I don’t know about you, but just about every woman I know has this strange knack for themed events. It’s this beautiful, hidden talent we share, opting to demonstrate it for each other during wine nights or cottage-core picnics or Sunday night dinners. The theme demonstrates a commitment to the event, a level of care and thought that helps bring participants closer together. And I think this concept of theming things comes from girlhood, where every party was styled after our greatest obsession.
For example, a princess party, a Barbie party, a pool party, a Hunger Games party, and the list goes on and on. It’s fun, and we carried that sense of fun into our (slightly) more adult lives.
That’s right. I’m talking about the phenomenon women have created in which every summer gets branded. Most recently, last year was “Hot Girl Summer”, in which the months were dedicated to sexy swimsuits and late nights out on the town with your friends. I have no idea how as a collective group the women of the world settled on that theme, hence the term phenomenon, but it stuck. The internet embraced the goals of “Hot Girl Summer” and in doing so formed a large community of girls supporting each other’s commitment to the bit.
This summer, the girls opted for a 180-degree flip. Instead of being hot, we were going to rot. The summer of 2023 became known as “Rat Girl Summer” or “Rot Girl Summer”. Rooted in self-care and social recovery, “Rat Girl Summer” was about laying in bed all afternoon, bingeing TV, making iconic “girl dinners”, and lathering those skin care products on thick. It was a hilarious yet approachable take on healing, and once again, it was a collective assumption amongst women everywhere.
By utilizing social media, women were able to create unexpected communities, linked by a common theme that was meant to benefit or promote some aspect of womanhood. From embracing your sexuality to protecting your peace, “Girl Summer” themes generate safe spaces for women, and it’s lovely.
The best part though, is somehow this mindset manifested the girliest of “Girl Summers” EVER this year. Incase you missed it…
Taylor Swift’s “Era’s Tour”, is not only uniting Swifties by the masses (I still cherish my friendship bracelets) but is also boosting cities’ economies and breaking records. Barbie is the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman. It even surpassed “Dark Knight” to become Warner Brother’s highest-grossing film, too. (Not to mention it’s changing conversations around feminism.) Beyoncé’s world tour is killing it. The FIFA Women’s World Cup!?!? I mean come on! Charity’s season of The Bachelorette has been excellent. The second installment of The Summer I Turned Pretty is simultaneously uniting and dividing women everywhere (in the best way). Personally, I’m team whoever is on screen at the moment, but to each their own.
It’s refreshing to see the power of women’s interests impacting the world in impressive ways. Ways people can’t go on ignoring. Ways that will change perspectives. Ways that unite us.
So, regardless of how this phenomenon occurs, be it collective telepathy or sheer force of feminine will, it’s not just some silly trend. It’s a commitment to girlhood, love, and respect.
Plus, everyone loves a theme :)