The "Soft Girl" Aesthetic: Influencer Deployment Strategies and Their
Impact on Adolescent Gender Norms and Consumer Behavior

Diya Marla

doi:10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.010

Title: The "Soft Girl" Aesthetic: Influencer Deployment Strategies and Their Impact on Adolescent Gender Norms and Consumer Behavior
Authors: Diya Marla
Journal: International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research (IJSSER) ISSN: 2455-8834 Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Publication Date: January 2026 DOI: 10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.010
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Diya Marla Harrow International School Bengaluru
MLA 8 Marla, Diya. "The Poetics of Sound in Classical Japanese Waka— A Case Study of Ogura Hyakunin Isshu." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 11, no. 1, Jan. 2026, pp. 116-142, doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.0010. Accessed Jan. 2026. APA 6 Marla, D. (2026, January). The Poetics of Sound in Classical Japanese Waka— A Case Study of Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 11(1), 116-142. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.0010 Chicago Marla, Diya. "The Poetics of Sound in Classical Japanese Waka— A Case Study of Ogura Hyakunin Isshu." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 11, no. 1 (January 2026), 116-142. Accessed January, 2026. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.0010.
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ABSTRACT: The rapid rise of influencer culture has positioned aesthetic-driven content as a primary force shaping adolescent identity and consumption patterns. This study examines how Instagram influencers and brands deploy the "soft girl" aesthetic, a pastel-dominated, gentle femininity trend contrasting it with gothic aesthetics to assess deployment strategies and potential impacts on youth gender-norm beliefs and purchasing intentions. Through mixed-methods content analysis of follower scales, posting frequencies, hashtags, and lifestyle content from purposive samples (Brandy Melville, Subdued, Killstar, Disturbia; influencers @imhollyfrances, @bluexastrid, etc.), clear patterns emerge: soft girl content leverages high-frequency, relational lifestyle posts embedding products within normalized femininity, while gothic content emphasizes subcultural resistance via dramatic visuals and community tags. These findings suggest soft girl deployment reinforces patriarchal norms through aspirational normalcy, conditioning consumption as identity maintenance. The study contributes to feminist media theory and consumer psychology by linking aesthetic tactics to socialization mechanisms.

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