Sometimes, a TikTok trend makes absolutely no sense without context. Take, for example, one of the latest trends, in which women are filming themselves driving, saying they’re wearing a “Melanie Carmichael ring,” pulling up to their “Melanie Smooter house.” Um, who’s Melanie Carmichael? Who’s Melanie Smooter? What’s going on?
If you were confused like I was when seeing this for the first time, spoiler alert: Melanie Carmichael and Melanie Smooter are the same person — she’s actually a character played by Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama. For those not familiar with the movie, it’s a rom-com in which Melanie Smooter, known to the New York City fashion scene as designer Melanie Carmichael, returns to her hometown of Pigeon Creek, Alabama, after seven years to finalize a divorce from her high school sweetheart Josh Lucas’ Jake Perry.Â
At the beginning of the movie, Melanie’s would-be husband, Patrick Dempshey’s Andrew Hennings, takes her to Tiffany’s, where she gets her pick of the lavish engagement rings (Melanie Carmichael behavior). To his knowledge, Melanie is from a rich family from the South. In reality, Melanie Smooter grew up poor, and her friends and family back home live in double-wide trailers, and drive used pick-up trucks.Â
So, this TikTok trend is basically featuring women who are showing off their ritzy Melanie Carmichael-style ring and luxury Melanie Carmichael-style car while also celebrating their humble Melanie Smooter-esque home — or really any combination of Carmichael and Smooter aesthetics — all set to the tune of “Keep Your Hands to Yourself” by Georgia Satellites.
Sweet Home Alabama is an early 2000s rom-com, so it has its flaws, but it also does seem like one of those movies that’s entirely too quotable for its own good. Similarly, this trend isn’t without its downsides (people are being entirely too mean about other people’s engagement rings), but it’s also a fun way to show off what we have in our lives — whether they lean more Carmichael or Smooter. Because it’s not about being one Melanie over the other; it’s about celebrating exactly who you are and celebrating both the Carmichael and Smooter.