Tumblr Girls

It's official. We are old. The 10-15 year trend cycle is coming around to things we saw as middle schoolers and it's freaking me out. I am talking about none other than the "Tumblr Girl" aesthetic.

I think this has something to do with TikTok having so many subcultures and deep lore/holes to fall down. This is very reminiscent to Tumblr back in its heyday. The fandoms ran DEEP on that platform and I feel like TikTok has the same appeal since you have such control over your feed and perfectly curating it to yourself. Tumblr was something that Instagram, Facebook, and even Vine never reached. It was YouTube and Pinterest levels of curation that just never quite hit the same on any other social platform. But TikTok has got it. 

Now if you don't remember the "Tumblr Girl" aesthetic let me jog your memory. Some key fashion staples were American Apparel everything, black boots, chokers, and oversized sweaters. Beauty was winged eyeliner, messy buns, and matte lipstick. I would say if you threw it on a moldboard it would be filled with grainy filters, sad girl poetry, indie rock, and the queen of Tumblr herself Lana Del Rey. It was the space of the OG influencer along with MySpace. It gave people the anonymity they were looking for and the freedom of self-expression never before seen on the internet.

Let's talk about why this is coming back. Like I said there is a 10-15 year trend cycle we see all the time and Tumblr's peak was 2010-2014. But Gen Z has an obsession with the early 2000s and now bleeding into the early 2010s, not sure why but I think we felt times were simpler and more carefree because we were kids and now that we have grown up, we want that back. There is also this rejection of the perfect polished algorithm going on currently, the beauty of the Tumblr girl was you truly believed that her life was this candid masterpiece of vibes. It was also about expressing discomfort and sad/angriness. Embracing imperfections, emotions, and individuality in contrast to the usual influencer culture we are used to seeing now.

Now let’s talk about how this whole aesthetic is showing back up in 2025. Because it’s not just some quiet trend—it’s actually everywhere once you start paying attention. Fashion-wise, it’s all the classics coming back: think Doc Martens, ripped tights, skater skirts, flannels, and band tees. Basically, if you’d wear it to an Arctic Monkeys concert in 2013, it’s suddenly relevant again. People are layering with intention but making it look like they didn’t try at all. That's the magic of it.

Makeup has gotten a little grungier too. There’s a return to smudgy eyeliner, messy hair that feels intentionally undone, and people even bringing back dip-dyed ends or little dyed sections of their bangs. It's all very DIY and low-key, and honestly, it’s refreshing. You’ll even notice the way people are editing their content is different—less bright and polished, more grainy, dark-toned, and moody. There’s definitely a Tumblr filter revival going on in the photo dump world.

Music plays a big part too. There’s this big resurgence of indie and sad girl pop playlists—everyone's listening to stuff like Daughter, The 1975 (early era), or, of course, Lana again. It’s the kind of soundtrack that makes walking to class feel cinematic. Even TikTok sounds are pulling from that era. What’s funny is that while Tumblr is gaining a little traction again, TikTok is actually where all of this is living now. The vibes have shifted platforms, but the core energy is exactly the same.

So what’s different between now and the original Tumblr girl era? For one, it’s way more inclusive. The aesthetic isn’t just reserved for one type of girl. People of all gender identities are taking what they love from the style and making it their own. There’s also a stronger undercurrent of self-awareness—mental health is talked about more openly now, and people are more intentional with what they share. It's like Tumblr 2.0 with a little more maturity and a little less romanticizing the chaos (though, let’s be honest, that’s still part of the appeal).

If you’re wanting to dip your toe into the Tumblr girl revival, here’s what I’d suggest:
Start with the clothes—oversized everything, a good pair of boots, and something thrifted. Add in a little eyeliner (the messier the better), create a playlist with angsty vibes, and just lean into your feels. Make a moodboard, journal like it’s your coping mechanism, and post a photo dump with absolutely no context. That’s the Tumblr girl way.

To wrap this up: the Tumblr girl aesthetic isn’t just making a comeback because of fashion nostalgia. It’s about craving rawness in a world that’s felt overly edited for too long. It’s about emotion, chaos, creativity, and a little bit of edge. It’s comforting in the weirdest way—and it’s proof that every internet era eventually gets its time to shine again. So if you’ve still got that choker from eighth grade, now’s your moment.