated into our outfits. For example, the “coastal fisherman” aesthetic, which has recently gained significant popularity, involves a lot of heavy knits, stripes, and oversized pants—all of which are staples in the “frazzled Englishwoman” look. Similarly, over-accessorizing is in right now, which pairs naturally with the messy Englishwoman’s tendency to throw things on without a second glance as she dashes to work.

Animal print is another big trend that re-emerged in 2024 and is likely to stick around for a while. It’s timeless, with lots of variations in color and pattern type. This trend can also be fused with the “frazzled Englishwoman” style, whether it be through a pair of leopard-printed tights or zebra-striped miniskirts.

If you’re thinking about embracing this aesthetic, try digging through your parents’ closets or see if any of your childhood accessories still fit, and take it from there. Many outfits can be made with the obnoxiously-colored striped scarf you bought when you were 12 or the hand-decorated hair clips you made for your third-grade art project. Everything else can easily be found at your local Goodwill. The “frazzled Englishwoman” is very low maintenance and would approve of sourcing used clothing—especially considering her office job probably doesn’t pay for name-brand splurges.