40 Chicly Chaotic Gifts for the Messy Girl in Your Life

I have a lot of problems with the “clean girl” aesthetic from a political/ethnographic/broadly cultural lens, but there are also a few issues that feel… a little more personal. Mostly: It’s always made me feel bad about myself.

No matter how hard I try to perfect the slick back, I am someone who will always have frizzy little ringlets popping up around her ears. I’m hygienic, but I’m certainly not clean, and if I’m wearing a matching set it usually just means that both items were miraculously in the same wash load. Chipped polish doesn’t drive me as crazy as it could, and I love statement earrings and half-filled notebooks and how my vanity looks when it’s covered in lipsticks and perfume bottles.

The “messy girl” aesthetic, then? Yeah, I know her. I am her! No problems there.

2025 was a lot of things, including the year I got an ADHD diagnosis and the messy girl entered the zeitgeist, carving out space amid the clean girl’s beige and tidy home for some good old fashioned semi-curated chaos. This little switch up couldn’t have come at a better time for me, personally, and I bet there’s a messy girl in your life that’s relishing it, too.

I will say, though: the messy girl can be hard to shop for. She is the girl who has everything, if only because she never throws anything away. But we can help with that! Ahead, find an assortment of ideal gifts for the messy girl you love so much, despite the fact that she’s really bad at responding to your texts. (To be fair… she was at the club or sleeping in or just generally living in the moment. Who can blame her?)

Messy Girl Style Essentials

The messy girl’s style is individualized, obviously. But you can still find her something she’ll adore. Devon Lee Carlson’s Reformation collection is an easy bet, and a Martha May Whovier-style fur trimmed coat is a genius pick. Otherwise, have some fun on Sandy Liang’s website and see what Danielle Guizio has going on. Corsets, sequins, and cozy sweatpants all fit the bill.

Messy Girl Accessories

Then, to accessorize. If current patron saints of messy girls Addison Rae and Audrey Hobert were in her Spotify wrapped, she’ll need her (wired) (tangled) headphones on. She’s probably lusting over the onion earrings Hobert was wearing in her top fan “thank you” message, so grab a pair of those… or maybe some dramatique black roses? The Rhode Lip Cases snap on now—she’ll never lose her favorite balm again, so long as she keeps her Martini-cased phone on her wrist. And a good hair pin is always the move when it comes to a messy girl’s best messy updo.

She already has a big old bag (or twenty) to carry it all… so why not add a fun, impractical clutch to her collection? Bonus points for an attached lighter. You could also play into the colorful tights trend—don’t forget the matching shoes!—or go all out on a classic pair of ballet flats that’ll look even cooler a little bit scuffed.

Messy Girl Beauty Products

I don’t need to describe the messy girl beauty philosophy to you, do I? She likes to play. The lip combos are endless, and though a red light mask probably won’t “change her life” she’s willing to test it.

Niche perfumes are a good idea, always. She might already have Marissa Zappas’ Annabel’s Birthday Cake because Caroline Calloway talked about it once, but if not? Snag it. Otherwise, Maggie The Cat is fabulous *and* has a champagne note.

Messy Girl Home Decor

If you think a messy girl’s purse is something else, wait ’til you see the situation she has going on her bedside table. Potions and trinkets aplenty! When home goods shopping, you can have a ton of fun. Try thrifting for ashtrays, tray trays, or other tiny dishes.

There’s also always a place for a new print on her gallery wall or another half-burned candle (she’s saving the rest for later!), and nothing really has to match so long as it fits her overall vibe.

Also, These

A messy girl, in my humble opinion, should always have something unexpected yet practical in her bottomless bag that she can pull out and use to remedy any situation she finds herself in. Maybe it’s a flower essence? Maybe it’s a novel that fits her friends’ situation just right? (And yes, she can pause her own read-through while they finish it, she’s reading four other books at the same time.) Other brilliant ideas: a camera for when her phone dies, embroidered envelopes to store the love notes she gathers on a daily basis, Pamela Anderson’s pickles, and a Sonny Angel or five—plus a set to bejewel all of the above. Why the hell not.