Puppygirl is an internet subculture that originated in online spaces such as X (formerly Twitter) and Discord, related to kink culture (pet play) and heavily associated with transgender women or transfeminine people. The aesthetic is a particular form of the Kemonomimi aesthetic, defined by the use of animal aesthetics on a human body, in this case using dog aesthetics. The visual style is often paired with the adoption of a highly sexualized and submissive "puppy" persona, which is expressed through specific fashion accessories and behaviors.

While it has strong ties to the broader pet play BDSM community, the Puppygirl style is a distinct cultural phenomenon. It functions as both a personal identity and a shared set of aesthetic and narrative codes.

While the exact origin of the Puppygirl aesthetic is unknown, the rise in usage of the term "Puppygirl" coincides with the rise in public awareness of a content creator named Puppy Girl Jenna . Jenna is a NSFW content creator using sexualized puppy play as an extension of a broader puppy-play disposition that is not inherently NSFW. However, as the term has become more established in pop-culture it has become increasingly associated with Alternative aesthetics and subculture, which are not present in Jenna's case

Today, the Puppygirl aesthetic is rooted in specific online communities and has a nuanced relationship with kink and gender/sexual identity.

Academic analysis of the aesthetic has pointed out that, like many online subcultures, its visual representation is overwhelmingly white, young, and conventionally attractive. Critics argue that this unexamined whiteness and focus on a specific body type can be exclusionary and may not leave room for the same "joyous trans (in)humanity" for people of color, older individuals, or those with different body types.

The visual identity of a Puppygirl is created through specific accessories that signify the puppy role, often combined with other alternative or e-girl fashion styles. Key visual elements include:

The style has strong thematic overlaps with BDSM practices such as master/slave dynamics, pet play, and bimbofication. However, it is distinct from the predominantly cisgender gay male puppy play subculture. The Puppygirl aesthetic tends to place a greater emphasis on themes of humiliation, degradation, and sadomasochistic dynamics, whereas male puppy play often focuses more on childlike playfulness and community. The aesthetic also serves as a space for trans women to explore and express their sexuality and desires in a way that is not beholden to mainstream or assimilationist narratives.

The Puppygirl persona is centered on embodying "puppy-like" characteristics, such as emotional dependence, vulnerability, submissiveness, and a low capacity for thought. This is not seen as a negative, but rather as a form of joyful dehumanization and a refusal of respectability. By rejecting the complexities and pressures of being "human" (particularly the pressures of conforming to a cisgender-centric and neurotypical society) adherents find a form of freedom. The aesthetic often explores themes of being "trained" by a partner or "owner," framing this submission as a way to access a more authentic, carefree self.