TUMBLR FASHION IS BACK
This one is for the Tumblr girlies
Tumblr was a huge part of 2010s culture. It embraced unusual subcultures, intense fandoms, and unique aesthetics. It had the customization of MySpace, the messaging system of Facebook, the blogging elements of Substack, the humor of old Twitter (RIP), and the focus on aesthetics of Pinterest and Instagram. Whether you were into the indie sleaze aesthetic, daily outfit pics, political activism, or Dr. Who fanfic, there was a community for you there.
The site was so pivotal to the 2010s that entire trends were born from it. Though the golden age of Tumblr wasn’t that long ago, Gen Z is already looking to it for nostalgia and many of the old trends have been revived.
Ripped Tights
Tumblr grunge aesthetic first made these distressed tights popular. Often paired with a vintage denim jacket, Brandy Melville alien tee, American Apparel pleated skirt, and floral Dr. Martens, ripped tights were an essential part of a moody grunge girl’s wardrobe. They conjured images of hopping fences and running through the woods while smoking on a rainy night, or falling down drunk and scraping knees at a house party in some forgotten town in the PNW.
While the OG Tumblr grunge girls would have scoffed at paying $1,400 for a pair of ripped tights, they are available online from Balenciaga. I do want to point out that these tights are actually nude with a ripped black layer on top, giving the illusion of ripped tights while still keeping your legs totally covered and warm.
Jeffrey Campbell Lita Spike Boots
In the 2010s, Jeffrey Campbell was the cool girl shoe brand. Their major claim to fame? The Lita boot.
Released in 2010, the Lita was a heavy platform boot featuring genuine leather or an interesting textile and a signature blocky heel, often made of wood. While all the Lita boots were popular the spiked variation was a favorite of every edgy girl on Tumblr.
Jeffrey Campbell has fallen from grace recently with declining quality and increasing prices. However, they recently re-released their Lita boots, including the spiked variation. I can’t speak to the quality of the new generation of Litas, but my OG boots from 2012 are still going strong.
Balenciaga City Bag
While the Balenciaga City Bag was released in 2001, it was still popular during Tumblr’s golden era. It was a must-have for it-girls, reality stars, and up-and-coming bloggers. You’d regularly see Kate Moss, Nicole Richie, and the entire cast of The Hills carrying them. Even the Tumblr grunge girlies got on board with this bag. I remember wanting one of these bags so badly.
While Balenciaga never really stopped producing the City Bag, it did change over the years. The original model became one of the most searched for bags on resale sites. In response to the huge interest on resale sites, Balenciaga re-released their original design in 2024.
Chloé Susanna Boot
Originally released in lambskin in 2008, the Chloé Susanna boot was an instant hit. Every fashion blogger on Tumblr had a pair of these. They were the perfect combination of edgy and boho, and available in every color, so they worked with anyone’s style. I personally credit these boots for the rise in the popularity of yellow gold and brass. The most popular colorway was black leather with gold hardware.
Chloe Susanna Boot
Like Balenciaga’s City Bag, I don’t think Chloé ever actually stopped producing this shoe. Today, Chloé’s website only appears to sell the black leather/gold hardware of black leather/silver hardware versions of the boot, but there’s a pretty high demand for them on the resale market. I’ve seen a lot more girls styling them on TikTok as well.
Givenchy Shark Lock Boot
The Givenchy Shark Lock boot may have not been released until 2012, but it gained a cult following on Tumblr pretty quickly. While it wasn’t a favorite with the typical Tumblr grunge girls, it was popular with Tumblr fashionistas. These girls cross-posted all their outfits on Tumblr, LookBook (RIP), Blogger, and Instagram. They were all about the glam and the aesthetics.
The Shark Lock boot remained in the background of the fashion world for quite a few years, but Givenchy launched a major expansion of the boot in 2023, reviving its popularity. Still coveted by the glam crowd, the new styles have also made it popular with a new audience. I admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of the boot in the 2010s, but I recently tired on a pair with more of a western design and I was sold.