That Girl (trend)

The "That Girl" aesthetic is an online subculture and fashion marketed as catering to people who seek a holistic emphasis on wellness.[1] It is most often targeted at women, although not exclusively.

History

"That Girl" began as a viral trend on TikTok[2] by a user sharing their objectives for the new year: eating more fruit and vegetables, and reading more books. In the spring of 2021, the term gained popularity and spread from TikTok to YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest through various formats including short form videos, extended vlogs, and curated Pinterest boards. By 2022, videos on TikTok with the hashtag #ThatGirl had over 2 billion views.[3]

In a 2024, Kaeli McEwen, a TikTok influencer known for contributing to the "Clean Girl" aesthetic, gave an interview for Gotham magazine.[4] In it she states that when she began on TikTok the clean girl aesthetic was referred to as "That Girl", and that is still is.[4] She further states "the trend of "That Girl" or "Clean Girl" is always there. "I think it will always be there. It just maybe has different names at some points, but it all revolves around the same aesthetic."[4] In a 2024 Her Campus article, Lachlan Larsen writes "Some still refer to the clean aesthetic as a 'that girl' aesthetic but 'that girl' aesthetic branched into 'vanilla girl aesthetic', 'baddie aesthetic', the 'night luxe aesthetic', etc."[5]

In a 2024 article in Elle on the "clean or 'that' girl", Sakshi Rawte writes "It's no secret that this was the most-followed trend last year with over a billion views on social media", before calling for a "whoever-you-want-to-be-girl" who doesn't follow trends.[6]

Criticism

"In general, anything that establishes an unattainable ideal does more harm than good. It doesn't matter if it's filters and lighting on Insta or lifestyle trends on TikTok." -Pamela Rutledge, director of the media psychology research center at Fielding Graduate University.[7]

The trend has been criticised as being highly unrealistic for the average individual. Many of the individuals marketing the trend are young, often white women attending post-secondary education. These influencers do not take into consideration those who have added responsibilities, such as parenthood, nor those who do not have the option of having a consistent work schedule thus making it harder for some to apply a routine and follow it consistently. For this reason, the trend potentially caters to a privileged audience.[8]

Psychotherapist Hannah Tishman states that doing many of the routines associated with That Girl "is actually very beneficial—but doing these things every single day with no break is a recipe for imbalance. As humans, we need rest, recovery, and to allow ourselves to have days off."[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Sharma, Ruchira. "Who Is 'That Girl' & Why Is TikTok Obsessed With Her?". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  2. ^ Sweeny-Romero, Katlin Marisol (2022-04-22). "Wellness TikTok Morning Routines, Eating Well, and Getting Ready to be "That Girl"". In Boffone., Trevor (ed.). TikTok Cultures in the United States (1st ed.). Routledge. pp. 108–116. doi:10.4324/9781003280705. ISBN 9781003280705.
  3. ^ Priyankaa, Joshi (24 February 2022). ""I tried to become TikTok's 'That Girl' but I could barely last a week"". www.stylist.co.uk. Stylist.
  4. ^ a b c Haley, Bosselman (12 March 2024). "How Clean Girl TikTok Queen Kaeli Mae Tackles Spring Cleaning". Gotham.
  5. ^ Larsen, Lachlan (2 February 2024). "Is "That Girl" Still a Trend?". Her Campus.
  6. ^ Rawte, Sakshi (4 January 2024). "Here's Why 2024 Will See The Fall Of The Clean Girl". Elle India.
  7. ^ a b Sims, Maddy (18 August 2022). "Therapists Want to Shut Down TikTok's 'That Girl' Trend. Here's Why". The Wellnest.
  8. ^ Singer, Jessica (August 15, 2021). "TikTok's That Girl is meant to promote wellness, but some say it does the opposite".
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.