Lights, Camera, Action, and Algorithms: TikTok Trends as (Fake) Movies
Consider this the Letterboxd for the chronically online
While TikTok may have started out as an alternative to Musical.ly, by the early 2020s, it had become the epitome of youth culture, with figures like Addison Rae and Charli D’Amelio entering the algorithm and the collective consciousness. Now, the platform is no longer just a place for goofy dances with viral songs and quirky lip-syncs, but it has become a significant spot for all things entertainment and lifestyle. Beauty, music, travel, fashion — you name it.
It’s on TikTok that beauty dupes are circulated to dethrone celebrities and luxury products, where soap brows and blueberry milk nails serve as rites of passage, where ‘‘hidden gems’’ in tourist-filled cities still are overly photogenic, and where recipes, some edible and some less so, go viral overnight— think Gigi Hadid’s vodka pasta. But TikTok is also the place where sartorial trends, like the delicate and dreamy Balletcore, can rise from niche to mass in a flash. Indeed, the social media has played a significant role in shaping consumer behavior. But TikTok’s influence on taste isn’t without its critics.
Case in point: In all things sartorial, much is talked about consumerism, sustainability, and the working conditions involved in garment production. Still, many Millennials and Gen Zers wholeheartedly embrace short-lived trends, from the Labubu hanging in every bag to the failed attempt to emulate Caroline Bassette Kennedy's minimal and sleek style through dull Zara clothes.
Many fashion trends have walked TikTok halls. Some had their five — or ten — minutes of fame, while others were rapidly forgotten. Below, I’ve reimagined the platform’s most infamous and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fads as (fake) films that you’d definitely watch — or hate-watch. Consider this the Letterboxd for the chronically online — just go easy on the reviews.
Deadly Pink (Guava Girl)
With her rosy blushed cheeks and full guava pink wardrobe, Rose is endlessly adored. As a popular social media influencer whose brand is built on the shade, she shares glimpses of her dreamy life and seems to have it all. But when a user called @DeadlyPink starts sending her threatening messages and cryptic notes, as well as following her around, her pink-perfect world is turned upside down by fear and creeping paranoia. Convinced that she is in danger, Rose is determined to find out who is behind it all. But it can be more difficult than editing a picture for her Instagram.
ROAR (Mob Wife)
In this crime thriller, following the death of Mafia boss Giovanni Lombardini, his wife Alessandra gets cut off by his power-hungry, controlling family. Determined to prove that she can run the cartel better than they ever could, Alessandra recruits an all-female gang of Mafia widows and heiresses to take down the Lombardinis and take over the Italian criminal underworld.
Unclean (Clean Girl)
In a world obsessed with wellness and perfectionism, Amelia, a renowned fitness and inspirational influencer, discovers that her body is rejecting the extremely curated lifestyle that she has built her popular brand on, as her skin begins to mutate to an unrecognisable state. Seeking to rectify the situation and conceal her condition, she enters into an agreement with a clandestine clinic overseen by the enigmatic and mischievous Belladonna. But then, the price to be paid forces Amelia to radically step out of her comfort zone and abandon her lifestyle, transforming her life never the same again.
The Whisper of Wealth (Quiet Luxury)
Following the death of multinational fashion magnate Clarke Duval, his four daughters and newlywed wife must modernise the label and free it from its conservative ties, in order to make it the ultimate global fashion destination. Beneath their efforts lie secrets, power, money, and betrayal. Think of it as Succession for fashion connoisseurs.
Pomodoro (Tomato Girl)
Set in the Italian city of Cefalù in the 1980s, the most vivacious girl in town is poisoned with a Spaghetti al Pomodoro. Now, her friends and family must find out who did it.
The Game (Tennis Core)
A family of renowned tennis professionals are trapped on their private island after a cyber-attack, during which a vile hacker forces them to play a deadly game of tennis.
Mermaids (Mermaid Core)
On the peak of summer, Serena and her older sister, Marina, left the bustling city of Los Angeles behind after a tragic accident in search of a fresh start in their mother’s small coastal hometown, Azure Bay. Shortly after arriving, they met a charming and alluring girl named Aqua. Very close to their mother, Aqua introduced the sisters to the magical, deep blue sea of Azure Bay, bringing Serena and Marina a step closer — or a dive — to their mother’s secret.
Career Breaker (Office Siren)
After an HR fiasco, the young, new assistant Ivy embraces a bolder and more daring work style, challenging the office norm and Veronica, her devilish boss’ demands. At the same time, she becomes a worldwide fashion sensation, attracting new clients to the bureaucratic yet stylish company. But can two conflicting forces share the spotlight?
Joan of Met (Weirdieval)
Joan is a twenty-something New Yorker with an eccentric style who has garnered a large global following on social media. One day, when she decides to visit the Met Museum—not just to play Gossip Girl on the steps, but to actually look at the exhibition—Joan is enchanted by a dazzling silver suit of armor on display. Then, following her visit, she starts having recurring visions of how to overthrow the current dictatorial government in U.S. — and she would not yield.
