“Wake up, Henry.”
An Italian-American woman from New Jersey may be the brains behind the social media trend dubbed the “mob wife aesthetic,” a now-viral event in which women post their bold style choices inspired by female characters appearing in mafia movies.
Sarah Arcuri, social media influencer and author of the novel “The Owner & The Wife,” posts under the name @TheSweetPaisana on Instagram and TikTok. That's where she's been at the forefront of the style-sharing trend.
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“I think I started it,” Acuri said with a laugh.
“To tell you the truth, I don't know where I got the term 'mob wife aesthetic,'” she said.
Sarah Arcuri, who posts under the name @TheSweetPaisana, shares videos and photos of women showing off their best mafia wife-inspired looks with her on Intagram and TikTok. (Sarah Arcuri/Instagram @TheSweetPaisana)
“I think it's a combination of two things. Number one is the fashion. I call it a return of the bold, loud glamor of the '80s. It's also combined with this fearless mafia wives attitude. [and] bold.”
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Acuri's posts have attracted millions of fans who share her own mafia wife aesthetic, many of them inspired by fictional or real-life mafia wives who were played by actors in films.
Sharon Stone played Ginger McKenna in the 1995 film, “Casino.” Her character wore dresses, furs and jewelry. Viewers witnessed the evolution of her style as the film progressed. (Universal Images/Getty Images)
“We have the style of Connie Corleone and Kay. [from ‘The Godfather’] and on the contrary, Ginger from 'Casino'. She has a kind of '60s glamor with jewelry and dresses,” Acuri told Fox News Digital.
“Carmela Soprano is known for her French nails, jewelry and dressing casually,” he added.
James Gandolfini appears in a scene as Tony Soprano alongside Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano in the hit HBO television series, “The Sopranos.” Carmela used to wear tracksuits, blazers and gold jewelry. (HBO)
“The fun thing about this trend is that it can go [in any] address. If you choose a mafia wife to inspire you [from] and making it your own, it won't be a carbon copy of how someone else interprets the trend,” Acuri said.
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In October 2023, Acuri published a step-by-step guide on how to dress like a mafia wife.
The video garnered nearly 1 million views.
“It was satire, it was funny,” he said. “The sound bite went viral.”
Then he started to notice that his 2022 mafia wife aesthetic videos were trending.
“Now it has exploded. It has appeared in all the media. It is totally accepted.”
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Acuri's Instagram highlights feature women embracing the mafia wife aesthetic, which means fur coats, statement jewelry, animal prints, leather jackets, and glamorous makeup.
She calls it “The Mob Wives Movement.”
Actors Michael Imperioli and Drea De Matteo appear in a scene from the HBO television series, “The Sopranos.” De Matteo's character, Adriana La Cerva, was famous for wearing animal prints, voluminous hair, and gold jewelry. (Anthony Neste/Getty Images)
“It's all the girls that have been tagging me [for] look at his mafia wife. Real women feel empowered by this trend,” Acuri said.
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Users have offered their opinions on the mob wife aesthetic and Acuri's “movement,” with some women saying they've “been dressing like this forever.”
Acuri said some social media users criticize the “mob wife aesthetic” movement for glorifying crime and women whose men were members of the mafia. She said she defends her posts and that women are simply trying to have fun with “unapologetic” fashion and bold styles. (Sarah Arcuri/Instagram @TheSweetPaisana)
“I've been living in mob glamor for probably 40 years,” one woman wrote.
“The winter of the mafia wives is here,” another woman commented.
“Carmela Soprano could not be reached for comment,” another user joked.
Fans take inspiration from the movies or say this is their usual style and have “always” dressed in outfits that would fall into the category of “mob wife aesthetic,” Acuri said. Here, actress Lorraine Bracco appears in a scene from the 1990 crime thriller, “Goodfellas.” (Maximum Film/Alamy Stock Photo)
“And please tell me what's wrong with this: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! From an Italian woman from Pennsylvania,” another woman commented.
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Acuri noted that some people do criticize the aesthetic trend of mafia wives.
They say it can be glorifying a life of crime and glorifying women who “deal with terrible things,” such as knowing that their husbands make a living through organized crime and their dealings with the American mafia.
“I think the good thing about 'Goodfellas' [is] “It goes from the '50s to the '80s,” Acuri said, adding that viewers see an interesting evolution of the style of the character of Karen Hill, wife of Henry Hill. (Maximum Film/Alamy Stock Photo)
“I don't agree with that,” Acuri said.
“It's not at all about glorifying what their husbands do. It has nothing to do with the husbands or their activities. It's about the energy of the wife running their home, and they have this strong energy.”
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He added: “And that's what I see through the women who tag me. That's what they embody through this trend.”
Acuri is the author of the Italian-American novel titled “The Landlord and the Wife”, published in May 2023. (Sarah Arcuri/Instagram @TheSweetPaisana)
Some users argued that the mafia wife aesthetic links specific cultures to the mafia, but Acuri said that the mafia wife aesthetic has little to do with the mafia itself.
“Rather, it is a fashion trend that encapsulates old-fashioned glamor and bold pieces, along with the strong, fearless, remorseless attitude that many fictional and real 'mob wives' exude.
“Italian-American girls in the tri-state area always dressed like that, [but] “You don't have to be Italian-American to dress like that,” Acuri told Fox News Digital. (Sarah Arcuri/Instagram @TheSweetPaisana)
Acuri stressed that no one should be excluded from the movement.
She said she enjoys that it's fun and positive for all the women involved.
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“Where you live and grew up and your heritage and origin… I think that has a lot to do with how you dress. Italian-American girls in the tri-state area always dressed like that, [but] You don't have to be Italian-American to dress like that,” Acuri said.
Anyone can read more about the mafia wife aesthetic on Acuri's blog at sweetpaisana.com.
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