Why Does Everyone Want to Look Like a Mob Wife Right Now? (2024)

FAQs

Why is the mob wife look trending? ›

Since self-proclaimed “mob wife CEO” and influencer Sarah Arcuri laid out the aesthetic's basic tenets last October, the social media platform has been obsessed with the over-the-top look, which, its promoters say, works for everyone – as long as they have the attitude to match.

The starting point of the mob wife look is typically a simple all-black outfit, which is then adorned with eye-catching statement pieces like lush faux-fur coats, bold jewelry, boots and even some animal-print accessories.

The trend is about more than French manicures and furs. The look focuses on conspicuous signifiers of wealth earned outside the rule of law. Adriana La Cerva in “The Sopranos,” played by Drea de Matteo, was sexy, confident and ambitious in her own right.

The mob wife look is defined by a strong and dynamic manner that gives women a chance to exhibit their authority and refinement while also expressing themselves in an exquisite and bold way, explained Gupta.

If you've been on TikTok or read a single online fashion article in the last few weeks, you've probably come across the so-called “mob wife aesthetic.” The hallmarks of this trend are exactly what you'd imagine from the name: big, furry coats; leopard print garments; and lots of leather (pants, mostly).

Enter the “mob wife” with her fur coats, heavy makeup and teased hair à la Big Ang, Sharon Stone's Ginger McKenna in “Casino” and naturally, Adriana La Cerva and Carmela Soprano of “The Sopranos.”

The informal moll has most often been used for the romantic partners of 1920s and 30s mobsters, like Al Capone's wife Mae or George "Baby Face" Nelson's girlfriend Helen.

What Is the Mob Wife Aesthetic For Hair? Like the fashion, mob wife hair is elaborate. While famous mob wives in pop culture sport hairstyles ranging from fluffy blowouts and banged bobs to big, bouncy, '80s-style curls, the best way to incorporate the trend into your look is to embrace a “more is more” sensibility.

What's behind the 'mob wife' trend and what it means for fashion and beauty brands. “The Sopranos” turns 25 this year, and the “mob wife” look—big hair, fur coats, animal prints, and lots of gold jewelry—is back and trending on TikTok.

In millions of TikTok videos, 2024 has officially been hailed as the "year of the mob wife." The style is big, bold, and often involves a (real or faux) fur coat. There's no "quiet luxury" here, honey — a true mob wife always makes an entrance. Where TikTok goes, the rest of the world follows.

Why is everyone talking about Mob Wives? ›

The aesthetic, modeled after wives of mobsters, saw the resurgence of '80s glamour: leather, fur coats, tight animal print clothing and heavy makeup with an emphasis on bold black eyeliner.

The mob wife makeup look is an artful combination of classic beauty and modern glamour. By focusing on a flawless complexion, striking eyes, bold brows, and a statement lip, you can channel the timeless elegance and strength that define the world of mob wives.

Leopard is the unofficial print of any mob wife, and one of the tamest, most accessible ways to achieve the look is with a simple pop of the print. To recreate this look, all you're going to need is a pair of killer leopard print pants, a leather jacket, and some classic combat boots.

Mob Wives is an American reality television series that premiered on VH1 on April 17, 2011.

Now, with an entire new year ahead of us, TikTok's fashion forecasters are confidentially striding toward their mob wife eras — think bold, unapologetic, and assertive looks with all the glam and trimmings that evoke mob wife life. That is, of course, minus the life of crime.

While HBO denies having anything to do with the trend, “The Sopranos” likely has something to do with it as Gen Zers seek to recreate the iconic looks of characters like Carmela Soprano and Adriana La Cerva. Like any TikTok trend, the mob wife aesthetic probably won't stick around for too long.

By Callie Holtermann. Jan. 28, 2024. It's not every day that Francis Ford Coppola deigns to weigh in on a TikTok trend. But he made an exception for the so-called mob wife aesthetic — a louche amalgamation of fur coats, leather and leopard prints that are being presented on the platform as a kind of mafiosa cosplay.

The trend holds a mirror to the '80s, a decade during which fashion designers favored big hairstyles, animal prints, padded shoulders, large fur coats and stacks of gold jewelry. In today's parlance, the mob wife rejects quiet luxury; her closet is maximalist and expressive and she has the attitude to pull it off.