it girl
C1Informal, journalistic, fashion/media discourse
Definition
Meaning
A young woman who is currently very fashionable, popular, and influential in media and social circles.
A woman who embodies the zeitgeist of a particular era through her style, charisma, and media presence, often setting trends and attracting significant public attention.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term implies a combination of innate charisma, social status, trend-setting ability, and media visibility. It is often temporally bound to a specific cultural moment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical, though the term originated in American media (1920s) and was popularized by British novelist Elinor Glyn. It is now equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
In both varieties, it carries connotations of fleeting fame, social magnetism, and cultural relevance. Slightly more associated with celebrity culture in AmE, and with aristocratic or high-society circles in historical BrE usage.
Frequency
Equally frequent in fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle journalism in both the UK and US.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Determiner] + it girl + [of/in] + [era/place]be/become + [the/an] + it girlVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “have 'it'”
- “the 'it' factor”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in marketing or branding contexts describing a person who influences consumer trends.
Academic
Rare, potentially used in cultural studies, media studies, or sociology papers analyzing fame and celebrity.
Everyday
Used in informal conversation about popular culture, fashion, and celebrities.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She was it-girling her way around the festival, photographed in every tent.
- He joked about it-girling as a full-time career.
American English
- She spent the summer it-girling at all the Hamptons parties.
- The brand hired her to it-girl their new product launch.
adjective
British English
- She had an undeniable it-girl aura about her.
- The magazine featured an it-girl aesthetic in its spring issue.
American English
- The store caters to an it-girl clientele.
- Her apartment has a very it-girl vibe.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She is very popular and always wears nice clothes. Some people call her an it girl.
- After that film came out, she became the new it girl, appearing on magazine covers every week.
- The party was full of models and it girls from the city.
- Clara Bow was the original Hollywood it girl of the silent film era, defining flapper style.
- Her status as the reigning it girl was cemented when she fronted the campaign for the luxury fashion house.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'IT' as 'Influential Trendsetter' – the 'IT girl' is the one setting the trends everyone wants 'IT'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL INFLUENCE IS A MAGNETIC FORCE (she attracts attention), FAME IS A COMMODITY (she has 'it').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'эта девушка' (this girl).
- Do not confuse with the pronoun 'it'.
- The concept is specific to Western celebrity/media culture and may lack a perfect one-word equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'it' with a capital 'I' (It girl) – standard is lowercase.
- Using it to describe any popular woman without the connotation of trend-setting influence.
- Omitting the article: 'She is it girl' (incorrect) vs. 'She is the it girl' (correct).
Practice
Quiz
What is the PRIMARY connotation of the term 'it girl'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'it' is used as a pronoun to refer to an indefinable, charismatic quality of attraction and appeal. The term was popularized by writer Elinor Glyn to describe this elusive 'it' factor.
No, the term is specifically gendered. The male equivalent is historically 'it man' or, more commonly in modern usage, terms like 'trendsetter', 'style icon', or 'influencer' are used.
Typically not. The status is often tied to a specific cultural moment, trend cycle, or period of peak media visibility. It is frequently transient, with new 'it girls' emerging regularly.
An 'it girl' is defined by her innate charisma, social standing, and trend-setting role, often pre-dating social media. An 'influencer' is defined by their ability to affect followers' decisions, primarily through a social media platform. An 'it girl' may be an influencer, but not all influencers are considered 'it girls'.