Emma Chamberlain Dismisses “It Girl” Label, Calls It “Toxic” and “Exclusionary”
Emma Chamberlain, the 23-year-old YouTuber and entrepreneur, has decided she’s done with the “It girl” label, and honestly, who can blame her? In a recent interview with *Byrdie*, Chamberlain called the concept “a little toxic” and “exclusionary,” comparing it to the cliquey dynamics of high school. This comes after her appearance in Charli XCX’s “360” music video, which catapulted her into the “It girl” stratosphere alongside icons like Chloë Sevigny and Julia Fox. But Chamberlain, ever the contrarian, isn’t buying into the hype.
She argues that the label is not only limiting but also sets unrealistic expectations for her personal style and identity. “People will call me an It girl or this hot girl, then if I wear an outfit that’s very much me in the sense that it’s comfortable and maybe a bit less sexy, then it’s like, ‘Emma turned ugly. She’s no longer an It girl,'” she explained. The irony, of course, is that the same people who crown her an “It girl” are the ones quick to dethrone her when she dares to deviate from their narrow standards.
Chamberlain’s frustration with the label is rooted in its inherent exclusivity. “We’re adults! There being It girls makes the internet feel like high school to me,” she said, and she’s not wrong. The term “It girl” has always been a double-edged sword, a title that grants visibility but also demands conformity. Chamberlain, however, is determined to carve out her own path, whether that means rocking a cashmere bonnet one day or a bleached blonde pixie cut the next.
Speaking of her recent hair transformation, Chamberlain debuted her bold new look at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, where she revealed that the change was both a personal statement and a practical decision. “It’s so much easier to have short hair. I wake up and my hair is just done,” she quipped. This willingness to embrace change—whether in her appearance or her personal brand—has been a hallmark of Chamberlain’s career since she first rose to fame on YouTube at 16.
When asked about the pressure to maintain a static image, Chamberlain was refreshingly blunt. “Listen, people can be like, ‘We miss the old Emma.’ I f—— don’t,” she said. “I was a child. I was a mess. I don’t want to be anything like that, because I celebrate my own growth.” And isn’t that the ultimate mic drop?
So, while the internet may continue to crown and dethrone “It girls” at its leisure, Chamberlain is content to march to the beat of her own drum—bonnet and all.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Byrdie
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