How to Bring The Coquette Aesthetic to Your Meals

Blaine Moats

If you’ve been online this year, you’ve likely seen the rise of the coquette aesthetic—and there’s a good chance you’ll see a lot more of it in 2024, from decor to food.

The coquette aesthetic is flirtatious, playful, and charming, rooted in a sense of femininity and allure, drawing inspiration from vintage fashion, romanticism, and whimsical details. Think of flirtatious details like ruffles, bows, and lace and soft colors like shades of blush pink, lavender, mint green, and baby blue.

Pinterest’s lifestyle creative management lead Jeremy Jankowski told Better Homes & Gardens in June that there’s been an increase in coquette-related searches.

“I think we can safely say bows would tie in nicely to these search results,” Jankowski said. “Which, again, plays into the notion that we believe trends start in fashion and take a little longer to make their way to the home, given the complexities of designing or ‘refreshing’ the aesthetic of your home compared to the time it takes to update an outfit in your wardrobe.”

As Jankowski said, trends hit the runway, then make their way to your home. But do they have enough influence to impact your meals? In this case, yes.

You can easily infuse bows and the coquette aesthetic into food presentation and cooking—culinary creations are practically begging you to add a whimsical touch, especially during hosting season. One creator on TikTok achieved this by peeling a thin slice of zucchini, folding it into a bow, and placing it on top of her plate of hummus. 

Another posted a cute dish she made with pink and white stripe farfalle pasta—a literal full bowl of bows. Of course, you’ll also see a bit of the unconventional on TikTok, like chicken nuggets with pink bows on them or