An editorial feature unpacking New Zealand singer Lorde’s appearance has drawn sharp criticism, with readers calling its discussion of her so-called “tired-girl aesthetic” offensive and out of touch.
Saying Ella Yelich-O’Connor, 28, appears “sunburned, frizzy-haired” and “glowing down on purpose”, an article in United States’ beauty magazine Allure positioned theKiwi pop star’s pared-back look as a form of cultural subversion.
“Lorde’s not here to look good. She’s here to feel her feelings and relate through music. In doing so, she’s turning the pop archetype of perfection on its head,” the author wrote.
“Lorde’s anti-glam moment refreshes me because it retires the idea that performed sexiness and aesthetic perfection are mutually exclusive to success and growth.”
Describing her comfort-focused wardrobe and minimal makeup as a rejection of “algorithm-optimised” beauty norms, backlash to the piece on social media soon followed.
Fans argued the article trivialised Lorde’s self-expression by overanalysing everyday human features such as visible pores and natural hair.
“She’s 28 years old, what is with you for writing something like this? Bad lighting and normal face, it’s things like this that put even more pressure on women,” one Instagram user wrote.
“‘Lorde’s not here to look good’, lol, I’d hate to read this about myself,” said another.
“Uhh yeah, not too late to delete this. What a back-handed and rude post,” wrote a third.
Lorde, pictured at The 2025 Met Gala in New York, has stepped back into the spotlight this year. Photo / Getty Images
Rosser Johnson, an associate professor for media studies at Auckland University of Technology who has studied pop culture and gender for over 20 years, told the Herald that by suggesting Lorde’s appearance is a reaction against mainstream beauty ideals, “the magazine is actually reinforcing the stereotypes and standards it appears to criticise”.
Angela Barnett, a body positivity advocate and educator, said that while the article’s “intention might be celebrating authenticity”, it was “disguising digs” by framing Lorde’s image as a rebellious act.
Lorde at the Aotearoa Music Awards in Auckland on May 29. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Johnson said calling Lorde’s appearance “anti-glam” or “tired-girl aesthetic” was just one of many ways it could be looked at.
“It’s certainly true that you could interpret what Lorde is currently creating as simply a reaction to the more typical expectations of a recording artist.
“The article makes that point quite strongly and - on the surface - seems to support what Lorde is doing. But that’s not at all what the article is doing.”
Celebrities still require stylists, products, time and money to put together an aesthetic that feels truly authentic.
He likened Lorde’s current style to the grunge fashion of the 80s and 90s, noting that in both cases, “a stripped down, seemingly more serious and genuine artistic approach comes to the fore in reaction to overly polished, highly choreographed and tightly controlled music”.
Barnett said having Lorde’s natural look dissected by the beauty magazine highlighted extra pressures women face over their peers in the media.
Lorde performing at Glastonbury Festival in England on June 27 after the release of her fourth studio album, Virgin. Photo / Getty Images
“Instead of focusing on Lorde, and what she is or isn’t doing ... wouldn’t it be more interesting to tackle the ideology that demands female celebrities - or any self-identifying women in or out of the spotlight - adhere to beauty aesthetics and perfection?”
While the author claimed Lorde’s “signature tired-girl aesthetic is a quiet rebellion against a glossy, manufactured beauty standard”, Barnett said true rebellion would be “to stop talking about how women look”.
“Perhaps that’s what Lorde, like many women, hopes for. And Allure missed the mark."
Johnson said it still rings true that to stay relevant, celebrities need to think outside the box and push against the boundaries of what others are doing.
“In the attention economy that all celebrities have to navigate, Lorde is doing that job extremely well.”
One of NZ’s most recognised artists, Lorde released her fourth studio album Virgin on June 27, appearing onstage at England’s Glastonbury Festival that day for a surprise set.
Global reception to the new record has been largely positive,with Rolling Stone‘s Maya Georgi saying it reverts to Lorde’s original sound yet “taps into a whole new kind of emotional upheaval that goes well beyond even the most intense moments on Melodrama“.
The Herald‘s Varsha Anjali has predictedVirgin could be up for Album of the Year at next year’s Grammys, saying it “serves as a perfect climax for a cleverly constructed, astral crescendo to Lorde’s new era”.
Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.
