It’s mid-July—you’re in a yellow halter top and light wash cut-off jean shorts with a flower crown headband in your braided hair. A “Get Ready With Me” video is playing on YouTube on your iPad mini, while you write in your “Wreck This Journal” that you just bought from the mall with your friends. This was the golden year, the year everyone seemed happy, and the year everyone wants to relive: 2014.
The 2014 L.A. girl aesthetic was always iconic, but this year it’s making a comeback better than ever. With the repurchasing of products that were on the market back then like Baby Lips lip balm, people are doing anything to get the nostalgic feels they felt in 2014. The new TikTok trend of reviving this memorable year exemplifies the care-free illusion of living in L.A. by combining imagery from the beach, shopping on Melrose and the glitz of Hollywood. As it usually goes, every generation has a different perspective on how each year can go, but mostly everyone can agree (at least on TikTok) that the summer of 2014 was a mutual connection of peace and joy.
Popular celebrities today such as Addison Rae and Kylie Jenner are playing a role in the revival of 2014. “In the early 2010s, Tumblr was filled with a variety of different popular trends that featured pastels, hazy filters, grunge clothes and vintage aesthetics,” NBC News reports. 2014 Tumblr is an amalgamation of these trends. Rae and Jenner’s recent posts evoking this style have inspired articles and TikToks, with many, including Jenner herself, declaring that, “It’s 2014 vibes this year.” Addison Rae has been posting photos using her old iPhone 4 to get that vintage, grainy L.A. Tumblr girl look in her posts. The songs “Tumblr Girls” and “Lady Killers” by rapper G-Eazy have been making a comeback on TikTok and social media because of their nostalgic sound.
Some summer events that brought a sense of community were the ASL Ice Bucket Challenge and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. A-list celebrities like Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge and nominated others to join in, creating a viral trend over YouTube. It brought people together with the power of the internet.
To bring back this internet craze created in 2014, we must use our modern tools within TikTok and Instagram. People have already started doing this with the “micro influencer trend.” Small creators have begun posting videos as if they have a large following and have been gaining popularity for staying true to themselves and relatable to their audiences. This is a way to relive the 2014 L.A. girl feels. In that era, it seemed like anyone could become famous overnight for posting photos or videos of themselves.
Popular YouTubers in 2014 included Bethany Mota, Miranda Sings, and Eva Gutowski who happens to be a Fullerton local. She graduated from Brea Olinda High School in Brea, California, and later attended California State University, Fullerton. Popular videos from these creators were DIY room decor, vlogs, comedy skits, lifestyle videos and beauty tips. These are already the type of videos making a comeback on TikTok. With the recent spike in low attention spans among youth, minute-long GRWM videos, DIYs and photo carousels are more fit for modern times and tend to do better than 10-minute long YouTube videos.
Summer festivals, sunset bonfires, and DIY clothing projects were all the rage. Taking Instagram-worthy photos was a must for any social outing in 2014. Tumblr feeds were flooded with pictures of lace earth-toned boho Coachella outfits, the Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel and reflective sunnies with your hair in a messy bun. Going out, grabbing a Starbucks Frappuccino and taking photos with it are now traded with driving to L.A. to grab the newest Erewhon celebrity collaboration smoothie.
2014 summer fashion was mainly a ‘90s throwback with more modern additions. Pastel colors and floral patterns were the main fashion worn during this era. High waisted shorts were starting to make their debut and gladiator sandals were there to give you the worst tan of your life. Brandy Melville, Pink by Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie were the brands to be walking around wearing.
Brandy Melville has always tried to keep their simple aesthetic of basics or clothing with cities labeled on them. While Brandy Melville is still the “it girl” store to shop, there are plenty of other places that have caught up to their simplicity and style. Stores such as Los Angeles Apparel, Garage, Uniqlo, Free People and Aritzia are all very up to date on fashion trends and have pieces that last. These stores have already caught up on the 2014 trend by selling long-tiered skirts, high-neck tanks, and flowy coverups.
As we witness the revival of 2014’s iconic summer vibe, we’re left with a choice to make: to immerse ourselves in the nostalgia of yesteryears or to embrace the evolving trends of the present. Whether it’s the allure of the L.A. Tumblr girl aesthetic or the appeal of today’s influencers and modern fashion that entices you, the decision is ultimately yours. So, as the summer unfolds, which era will you channel—the past or the present?
Taken from the Summer 2024 print issue of Inside Fullerton. Read it here.
