What Is The Tumblr Favorite Twee Style?

With a delicate, retro touch combined with a preppy aesthetic, twee is officially back on social media timelines everywhere. Just about everyone remembers the good old days of Tumblr, a time of moody photos of coffee shops, plaid skirts, poetry, and your favorite indie artists. It was perhaps one of the first times everyone began to see the consumer importance for aesthetics and nonchalant yet unique hipster fashion. From that arose the twee fashion style. In fact, the definition of twee actually means "excessively dainty, delicate, cute, or quaint" (via Merriam-Webster).

Those who participated in this style did, in fact, try to implement these elements into their looks. This style consisted of mini skirts, plaids, Peter Pan collars, oversized fake glasses, tights, and a balance between muted or even bright colors. Cardigans, ballet flats, headbands or bows, and loafers are often associated with the look as well. This was especially popular thanks to Tumblr back in the mid-2000s, rapidly flowing into the 2010s. Now, thanks to social media platforms like TikTok, twee is yet again a topic of discussion and remembrance among younger generations like Gen Z or nostalgic Millennials who are reliving some of their favorite fashion moments (via Today).

Wardrobe stylist and owner of Modnitsa Styling Dina Scherer tells Today that twee is feminine, colorful, and "a little retro." Even if you're a little interested in twee without wanting to commit to it all the way, it's a flexible style with a variety of elements you can incorporate into your personal style. "If you're someone who only gravitates towards neutrals and has a very classic, clean style, adopting that trend, I would say would be best in like small amounts from the perspective of detail," Scherer says. She adds that you can find one element you like from the twee style, such as the shoes or the colors, and incorporate it into your usual, everyday look. She says the rise of interest in twee again is due to an increased interest in thrifting as well, something also seen in the rise of Y2K and grunge fashion, which come close to the same originating era as twee.

"With millennials and Gen Z being broadly more conscious of — and quicker to dismiss — fast fashion, this trend better appeals to their values and means, consisting of found items, thrift trips, and vintage gems. It's more affordable, and there's room for unique iterations and personal flair," Anna Pampilio, a senior strategist and trend forecaster at the design agency LPK, tells Vogue.

Today's take on twee meets a modern touch with essentials consisting of Peter Pan collars, statement tights, plaid dresses, puff sleeve blouses, headbands, flats, crossbody bags, and pleated skirts, but is this how it was always styled?

As twee recently began to make its way back into the world of fashion, a TikTok trend sparked more conversation about where twee even began. Rachel Iwanyszyn, a fashion influencer who goes by Jaglever, was once known for the famous look back in the 2010s, though her style remains rooted in twee today. She shared her own looks with text in her video, saying, "I absolutely had a twee phase and I heard we're sharing them!" Iwanyszyn was an inspiration for many in regard to this style. One user even commented that Jaglever has often been on her Pinterest boards.

Many Millennials proudly shared videos of their throwback twee outfits from the time accompanied by the song "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" by musical duo She & Him. The ever-quirky Zooey Deschanel, who is a member of the duo, was once considered the queen of twee, and she responded to the trend on her own TikTok. As she joyfully danced to her own song in her video captioned "I'd like to thank TikTok for teaching me what twee means," she proceeded to share a series of photos of her twee looks. Now, 

Ultimately, twee is a style of fashion that allows for a lot of creativity in whichever aspect you choose to pursue, but in the midst of it all, remember to have fun with it!