Summer may only have officially just arrived, but brat summer has smashed into the public consciousness with the same kind of impact one might remember from the Barbenheimer plasticky-pink coated sensation of last year. Well, pink is out and the luminescent lime green with which Charli XCX coated her Brat album cover is in. This is all well and good, but what is a brat summer?
Brat summer is hedonism. Brat summer is advocating for yourself. Brat summer is unapologetic. Brat summer is a sour apple martini, but also a bottle of poppers. It's self-reflection, but also self-indulgence. It's luxury goods but also a tight tank top that shows off your fresh tramp stamp. (Yeah, those are back and why not?)
What better place is there to indulge your inner brat than the headquarters of credit card millionaire culture — Dallas, a city famous for its hedonistic, self-satisfying indulgences?
That was the '80s, and the boomers had their turn. Now it’s time for the current generation to dance all night, run up a bar tab and blast loud music from a fast car. When did having fun become a crime?
Welcome to brat summer. Here are the brattiest places in Dallas to live the best-you life.
@thenewsmovement Friday marked the start of Brat Summer and we’re living for it. Charlie XCX released her 15 song album on Friday, but then went on to surprise fans with 3 more songs on an extended version released on Sunday #bratgirlsummer #bratsummer #charlixcx #music #brat ♬ original sound - The News Movement
Buffalo Exchange
3424 Greenville Ave.Brat summer may be an attitude, but it comes with a very specific aesthetic for those willing to indulge. According to Pretavoir, the trend involves mixing high and low fashion, bold accessories, textures and layers and color contrast.
You can always go to NorthPark Center for luxury, but that’s no fun. We recently declared Buffalo Exchange the “best shop for millennials who want to look like Gen-Z,” which is perfect for brat summer. Find some oversized sunglasses and chunky shoes and live brat summer to the fullest.
Vagabond Vintage
1616 Market Center Blvd., Dallas831 Foch St., Fort Worth
314 E. Hickory St., No. 109, Denton
This is the ideal vintage store for the beginner brat. Stock up on your vintage basics before you move on to statement pieces. Brat summer can be basic and trashy and sometimes you just need a tight white tank and some big jeans to fit the vibe — Vagabond is the vintage store you need.
Lamar Street Tattoo Club is a reader favorite. We can't wait to brat it up in here.
Courtesy of Lamar Street Tattoo Club
Lamar Street Tattoo Club
1709 S. Lamar St.No one is telling you to get a tramp stamp, but like, wouldn’t it be so brat if you did? Our readers voted Lamar Street Tattoo Club the best tattoo shop in Dallas. Tramp stamp or not, it's Lamar Street’s commitment to quality that sets the shop apart. If you’re going to get one, at least make sure it looks good.
Garland Camera
1401 Northwest Highway, No. 101, GarlandGarland Camera is the perfect place to pick up a vintage point-and-shoot. With a huge selection of older working cameras, there has to be one that suits your early-aughts picture fantasy, film or digital. And after you have too many lime-green cocktails, the shop also does camera repairs. Just remember to keep the flash on.
Gas Pipe
9515 Skillman St.2053 W. Northwest Highway, No. 87
4420 Maple Ave.
Voted the best vape shop by our readers, Gas Pipe is the spot to get a sour apple geek bar to slide in your tiny purse before you hit the afters. We don’t condone nicotine usage (only sometimes and some other times), but, after a night of dancing, you know you’re going to want it.
Charli xcx drinking wine while the crowd sings ‘B2b’ pic.twitter.com/C7vYNJWEY6
— xcx source (@xcxsource) June 16, 2024
Wayward Coffee Co.
2025 E. Irving Blvd., No. 1021318 W. Davis St.
Hey, chill out. Eventually, you will come down, go to sleep and wake up. You might even have to go to work, which is not very brat summer. Buy a lime-green matcha for an energy boost and to keep the vibe going. If you don’t have an office, Wayward is a great, peaceful location to work and get your tasks done. It’s also nice and quiet for your hangxiety self-reflection. Besides, the sooner your work is done the sooner you can head back out.
It’ll Do Club
4322 Elm St.Huge dance floor. Loud music. Sweaty dancing. Does it get any more brat? With a reputation for bringing the best underground (and mainstream) DJs in Dallas, dancing on the It’ll Do dance floor is so Julia.
Jack’s House
@jackshousedallas (message for location)Brat is nothing if not an album you can dance to. While some of the songs are heartfelt, personal and retrospective, the album has plenty of future club classics destined for you to throw ass to at 2 a.m. If you’re a 365 party girl (regardless of gender) and you’re looking for a place to keep from going home and keep the party going, Jack’s House is a perfect spot to dance and enjoy the music.
Black Label Exotics
469-200-0286Escape is so brat summer. Driving a fast car is so Charli. Vroom Vroom, White Mercedes, Porsche, she loves a nice ride.
Maybe it's to the airport, maybe it's down a winding road with a manual drive. Whichever way your brat summer takes you, a long drive is one of the best ways to reflect and escape. Either way, you’re the guide of your own brat summer.
Miss charli xcx you have done it again ((pulling up in a green Tesla so cuntyy) happy brat day losers pic.twitter.com/OwfBujNWt9
— georgia (@_georgiawoods) June 7, 2024
If a fast convertible or a lime-green Tesla Model X is out of your current budget, for a not-so-low price, luxury car rentals exist in Dallas. Rent a luxury statement, take some pictures and cruise around in the heat.
DriveXotic
9012 Performance Court, CressonBetter yet, drive on a private track with an instructor. Feel the speed, blast "Von Dutch" and let your anxiety and credit card debt become fall’s problem. We know these options are expensive, but just as a reminder, Dallas has 92,300 millionaires and we already told you where to meet them.
Sweat Tour
Oct. 9, American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave.Go see the queen of brat herself, Charli xcx, alongside reigning twink Troye Sivan at the American Airlines Center on Oct. 9. Listen to the album. Sing "B2b" while she drinks wine. But please, if nothing else, wear deodorant.
