Tik Tok brings Twee back to 2022
The latest trend to go viral on Tik Tok is like a rebirth of the Tumblr platform and fashion blogs of the 2010s. We're talking about "twee" or "twee aesthetic". You may be wondering what "twee" even means, and although a precise definition seems almost impossible, we've traced the origins of this style aesthetic for you below, as well as looking at current interpretations.
What is Twee?
Tracing the origins of the English term "twee", as early as 1905 the term was defined in the dictionary as a childish pronunciation of the word "cute" and basically described anything affected or overly dainty and tiny. Since then, the actual meaning of the word has not changed much and has also been used from a fashion aesthetic point of view since the 1980s to describe childish but at the same time feminine clothing. However, the trend only experienced an actual boom at the beginning of the 2010s when "New Girl" appeared on the screen. The hype surrounding Zooey Deschanel , who played the sweet and naïve Jessica Dey, quickly caught on, mainly among young adults. Meanwhile, in the UK, Alexa Chung also established herself as an "it" girl, pushing this aesthetic in Europe. The style included vintage dresses with bob collars and unique prints, which were combined with cardigans. Eye-catching accessories with bows, flouncy blouses, flat pumps, wide-rimmed glasses and mobile phone cases with moustaches were also a popular part of the aesthetic.
Why is twee making a comeback now?
Like everything in life, fashion is also cyclical, and trends in the industry in particular seem to rotate at high speed. According to trend expert Eyenie Schultz, the revival of twee seems to be due to the rise of K-pop and Japanese kawaii fashion, whose aesthetic concept is also related to childishness and innocence. Moreover, looking at the catwalk, it seems that the big designers also predicted the return of the trend even before it went viral on TikTok. Miniskirts, bows, houndstooth patterns and vintage looks from the 60s dominate the spring 2022 collections of Dior, Coach and Miu Miu.
How to wear the Twee 2022:
While Twee glorified the 2010s aesthetic of slimming and eating disorders on Tumblr and blogs, it is important in today's world not to repeat the sometimes harmful effects of the trend. Thus, Twee 2022's comeback is intended for a diverse audience and should be worn by everyone.
A notable trailblazer would be Harry Styles, for example, who expertly embodies "tweeness" for men with unusual combinations of knitwear and beaded necklaces, nonchalantly "serving" gender-bending dressing. So there are no rules these days about what twee style has to look like. One can freely help oneself to the twee-girl wardrobe, take individual key pieces and subtly combine them with current trends. Alexa Chung seems to have evolved her style from cute dresses and ballerinas to a more mature version of twee.
