Brat summer is well and truly over, but fear not, because Strega Nona autumn is now upon us.

Much like its predecessor did, the new trend is set to determine this season's must-have wardrobe staples, and it'll have its followers reaching for headscarves and maxi skirts.

While the trend isn't masterminded by singer-songwriter Charli XCX, there's a different woman at its helm - Strega Nona, a fictional 'grandma witch' from the 1975 children's book by Tomie dePaolo.

Set in Calabria, the novel tells the story of Strega Nona, a care-free witch doctor who can conjure up food and remedies for her townsfolk with the use of magic.

And 49 years since the book's publication, she's become a fashion inspiration for Gen Zs across the globe, with celebrities, including Kendall Jenner and Billie Eilish, also hopping on the trend.

The trend was spurred by Margaret Duncan, 30, from Boston, who revisited her favourite children's book back in 2022.

She took to her TikTok - @bad_art_everyday - to explain why she believes more people should look to Strega Nona – her 'favourite seasonal character' – throughout autumn.

Margaret said: 'Why I started talking about Strega Nona fall is because I love her and always have as a character but also because it's about making not branding.

'Even when it goes awry, it is about simplicity, paying attention, tending, and being a bit witchy'.

She delved into why she started the trend further in a later video, saying: 'I might say because it was cutesy and funny, and I just loved the character.

'But if you asked me to answer more deeply about why I liked her as a character to return to when I 28 years old, I'd say that I loved the image of an old woman in a cottage, a witch, who was not a villain in our childhoods.

'I'd tell you I think there actually is something quite magical in the act of cooking for our friends. That there is something freeing and powerful about this children's book character who heals and casts spells and makes pasta.

'Who owns her little home and is ok with having the townspeople find her a bit odd. That there is something to excavate from the characters we loved as kids, and that maybe they have something to re-teach us about how to live.' 

The book hasn't always had such a positive reception, and in the US, multiple libraries banned it on the basis that it presents witchcraft and magic in a positive light.

However, Margaret's justification was enough to sway the TikTok generation, with people quickly using Strega Nona as fashion inspiration.

Gone is the lime green, daring outfits associated with Brat girl summer, and in its place is headscarves and layered, cozy clothing.

It's a look now established in celebrity culture, with the likes of Kendall Jenner, Billie Eilish and Iris Law sporting headscarves and earth tones in a way reminiscent of Strega Nona.

Elsewhere, the trend's followers are using the character's way of living as a blueprint from their autumn, planning to host friends for dinner and embrace all things nature. 

It comes after, Gen Z followed in Charli XCX's footsteps and adopted brat behaviours.

Following the release of her sixth studio album, brat, singer-songwriter Charli XCX, 31, from Essex, has made Gen Z do a 180 on the once-fashionable clean girl aesthetic. 

Brats are edgy, or in the words of Charli XCX during a BBC interview, they are: 'Trashy. Just like a pack of cigs and, like, a Bic lighter. And, like, a strappy white top. With no bra. That's, like, kind of all you need.'

The album, released in June, received universal acclaim, debuting at number two on the UK Albums Chart, as well as reaching the top ten in multiple other countries, including America.

The 15-song album encompassed various trademark features - from its slime green colour theme to its title - brat - all being in lowercases.

In a matter of days, Charli XCX spearheaded a new movement, with slime green flags waving in the crowds of Glastonbury declaring the start of brat girl summer.

Her hit track 365, with over 25 million streams on Spotify, encapsulates brat-like behaviours, with the lyrics reading: 'No I never go home, don't sleep, don't eat, just do it on repeat, when I'm in the club, I'm a 3-6-5 party girl'.

For Christina Attrah, Head of Content at TAL Agency, brat girl summer is more profound than just heavy partying – it serves as a healthier alternative to feminine ideals.

Talking to FEMAIL, the digital specialist said: 'Brat girl summer is the antithesis of the clean girl aesthetic. This is because the latter, in our eyes, feeds into the ideals set by the patriarchy and is, quite frankly, unsustainable for many.

'Brat girl summer fights back as it allows anyone of all backgrounds to give the middle finger to what's perceived as perfection by the male gaze.

She added: 'Feminine ideals are a construct that brat knocks down entirely. Brat girl summer from a fashion point of view is accessible to anyone and everyone; even those of us past our mid-twenties can ride the bratty wave.

She continued: 'Fear not though, because it's not just about wearing lime green. While there's no defined wardrobe staple, which is the beauty of brat girl summer, everyone can be their bratty self by defining what they think is brat through their clothes.

'If you must have a blueprint, outfits should scream hyper pop, edge, glitter, big shades, chipped nails, imperfect makeup and anything that makes you feel hot when you let yourself go.

'Struggling for inspiration? Think about what you'd wear to the Boiler Room or Heaven in London. It could be something as simple as a tight white strappy top, a leather skirt, knee-high boots and Y2k details from blue eyeshadow to a pink flip phone.'