It’s time to grab your skinny jeans and blast The Strokes: the 2014 Tumblr girl aesthetic, or Tumblrcore, is back in style. While one could argue that the indie Tumblr look never truly left, nostalgia for it is undeniably at an all-time high.
In case you missed out on the Tumblr aesthetic back in the day, here’s what you need to know about its origins.
Where does Tumblrcore come from?
If you were chronically online in the 2010s, you knew that all the cool kids congregated on Tumblr. Besides being the go-to spot for fandoms and memes, the blogging platform was also a space for exploring different aesthetics. Many of today’s trending aesthetics—like the coquette and e-girl looks—have roots in this Tumblr era. If a certain style caught your eye, you could follow aesthetic blogs and look up specific tags.
One of the biggest aesthetics to take over Tumblr was the hipster subculture, which embraced alternative music, fashion, and lifestyles. Of course, hipsters wouldn’t actually admit to being hipsters. Hipsterdom was panned as pretentious and disingenuous, after all. But between handlebar mustaches and horn-rimmed glasses, there were certainly markers for those in the community.
@lysslester i carried my nikon dslr everywhere with me lol #2010s #indiekid #hipster #2009 ♬ Deadbeat Summer – Neon Indian
Within that subculture was what became known as indie sleaze, a messy-cool aesthetic defined by eclectic vintage outfits, overexposed photos, and carefree partying. Today, there’s even an entire archive dedicated to documenting this era on the Instagram account @indiesleaze.
Emerging in the late aughts, indie sleaze evolved into the 2014 Tumblr girl aesthetic, which was quieter but still alternative. With trends now circling through 5- to 10-year cycles, the Tumblr girl, anchored by millennial and Gen Z teenagehood nostalgia, naturally resurfaced.
What does it look like?
Making a comeback on the heels of the Y2K renaissance, Tumblrcore is decidedly moody, unsaturated, and indie. 2014 was a time when a faded, Polaroid-style photo of leaves with a cryptic lyric or quote could drum up thousands of Tumblr notes.
TikTok user @planetskirt sums it up best in this video.
@planetskirt this has been on my mind for WEEKS #2014tumblr #greenscreen ♬ original sound – sophie <3
“Something happened in 2014 where like, everyone lost the saturation in their lives and their wardrobe,” the creator mused.
“If you’re unfamiliar with this era, 2014 was very much so ruled by American Apparel, Tumblr, Orion, The xx, The 1975 — um, who else, who else — Lorde,” she added. (You also couldn’t go wrong with Lana Del Rey, Sky Ferreira, The Arctic Monkeys, or The Strokes.)
The Tumblr girl aesthetic has a grungy look — that’s why it’s sometimes referred to as “soft grunge.” Think faded graphic band shirts and nautical striped tees. Ideally, you want to match your top with trusty skinny jeans or ripped tights underneath high-waisted shorts.
For chilly days, a flannel overshirt or denim jacket are the best outerwear choices, but a ratty American Apparel hoodie works in a pinch. As for footwear, you can’t go wrong chunky shoes, preferably Chelsea boots or Doc Martens. Oh, and don’t forget the choker!
Note: This aesthetic isn’t without its critics, as 2014 Tumblr was occasionally associated with drug dependency, self-harm, and disordered eating. It’s worth keeping this in mind if you’re curious about diving deeper into the subculture.
Examples of Tumblrcore
Now, let’s see Tumblrcore in action. Here are some clips to help you draw some indie vibes inspiration.
@makabird Had to pull out the american apparel jellies for biblical accuracy #outfit #2014tumblr #softgrunge ♬ tumblr 2014 soft grunge – tay
@timi_post i think we nailed it #tumblr #tumblraesthetic #tumblr2014 #2014tumblr #2014tumblraesthetic #2014tumblrrevival #2014tumblrparty #softgrunge (video inspo from @sadé🧛🏽♀️🦇 ♬ 2014 tumblr – jasmine🌟
@sadesgrave Plz dont take this one down #tumblr2014 #tumblrera #tumblrparty #tumblrgrunge #tumblrgirl #2014tumblr ♬ 2014 tumblr – jasmine🌟
@emmuhyuh healing my inner me who wanted to dress like this SO BAD but was too young #tumblr #tumblraesthetic #2014tumblraesthetic #2014tumblr #outfit #outfitidea #outfitinspo #fashion #clothes #pinterest #tumblr2014 #tumblrgirl #flannel #drmartens #docs #piercetheveil #ptv #styling #tumblrstyle ♬ tumblr 2014 soft grunge – tay
@thenikolejackson girls in 2014 🦉 #greenscreen #2014 #2014tumblr #2014vibes #2014songs #tumblr #tumblraesthetic #tumblr2014 #tumblrgirls #brandymelville #2014fashion #fyp #nostalgia ♬ Cool Kids – Echosmith
@dreamangeledits 2014 tumblr was everything and i miss it 🦄🖤 #fyp #tumblraesthetic #2014tumblr #2014vibes #aestheticedit ♬ toxic melanie martinez cestladore remix – sadg1rrl
After nailing the look, cultivate the 2014 vibes even further by queuing up Ultraviolence and reblogging your favorite deep quotes.
More trending style explainers:
- The Kindle girlie aesthetic is dominating BookTok
- What counts as the Y2K aesthetic? Here’s what you need to know
- Add a fresh twist to your summer looks with Aperol spritz makeup
- Underconsumption core: The TikTok trend that will encourage you to buy less
- What is ‘fake’ vs. ‘real’ coquette, and how has the definition changed over time?
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