I’m A Dog For Charli XCX’s Wuthering Heights Aesthetic

As soon as it was announced that Charli XCX was doing the soundtrack for Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, I knew I was in for the time of my life. I always enjoy a creative film adaptation of a classic novel — then add on gothic styling, synth pop music, and Jacob Elordi in the leading role, and the whole thing basically becomes catnip for me. I was seated in that theater so early, the employees were asking me to leave for months in advance.

As a girl with a romantic streak and witchy tendencies (that Cancer sun-moon combo goes hard), this press rollout has been everything I could have asked for during Valentine’s month. While Margot Robbie has been method dressing in Victorian-inspired ‘fits, Charli has been serving gothic sad-girl realness in her music videos, red carpets, and photocalls for the film. With the coquette aesthetic and fetish-core continuing to trend in 2026, the Brat singer’s latest style era is a wellspring of fashion inspo.

Charli’s looks aren’t exactly affordable, though — she’s been wearing custom pieces by designers like Vivienne Westwood, Rodarte, YSL, and Alexander McQueen. In the spirit of doing research for the girlies, I set out to recreate three of her outfits on a budget, styling them to be wearable for regular life. (We can’t all be Cathy and Heathcliff running around the moors.)

For A Day Of “Chains Of Love”-Inspired Yearning

One of Charli’s most iconic Wuthering Heights looks — and the one that’s most reminiscent of the Victorian ghost child aesthetic — is the all-white ‘fit featured in the “Chains of Love” music video. The singer wore a custom minidress from designer Marianna Guerini, which was intentionally distressed to give the look of being lost and wandering through the woods. She paired it with white lace tights and white boots by Alexander McQueen.

In my recreation, I wanted to lean fully into white lace, because the only way to do an outfit like this is to go a little over-the-top, IMO. I started with a sheer dress from Free People, with a neutral slip underneath to cover my naughty bits (though I did go braless). I found white tights on Amazon, then layered a lace robe from Honey Birdette’s bridal lingerie collection over the top. I already owned a pair of tall ivory boots that matched perfectly, and I accessorized with a silver pendant necklace and set of bronze rings, all set with gemstones.

The resulting outfit looks like something straight out of a Victorian-era film, and would work well for a themed event. Spooky-coded girls could also wear this for a day of doing tarot cards and thrift shopping.

For When The “Eyes Of The World” Are On You

At the world premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Charli wore a Vivienne Westwood ballgown with a dramatic bustled skirt and layers of sheer tulle fabric. She stacked gold rings by Darius Jewels on her hands and wore matching distressed Louboutin pumps.

This one was tricky to riff on because of how formal it is — not exactly a ‘fit that would work to wear out to dinner. But I hit the jackpot by finding a brown and black ASOS bubble minidress with velvet floral detailing. I paired it with simple brown strappy heels, and for a little extra flair, added a Honey Birdette leash that I styled as a necklace. Wuthering Heights is all about kinky dynamics (never forget the dog collar scene), and I wanted to pay homage by incorporating a bit of fetish-core into this look. If it’s totally not your thing, a simple gold choker would also suffice.

As for accents, I kept the same rings on, but I’d also recommend adding more BDSM-inspired gold jewelry like these lock earrings from Ten Wilde.

For A Night Out Of The “House”

The singer went full goth girl in her “House” music video, wearing a custom embroidered lace gown by Rodarte. The dress was mostly sheer, with a corset bodice and ruffled sleeves that allowed for lots of movement.

I wanted to focus on this fun texture in my recreation, so I based my look off of a layered black lace skirt I snagged from Free People, with a black slip underneath. I added my favorite pointy-toe Vince Camuto boots, a black lingerie bodysuit, and a gothic chain belt also from Free People. To add a bit more bulk and make this appropriate for cooler weather, I threw on a Princess Polly cardigan over the top. I wore the same Zara ring set for this outfit as well.

This look would work perfectly for a night out, but if I needed it to be more casual for everyday wear, I’d throw a T-shirt on over the lace skirt and call it a day.

This styling project gave me even more appreciation for gothic-inspired looks, and a variety of ideas about how to make them more accessible for everyday wear. An all-lace monochromatic ‘fit may not be your thing, but try starting with one lacy piece and throwing on a leather jacket, oversized sweater, or something bulky to balance it out. Same goes for a sheer bodysuit — baggy pants can dress it down so it works for happy hour.

As winter turns to spring, I’m planning to incorporate more of this vibe into my day-to-day styling. Don’t be surprised if you see me walking like a will-o'-the-wisp around Brooklyn in full white lace — I’m not a real ghost, just cosplaying one.