Brat summer and ‘demure’ make-up feature in TikTok’s top trends of 2024

Brat summers and looking “demure” at work were among the most popular TikTok trends of 2024.

The short-form video app has revealed this year’s top trends in its annual report, known as Year on TikTok, highlighting trends which amassed millions of views.

Sparking humorous advertising campaigns and aesthetic movements impacting people’s lifestyle choices, 2024 saw TikTok’s cultural influence continue to grow.

– Man in finance

This trend started off as a spoken word performance by American creator Megan Boni, known as Girl On Couch, but quickly became catchy song of the year after the sound clip was sampled into various remixes.

The words poke fun at the creator wanting to find her ideal man, prompting her to declare: “I’m looking for a man in finance, trust fund, 6’5, blue eyes”.

She shared the caption: “Did I just write the song of the summer?” when she shared the video back in April, which has since racked up more than 58 million views on the platform.

In early May, a creator known as rubythepookie sampled the sound clip to create a catchy, electronic hip-hop tune – Boni then recorded the track with superstar DJ David Guetta to storm the charts.

– Brat summer

British singer Charli XCX sent TikTok into a spiral this year after people embraced brat summer, embodying self-love, positive body image, sultry style choices and lots of neon green.

The term “brat” was popularised as the title of the music star’s sixth studio album, which features a bright green cover.

British singer Charli XCX released her sixth studio album Brat, which sent TikTok users into a spiral (Lucy North/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Lucy North

The trend sparked a viral dance created by TikTok’s Kelley Heyer to Charli XCX’s song Apple from the Brat album, which earned 1.3 million views.

The term was named the Collins Word of the Year for 2024, redefined as being “characterised by a confident, independent and hedonistic attitude”, and rapidly became the aesthetic movement of the summer, the dictionary said.

– Sambas and a little red bag

This video shared by Maisie Isobel shows her and her friends calling out key parts of their outfit such as their black and white Adidas Samba trainers and a small red handbag.

The three girls in turn highlight a part of their outfit while singing it to a tune featuring the phrases “boots and a slick back bun”, “cowboy boots and a blowie”, referring to her blowout hairstyle, and “Sambas and a little red bag”.

The video was viewed more than 10.3 million times and was recreated by Netflix’s You star Penn Badgley along with Nava Kavelin and Sophie Ansari, who he co-hosts his comedy podcast Podcrushed with.

– Very mindful, very demure

The catchphrase was started by TikToker Jools Lebron, who gave advice to her followers about “How to be demure and modest and respectful at the workplace”.

While sat in her car, Lebron, styled in pink blush, pink lips and long, blonde hair, explained how her make-up and outfit was workplace appropriate.

She told viewers: “You see how I do my make-up for work? Very demure, very mindful … I don’t look like a clown when I go to work. I don’t do too much. I’m very mindful while I’m at work.”

The video was viewed more than 54 million times and prompted US reality star Khloe Kardashian to take part in her version of the trend with make-up artist Ash K Holm and hair stylist Dimitris Giannetos in a clip which earned 14.9 million views.

– Gen Z employees write the script

Marketing creatives were particularly imaginative this year after some companies let their Generation Z employees, those born after 1996, take control of the script for their TikTok videos.

In August, electrical retailer Currys shared a video of a middle-aged man wearing the Currys uniform promoting the products in its store using current slang, referencing some of TikTok’s top trends.

The video, which has more than 2.5 million views, begins with the man saying, “It’s a brat summer at Currys my guys” before highlighting offers on microwaves that “ate and left no crumbs” and air fryers described as “the GOAT (greatest of all time)”.