A Tumblr Time Capsule:
Has the Era Been Revived?
Tie up those Doc Martens and grab that Polaroid, the Tumblr era is back. Except now, it looks a bit different.
Social media has gone “casual” again, with digital camera flicks gracing the well-curated photo dumps of every feed.
This year has seen the return of various influential icons from the early 2010s, bringing a stinging sense of nostalgia to those who weren’t yet old enough to truly take part in the Tumblr teenage experience.
Charli XCX and the Return of ‘Indie Sleaze’
It’s near impossible to talk about the 2010s revival without mentioning the impact of Charli xcx’s “brat.” Released in early June, the album defined the summer of 2024 and shined a spotlight on the confident, carefree party girl.
With lyrics like “It’s okay to just admit that you’re jealous of me” and “I’m your favorite reference baby,” the rise of “brat” has seemingly revitalized the club culture of the decade, or at least a glorified version of it.
The singer got her start in 2012, collaborating on pop duo Icona Pop’s “I Love It,” and later releasing “I Love It” in 2014, a song that would long be associated with the decade.
Since the release of “brat,” Charli has collaborated with a handful of artists who rose to-
fame in the 2010s, including Troye Sivan, The1975, Kesha and Lorde, releasing her remixed album “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat” in early October.
Charli and Sivan embarked on the co-headlined “Sweat” tour in September, which has been inviting fans to throw on eclectic, edgy and streetwear-esque looks (in neon green, of course) for a night of dancing to club classics.
The concerts are nothing short of a runway, with Sivan and Charli taking the stage in ensembles fit for a dance floor. Charli’s looks are not complete without a pair of dark sunglasses and tall black boots, while Sivan’s getups have featured pleated micro skirts, baggy jeans and white tank tops.
Much like the “indie sleaze” era of the early 2000s and 2010s, a chaotic and messy anti-fashion aesthetic, “brat” embraces authenticity and a rejection of societal norms.
“(Brat is) anything bitchy and never anything too perfect,” Charli’s stylist Chris Horan told Vogue in September.
All Hail King Kylie
It was 2014 when the youngest sister of the Kardashian clan entered a phase that took the internet by storm. Kylie Jenner ruled the 2010s as King Kylie, an era defined by the teenage socialite’s bold hair colors and edgy fashion.
Ten years later, Jenner took to Instagram in January showing off a new look reminiscent of her teenage years with pastel pink hair. She also posted a TikTok captioned “heard its 2014 vibes this year” with “Summer Wine” by Lana Del Rey as the video’s audio.
King Kylie was a powerful fashion influence for teens in 2014, running a Tumblr account named “Kalifornia-Klasss” that screamed self-
expression. This was around the time when Jenner changed the makeup game by releasing her cosmetics brand Kylie Cosmetics.
Most recently, after a multiple-month return to her dark brown hairdo, Jenner made two posts debuting her vibrant teal hair, the first captioned “teal the end of time.” While this look was also short-lived, it left fans wondering, “is King Kylie returning?”
Written by
Shelby Emery