The stock market just plummeted, spurred by a new wave of tariffs. Your boss is connecting via Zoom from an upscale cabin upstate. Economic disparity is soaring to unprecedented heights, even during peacetime. AI platforms like ChatGPT are pushing creative workers aside. A recession is perpetually “on the horizon.” Moreover, in certain regions around the globe, entire cities are being turned to ash by conflict. We’re navigating through tumultuous times — and with this upheaval arises a novel aesthetic that mirrors the disorder.

Enter: “boom boom.”

This burgeoning aesthetic takes its cue from the polished, high-status universe of Patrick Bateman — envision tailored designer suits, elite dining establishments where the cuisine is secondary to the prestige, and an overt fixation on wealth. But fear not: this is not a celebration of the brutality and misogyny found in American Psycho. Rather, it’s a visual and cultural vocabulary that flourishes amidst instability.

“We exist in a time marked by eruptions — of inequality, of information, of riches, and indeed, of literal bombs,” writes trend analyst Sean Monahan in his Substack newsletter, 8Ball. “Boom boom is welcomed by those who spot opportunities within the turmoil.” To others, it may appear sinister, even malevolent — a nihilistic acceptance of power and privilege. Yet, as Monahan points out, “no one ever envisions themselves as the antagonist.”

Monahan, who previously introduced terms like “normcore” and forecasted the 2022 “vibe shift,” characterizes boom boom as a “fetishization of the past.” It stands in stark contrast to “quiet luxury,” instead choosing to proclaim wealth boldly — fur coats at rooftop lounges, designer labels front and center, and wardrobes that scream affluence.

The phrase “boom boom” draws its essence from the Boom Boom Room — a lavish, gold-adorned venue atop New York’s Standard Hotel — as well as from Windows on the World, the legendary restaurant that once graced the summit of the World Trade Center. Both venues epitomized exclusivity and extravagance, and both have become part of a sentimental yearning for a gilded era.

This sentiment isn’t confined. The UK’s National Portrait Gallery is currently featuring a showcase of 1980s photography from The Face magazine, emphasizing the decade’s cultural and stylistic impact. Cultural critic Peter York remarks that the 1980s unleashed dynamics — monetarism, deregulation, libertarianism — that persist in shaping society today. “In the future,” he observes, “everyone will attribute societal issues to the ’80s.”

And indeed, the reverberations of that decade are ubiquitous. We have a former president who resided in a gold-plated penthouse, launched a $5 million “gold card” visa featuring his likeness, and swapped the White House’s red curtains for gold ones. He was even frequently referenced in American Psycho, where Patrick Bateman’s fixation on him creates tension with his girlfriend.

Now, Bateman is being revived in contemporary culture, with director Luca Guadagnino set to take the reins on a new American Psycho film. The boom boom aesthetic appears to spiral in on itself — a satire of wealth that simultaneously applauds it. As The Cut articulated, we’re in a time where “it’s no longer tacky to be bougie and bold.” Writer Emilia Petrarca perfectly encapsulated it: “Online retailer Ssense is currently offering a $55 T-shirt that declares YOU’RE A SLAVE TO MONEY THEN YOU DIE. The purists in this scenario are the punchline.”

Fashion is adopting the boom boom style as well. At Paris Men’s Fashion Week, Saint Laurent showcased models in power suits paired with leather pants and thigh-high boots. Armani’s latest campaign revived the broad-shouldered silhouettes of the ’80s and ’90s. Celebrities are onboard too: Ayo Edebiri donned an oversized Loewe suit at the Golden Globes, Chappell Roan rocked a gray suit at the Grammy Museum, and Doechii’s Thom Browne outfits were the epitome of boom boom.

Like any aesthetic, boom boom holds political connotations — although Monahan asserts it’s not tied to any specific ideology. That’s up for discussion. The aesthetic seems to resonate across the political spectrum, perhaps representing a more sarcastic, caustic evolution of the “old money” appearance popularized by series like Succession. It leans into corporate power dressing at a time when more people are working from home, suggesting a glamorous reaction to the uncertainty of modern work culture and a nostalgic longing for strict hierarchies.

However, boom boom is not merely a commentary — it also serves as cosplay. It imitates the elite, even ridicules them. Yet those promoting this aesthetic — celebrities, designers, influencers — are frequently part of that upper echelon. Doechii, Roan, and Edebiri are all incredibly talented, yet they also wield cultural and