Since the social media platform made its U.S. debut almost six years ago, short videos posted there have created a rapidly changing menu of food and fashion fads. Many of these latest rages have gone on to inspire sales of countless products and to shape news coverage despite having names that can confuse people who are not chronically online.
TikTok also has popularized phrases like “I’m looking for a man in finance” - from a satirical song about searching for a tall, wealthy man who works in the finance industry and “the ick” - an expression of disgust or repulsion, as Merriam-Webster puts it.
Here are a few of the more ubiquitous trends the platform has spawned - or helped spread - so far:
FASHION & STYLE
Barbiecore: Barbie is known for pink, and so is Barbiecore. The color crept into fashion, beauty and food in 2022, and was even recommended for holiday gifts that year. According to the fashion company LYST, the trend began after pictures of a pink-clad Margot Robbie surfaced online in June 2022, a year before the actor’s “Barbie” movie came out and toy maker Mattel launched its own marketing blitz to promote the color. Barbiecore was a heavy hit both on Instagram and TikTok, where more than 72,000 videos have been posted with the trend’s name as a hashtag.
Coastal grandma: A beachfront, white linenclad fashion look that incorporates light blue and loose clothing in a way that subtly communicates a peaceful and carefree lifestyle. Lex Nicoleta, a TikTok creator who has 325,000 followers on the platform, coined the term.
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