Welcome back to our 5th season đThe âIT Girlâ aesthetic is sold as empowerment, the skincare, the âclean girlâ vibe, the effortless confidence. But what if I told you it's just a more expensive way to tell you youâre not enough? In this video, weâll break down how the IT Girl brand quietly gaslights women into endless comparison, self-doubt, and consumerism - all while pretending itâs self-love. If youâve been chasing this illusion, itâs time to step back and ask: who benefits when youâre never quite satisfied with yourself?Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Why we're over the "no personality" aesthetic 00:38 - What ChatGPT says an IT Girl really is 01:20 - Is the IT Girl trend just another stereotype? 02:15 - Gossip Girl and the original It Girl fantasy 03:05 - Why the It Girl aesthetic feels fake today 04:10 - Matcha, Pilates & performative living 05:08 - The cost of trying to look rich online 06:10 - Are we just optimizing ourselves for Instagram? 07:30 - Why individuality beats aesthetics 08:35 - Soft Girls, beauty standards & toxic exclusivity 09:40 - The pressure to be "pretty enough" to fit in 10:30 - Real talk: Labels like IT Girl are limiting 11:18 - Alexa Chung, Serena van der Woodsen & beauty as currency 12:45 - Why real personal brands stand out 13:50 - Creativity is dying in the IT Girl era 14:45 - Wake-up call: You don't need to be part of the 5AM club 15:40 - How brands exploit aesthetic trends to sell you things 16:50 - Expensive lifestyles = unhappiness + financial stress 17:55 - The real issue: Everyone looks the same 18:55 - Want better conversations? Sit at better tables 20:00 - Recap: Why we shouldnât chase IT Girl or Soft Girl trends 20:55 - GPT's top 3 reasons NOT to follow trends blindly 21:30 - âYou're a trend, not a personâ â powerful reminder 22:15 - The pressure to constantly perform online 23:00 - What happens when you outgrow the aesthetic? 23:40 - Build dreams, not just a vibe 24:45 - Reclaim your identity before choosing an aesthetic 25:40 - If you must be an IT Girl, do this first: build something real 26:45 - Business builds personality â not Instagram 27:30 - Use social media to serve your business, not define you 28:15 - How to feel like an IT Girl *with substance* 28:40 - Craft a signature style that reflects YOU 29:40 - The art of quiet confidence 30:30 - Use social media like a personal diary 31:25 - How to nurture substance: curiosity, mastery, depth 32:40 - Why deep knowledge is more magnetic than aesthetics 33:30 - The new IT Girl: Connector, not clout chaser 34:20 - Be multi-dimensional, not predictable 35:10 - Set non-negotiable values and live by them 36:00 - Final thoughts: be memorable by being authentic 36:50 - Teaser: Aligning your personality with your business (next episode!) 37:15 - Outro: Subscribe for more deep-dive conversations đ Drop us a comment and let us know: Do you dream of being an IT Girl?Podcast Links đ§- Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/she-hustles/id1753771945- Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3pw6PNkKodENKstknEaIKS?si=88cb0f85e3d44517Follow She Hustles đ- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shehustles_podcast/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/she-hustles-pod/Follow Giulia âź- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gg.mediastudio/- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gg.mediastudio- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giulia-gasperoni-1b0ba11b9/Follow Julie âż- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthwithjulie- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliehanell/About us Welcome to She Hustles ⨠your safe space to learn about how to build a business in Europe, learnings from failures and wins and mindset tips to stay the course.