The most well-known reality celebrity to emerge from the United States may be Kim Kardashian, but what if she had become famous by appearing on a show like Big Brother UK or The Only Way is Essex rather than Keeping Up With the Kardashians? It’s not clear if anyone asked that question, but thanks to Kardashian, we now know the answer.
If you didn’t know, Kim Kardashian is currently in the TikTok period and frequently records videos with her daughter North West, who is nine years old. However, this TikTok appeared to be entirely Kardashian, even though North may have been art directing it from behind the camera (as she has been known to do).
In a decision befitting a 42-year-old lady, Kardashian chose to adopt a trend many months after it peaked. Kardashian changed in front of our eyes to the rhythm of grime rapper Millie B’s popular song “M to the B,” which is from Blackpool, England. Kardashian (attempted) to lip sync to the rap as she applied layers upon layers of products to her face in order to replicate the British “chav” image, starting with her typical appearance of clean, mainly natural-looking makeup. Her brows transformed into dark blocks first, then she put foundation to her complexion that was several shades off, followed by concealer that was far too light under her eyes. Poorly applied fake eyelashes, harsh contouring, concealer on the lips, and a high, unkempt top bun finished the cosmetics look. In front of our eyes, Kardashian transformed from a painstakingly maintained American reality star to a billionaire to a chav.
For non-Brits, a “chav” is a stereotype that became common in the UK, particularly in the 2010s, and is frequently used to describe someone who wears cosmetics much like Kardashian did. According to Merriam-Webster, they are known for “engaging in aggressively loutish conduct” and frequently dress in flashy jewellery and tracksuits for athleisure. Of course, the look was prevalent in all of the UK’s reality television programmes. On TikTok, the style has recently had a resurgence in popularity because to the song by Millie B’s viral success.
By the end of the commercial, Kim actually resembles a very, very messy rendition of Katie Price—the closest thing England has ever been to creating its own Kardashian.
Although Kardashian often maintains a polished appearance with a style, aesthetic, and life to match, TikTok has provided the reality star with a platform to have a little more fun. She has experimented with beauty fads and viral dances inside the confines of her unsettlingly contemporary home with North’s assistance, and she is currently investigating an alternate, British-based world. Maybe Kardashian is guiding us more in the direction of the chav look while the rest of us are going toward indie sleeze for the next hot aesthetic.
