The Coquette Catholic Trend — The Revealer

Engage with Catholic-labeled content on TikTok for a few hours and you’ll see everything from sincere devotional posts to ex-Catholics lambasting the church. You might find funny skits by savvy priests or videos of girls showing you how to veil at Mass. But the one thing you’re guaranteed to encounter is a lot of talk about “aesthetics.”

Such posts feature cathedrals, rosaries, veils, and crucifixes with captions that read “Catholicism is a vibe, honestly” or “my fave aesthetic.” Social media platforms, especially TikTok, have popularized (or appropriated) language from drag culture, so Catholic tradition is often “giving realness” or “slaying”— the caption of one TikTok filmed inside a Spanish cathedral reads “catholicism really used to serve cunt” (a phrase meant to portray confidence or fierceness). Any way you put it, Catholic “tradition” is having a moment on social media.

Some influencers connect the popularity of Catholic aesthetics to the fashion world, citing the 2018 Met Gala’s theme of “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” or recent trends like the fraught “Catholic Mexican Girl” style. Others focus more on sociopolitical context as the driver, explaining the draw to traditional Catholic practices like Latin Mass and rosaries on disillusionment with modern capitalism and consumerism. Online content producers invoke Catholicism, especially that of medieval and early modern Europe, to construct ideas of “tradition” for a wide variety of purposes.

One specific stream of this Catholic social media content is “Coquette Catholic,” which adopts a “girly” Catholic aesthetic often featuring pink rosaries, bows, and vintage charm. Coquette content, created and consumed mostly by women, provides a prime example of a tradition-fueled Catholic aesthetic meeting a thoroughly modern moment shaped by digital hyperconnectivity.

The rapid spread of this aesthetic offers a compelling case study in how algorithmically driven platforms, especially Instagram and TikTok, are not merely places where people “do” religion, but are actively redefining how people conceive of themselves as religious. Contrary to the notion that Gen Z dismisses tradition in favor of New Age spirituality, the Coquette Catholic trend demonstrates how young women strategically employ traditional elements for their own purposes.

And, importantly, trends like Coquette Catholicism highlight how the constant state of online connection is reshaping how we conceptualize religion and ourselves as religious subjects.

What is “Trad”?

The coquette moment fits within and alongside other “TradCath” content. “Trads,” or traditionalist Catholics, are Catholics who prefer the liturgy and social teaching from before the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). Some associate Trads with an affinity for the Latin Mass and Gregorian chant, while others focus on their often right-wing political leanings. Famous Trads include people like Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker and Vice-Presidential candidate JD Vance, as well as right-wing media personality Candace Owens, who announced her conversion to Catholicism in April 2024.

Some Trads on social media share images of medieval martyrs and cathedrals, and valorize white “Western” civilization. Trad media geared toward men often features Crusader knights and fivefold crosses, while content geared to women often falls into the oft-contested “tradwife” category. Shorthand for traditional wife, this type of content features women performing “traditional gender roles” (however conceived).

But Trads are no monolith. In addition to knights and tradwives, we also see traditionalist Catholics espousing political ideas from monarchism to libertarianism, from socialism to anarchism. From the U.S. to Brazil to Germany, online “Trads” draw upon different items from the archive of Catholicism’s past, often held together in tension with one another, some of which are authorized by the Church’s leadership while others are not.

Similar to but very different from the “tradwife” trend, young women online are drawing on images of medieval saints, Catholic objects and dress, and the current popularity of coquette fashion to create a different kind of trad girl. While the coquette Catholic is decidedly not a tradwife, the content does feature traditional Catholic piety, occasional mentions of Latin Mass, and ostentatious performances of “traditional” femininity.

Coquettification of Catholicism

While Coquette Catholic shares some similarities with Trad, it also differs in clear ways. Unlike tradwives, for whom the idea of submission to a husband and having several kids is central, these younger, mostly single women are generally not interested in returning to the 1950s. Cigarettes, Amy Winehouse, and slinky silk nightgowns figure just as prominently as rosaries, pocket altars, and holy cards of St. Catherine of Siena. Pictures of the content creator attending a Latin Mass can be followed by a post that says “Oops! Accidentally slept with my Pilates instructor.” A bit more irreverent but not always insincere, this content does not demand sexual purity in the form of abstinence and heterosexuality (though it might cheekily apologize for being “bad”).

