AE- Whimsycore and Labubus

Every second TikTok video lately has the word “whimsy/whimsical,” but does anyone actually know what that means?

Whimsy, noun;

Capricious humour or disposition; extravagant, fanciful, or excessively playful expression.

“a play with lots of whimsy.”

Anything odd or fanciful; a product of playful or capricious fancy.

“a whimsy from an otherwise thoughtful writer.”

Synonyms: humour, whim, caprice.

Though this definition doesn't entirely stand with the times. As people use words more often, they get stuck to things that don't represent them, so the definition has changed slightly. 

To be “whimsical” means to be authentic. There is no such thing as “whimsical aesthetic" because how could one label fit the idea of being yourself? The original trend of “embracing whimsy” was an attempt to get people to step away. Turn off your phones, don't use AI, go outside, experience life and find yourself.

As I discussed in my “Labels are the death of individuality”, the internet has an obsession with labelling things that do not need to be labelled. Putting something as broad as whimsy into a box is insanity. The fact that “whimsy-core” is suggested on the TikTok search page is so exhausting. 

Be yourself. Breathe. Step away. Wake up. 

Not everything has to be a group project. Just because some girl on TikTok bought a skirt doesn't mean you need it. Just because it looks good on her doesn't mean it will look good on you. You don't need a labubu, you don't need the new lululemon set, you don't need a 7th frank green. If you want it, ask yourself why you want it. Is it actually something you like, or is it just trending. Instead of asking “what are we wearing this summer?” go to your favourite store and look for yourself. What's your favourite colour? What type of top do you think suits you? What do you feel comfortable in?

Who are you? 

We are being constantly fed a never-ending stream of “perfect” people. We are constantly told who to be and who not to be. Have you ever stopped and wondered who these people are when they turn off the live stream? 

Everybody wants to be perfect, but perfect doesn't exist. If you spend your whole life worrying about who is looking at you, you will never be able to look at yourself. Everyone is so in their own heads all the time. Think about the last time you went out? How many people do you actually remember? How many people did you glance at and care about enough to make room in your brain for negative thoughts about them? 

 News flash: You're not the only person thinking about yourself. Everyone is thinking about themselves. Everyone around you has their own lives, their own insecurities, their own woes. They don't care. You are not the main character. 

So I'll say it; be whimsical. But don't do it because TikTok told you to, don't do it because I told you to, do it because you have to. Do it so you can see the question “Who are you?” and know the answer. Try new things. Go for a walk and take a new route, wear a new colour, order something different, talk to a stranger (safely). 

Do you want to look back when you're 80 and think, “Why didn't I go for it?” The single most common regret people over 50 have is not trying. So get up. Turn off social media for at least one whole day. Try getting information from a reliable news source instead of a girl on TikTok who's drinking matcha. Draw something without looking at Pinterest. Get dressed without thinking about what others will think. 

There's a theory that it only takes 8 days to develop a habit (or at least make your brain aware of it). So for just 8 days, try to limit the overstimulation of the algorithm. I'm not saying go cold turkey and throw your phone in a lake; that's unrealistic. We live through our phones; the internet is so detrimental to so many aspects of life simply because of how society has built it up. Just be conscious when you scroll. Question if you're actually absorbing anything positive. 

Your brain doesn't deserve to be put in a box. You are an individual. You can form your own thoughts. You will find yourself. 

I believe in you!!!