"clean girl"

luxury and exclusion: a poem on the 'clean girl' trend

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I can’t be the only one that sees
Beyond the Rhode-glazed skin, the muted hues
The hundred-pound silks that whisper ease- 
A ‘clean-girl’ guise, a racist ruse

‘Minimalism’ - makes my brown heart ache
Where's all the warmth in your stark, cream-like gleam?
Eight hours of sleep? A privilege to take- 
A fleeting trend for the bored white women’s scheme.

Drink water quick,
Glug
	Glug
		Glug
No liquid can drown your multi-coloured dreams
The lehengas you’ve folded, now tucked out of sight,
Replaced by pale blouses, uni of Exeter themes
‘Fashion start-ups' bathed deep, in daddy’s trust fund bite

But go on, try your very best
To squeeze into those narrow shoes
When they never represent your quest
Or invite you to their ‘exclusive views’

Rich props up rich
While the poor still plead their case
The marginalized are bewitched, 
To bolster white "feminists"                 -in their own space.

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This is just one perspective. What other layers and nuances do you see in this trend? The "clean girl" is a powerful image, but what does it represent to you, and who does it exclude?

Thanks for reading all,

Talk soon,

Jas <3