In addition to traditional Catholic piety, coquette Catholic content can draw on the broader coquette aesthetic (bows, hearts, babydoll dresses), southern gothic imagery (moody, disturbing), dark academia (New England prep with a touch of terror) and the internet sad girl of 2010s Tumblr (more on this below).

Eliza McLamb, singer-songwriter and co-host of the Binchtopia podcast, explains her perception of this aesthetic in her Substack post “Coquette Inclination: A Meditation on Knockoff Tabis, Family, and Coming Back to Tradition.” Reflecting on her own personal journey of self-discovery while going to Mass with her family, McLamb confesses:

“I wear bows sometimes. Once, I had a tearful encounter with Lana del Rey at a Hollywood diner, but couldn’t bring myself to approach her. The debate over the relevance of the Coquette Catholic movement is ongoing, but its impact on fashion and culture, particularly among The Girlies, is undeniable.

The Sad Girl Culture trend, which originated on Tumblr and has seen a resurgence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, romanticizes themes of mental health struggles and self-destructive behavior. This trend intersects with the broader coquette aesthetic, portraying girls in mini skirts and knit tights showcasing their suffering and loneliness.

Unlike previous artists who subverted Catholic imagery, this aesthetic aligns more with Lana del Rey and Ethel Cain, incorporating elements of Catholicism in a non-traditional but sincere manner. The trend often references medieval female saints, emphasizing suffering and torment as a form of aesthetic expression.

The trend of Coquette Catholicism reflects how young women are utilizing tradition for social purposes, seeking a sense of authenticity and connection to something timeless amidst a hyperconnected digital world. The desire for structure and tradition is a response to consumerism and the idea of the sovereign self, offering a sense of constraint in a world of limitless choices.

While the algorithmic curation of content may influence individual choices, the abundance of options and the role of technology in shaping identity can provide a sense of comfort and guidance. This blending of technology and spirituality resonates with those seeking tradition and constraint in a modern world.

The trend of Coquette Catholicism may not always reflect sincere religious beliefs, but rather a connection to an aesthetic and vibe that resonates with individuals. The democratization of access to religious content has shifted the focus from correct beliefs to personal connection and aesthetic appeal as markers of authenticity in religious expression. Coquette Catholics are not bound by previously approved aesthetics set by authorities to be acknowledged.

Take, for example, Dasha Nekrasova, host of the “Red Scare” podcast, who describes herself as Catholic “like Andy Warhol.” When questioned about the irony of her Catholic practice, Nekrasova affirmed it but humorously remarked that “it doesn’t matter because it still works.” Similarly, author Honor Levy suggests that simply going through the rituals can make them real, regardless of belief. Some aspects of coquette Catholicism incorporate images and quotes from Nekrasova or Levy, drawing inspiration from their fashion and their departure from the ironic-sincere dichotomy.

Some view this deliberate performance as a reflection of young people’s reliance on aesthetics and trends to construct their identities. However, this phenomenon is not new. The concepts of performativity and the social construction of self have long been recognized as essential to identity formation. Digital hyperconnectivity has brought these ideas to the forefront, intensifying self-objectification. Sociologist Rogers Brubaker explains this shift as a transformation in how individuals see themselves and are seen by others in the digital age.

The constant self-objectification and consumption in the digital realm raise questions about the authenticity of one’s identity, which is often curated and mediated online. The distinction between ironic and sincere expressions is fading among a generation accustomed to digital performance in daily life. This evolving infrastructure of selfhood challenges the traditional notions of authenticity, emphasizing that all identities are mediated in some form.

While not all audiences may embrace the concept of “vibes Catholics,” the emergence of coquette Catholic content signals a changing landscape in religion. Instead of focusing on the authenticity of creators, the impact of platforms like Instagram and TikTok on reshaping religious concepts should be explored.

Lauren Horn Griffin is an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies and the Department of History at Louisiana State University. She is the author of Fabricating Founders in Early Modern England (2023) and is currently working on a book about Catholic traditionalists online.

Nicole Phillips holds a B.A. in Philosophy and History from Louisiana State University. Her research interests include medieval piety and gender studies.