The rise of TikTok’s “clean girl” aesthetic is an indicator that no one is having fun anymore. So when soaking in the tub, mixing a sleepy girl cocktail, doing an extensive skin care routine, prepping your hair for heatless curl, and journaling for 10 minutes became nighttime non-negotiables, of course, it was clear Gen Z wasn’t trying to get on the list at the newest club in town. However, the messy girl hair and makeup that popped up all over the Fall/Winter 2026 runways during fashion month are signaling a return to debauchery. Well, as far as your beauty looks are concerned at the very least.
The 7 For All Mankind and Gucci runways served as early 2000s flashbacks for millennials and Gen X — and not just because Kate Moss closed the latter’s show in Milan. Both runways featured smudgy smoky eyes and liner, conjuring up images of former A-list Y2K party girls like Moss, Lindsay Lohan, and Gossip Girl character Jenny Humphrey.
Even if you’ve never been to a club late on a weekday, overworked, tired girls were well-represented, too. At Prada, the models’ smeared eyeliner and dissheveled ponytails channeled the mad dash to get ready after sleeping through your morning alarm. The same goes for Proenza Schouler, where the makeup looks were half done – think clumpy mascara, smudged lipstick, and uneven eyeliner.
TL;DR: It’s time to stop stressing about being perfect starting with your hair and makeup. Ahead, see all of the messy girl beauty looks from the F/W ‘26 runways.
Prada
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Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
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Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
The bedhead ponytails, smudged eyeliner, and dark circles on Prada’s runway is all too relatable for anyone who’s slept through their morning alarm. Backstage, makeup artist Lucia Pieroni used Prada Beauty’s Pradalines Durable Gliding Eye Pencil along the upper and lower lash lines and diffused it for the lived-in finish. She finished off the eyes with a coat of the Pradascope Lash Extending Mascara.
Etro
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Victor Boyko/WireImage/Getty Images
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Victor Boyko/WireImage/Getty Images
Leaving the house with half-dried hair in order to get to work on time is no longer a sign of bad time management. At Etro, models had the top sections of their hair slicked back with gel and oil, resulting in a style that looked like they walked the runway mid-air dry.
Gucci
Any dermatologist will tell you that sleeping in your makeup is one of the biggest skin sins, but in the life of a party girl, sometimes it’s the only option. Such was the case at Gucci, where makeup artist Sam Visser created various takes on smudgy smoky eyes that looked slept in. The brand’s Stylo Contour des Yeux Khol Eyeliner was used backstage create the nighttime-into-early-morning glam looks.
Proenza Schouler
The beautifully disheveled ponytails at Proenza Schouler probably look familiar because the show’s lead hairstylist Holli Smith says they’re inspired by women short on time to get ready. To create the tousled style, she used Oribe’s Maximista Thickening Spray and T3 Aire IQ dryer. And if you can’t fully do your hair, your makeup also isn’t going to be pristine. The smudged half-applied lipstick, clumpy lashes, and topsy turvy eyeliner by makeup artist Thomas de Kluyver using Byredo Cosmetics were on the same wavelength.
7 For All Mankind
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Victor Pagan/Getty Images
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Victor Pagan/Getty Images
Gucci’s runway makeup referenced the morning after a wild party night, while 7 For All Mankind’s smudgy kohl-rimmed eyes by Pat McGrath channeled leaving the club at 3 a.m. The models’ worn-in makeup paired with going-out tops, skinny jeans, oversized bags, long scarves, and statement necklaces was reminiscent of Y2K it-girls snapped by the paparazzi exiting Les Deux circa 2006.
Acne Studios
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Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
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Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
Can’t keep a steady hand in order to master the demure micro wing liner trend flooding red carpets and TikTok? No problem. Take a cue from Acne studios and swipe it on the outer corner of your eyes. Bonus points if the liner is a vibrant hue like the show’s green, blue, and brown makeup color palette.
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