Fashion on Repeat: The Tumblr Aesthetic
Words by Lydia Wilcox
From the return of the early 2000s low-waisted jeans to the reemergence of the curtain bangs of the 60s and 70s there is no denying that fashion is cyclical. History repeats itself, and the 2014 Tumblr Aesthetic is no exception. While trends are repeated over the years, there is always a slight variation from their original. The peak of the 2014 Tumblr Aesthetic came, admittedly, a little before my time. However, in 2014, my older sister was a senior in high school, and, in true little sister fashion, I needed to copy literally everything she did. We’d drive to school in the mornings blasting the Arctic Monkeys and Two Door Cinema Club. I sang along to songs from Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not with the passion of a delusional thirteen-year-old who believed she could be her suburban Philadelphia middle school’s version of Effy Stonem. It became shockingly clear that no matter how many fishnet tights I stole from my sister or Lana Del Rey lyrics I journaled about, I could not.
2014 Tumblr-era fashion was influenced by 1990s grunge fashion of the 1990s but is referred to as ‘soft grunge’ because of its incorporation of pastel and neon colors. Inspired by the 90s, popular 2014 Tumblr fashion staples include, but are not limited to: fishnet tights, oversized denim jackets, black skinny jeans, skater skirts, thigh high socks, and Doc Marten’s (specifically combat boots). While many elements of 90s grunge were retained, 2014 Tumblr users integrated pastel hair colors, pink and blue being among the most popular, into their look. It is said that one of the most popular hair styles of the era, dip-dyed hair, originated in the Bleach London’s flagship salon in East London. The trend’s popularity was far reaching. This was made clear when LA based influencer Kylie Jenner debuted blue-green dip dyed hair during her King Kylie-era in 2014, further popularizing the style.
2014 Tumblr makeup trends included bold, dark, matte lip colors. For eye makeup there were two extremely popular trends, the first being the cat-eye eyeliner trend. This 2014 trend, amongst many others, was popularized by model Alexa Chung, perhaps the most quintessential and iconic Tumblr ‘cool’ girl. The other popular eye makeup trend was the smudged pencil eyeliner look à la Effy Stonem.
The 2014 Tumblr Aesthetic revival, or, as it is referred to on TikTok, Tumblrcore, has a few notable differences. Most notably, the style of jeans. In 2020 skinny jeans became unpopular amongst the younger generations, specifically Generation Z. This time around, baggy and loose-fitting jean styles of 90s grunge have been retained in the Tumblrcore aesthetic. Tennis skirts have been the skirt of choice amongst those trying to recreate the Tumblr style as opposed to the skater skirts of the original aesthetic. Since their initial release in 1960, Doc Martens combat boots have, and always will, be considered a wardrobe staple. However, with the rise in popularity of platform shoes in 2022, those who are fashioning themselves after the Tumblrcore aesthetic have chosen to go with a platform Doc combat boot as opposed the original non-platform combat boot that was more frequently seen in 2014.
As Maria Santa Poggi writes in an article for Vogue magazine, “The return of the 2014 Tumblr girl’s style comes in tandem with the renewed appreciation for the indie sleazecore aesthetic…Both indie sleaze and the 2014 Tumblr girls’ styles materialized through music and girlish rebellion.”
The singer Beabadoobee, who is finishing up the final leg of her North American tour, is an indie icon who meshes the two aesthetics of indie sleaze and 2014 Tumblr style together. In a video for Vogue’s Beauty Secrets series, Bea gave a step-by step guide to her makeup routine. In the video, Bea focuses on her lived-in eyeline look, which is inspired by the 2014 Tumblr-era aesthetic. Additionally, up until recently, Bea had been a fan of bold hair colors changes. From blue to fiery red Bea’s hair over the past few years was reminiscent of fellow iconic indie singer Halsey’s Badlands days, Halsey’s 2015 album that was a huge hit with the Tumblr crowd.
The Tumblr Aesthetic, after only eight years has made a massive comeback. It is a look that transcends time as many of its staple trends, including Doc Martens and denim Jackets, are versatile pieces that can be found in any person’s wardrobe, regardless of the decade. I grew up surrounded by the music and fashion of this era and it continues to heavily influence my current style and taste. I for one am happy to see it remerge for the next generation of Alex Chung and Effy Stonem wannabes.