TikTok Trends Are Taking Over Oxford – Again.

While the start of the new semester is coming to a close, the Miami RedHawks are showing off their holiday gifts and winter purchases all around campus.

Mini Uggs, liquid makeup and Lululemon Define jackets are taking this college town by storm, and to no surprise, TikTok influencers can be attributed to the latest crazes.

Dubbed ‘basic’ in 2014, Uggs fell out of style for a majority of the late 2010s. Even though I grew out of my baby pink Bailey Bow Uggs by the time I hit 11 years old, I still wish I would’ve kept them for nostalgia purposes.

But the cutesy, frilly boots aren’t the ones back in style — the house slippers are.

Now, I’d like to make a clarification: I’m not talking about the Ugg Disquette slippers. I’m talking about the Ugg Tasman slippers.

Typically, I’m not one to hop onto trends that are sure to change come next month. That’s why I’m still wearing my beat up old reliable Disquettes. That and the fact that there were no Tasmans to be found in my size anywhere for a reasonable price.

I mean, seriously, people. I’m feeling a little left out looking at all my classmates in their Tasman minis while I’m stuck with my backless slippers, leaving my heels vulnerable to slipping out on my trek to Irvin Hall every day.

My parents love to ask why I’m wearing slippers out and about, especially when there’s snow on the ground.

But, that’s the appeal. They’re cute and they’re comfortable; they really seal the deal on the ‘putting effort into my effortlessly comfortable just-woke-up’ look.

While I struck out on buying new Uggs over winter break, I was influenced to follow the crowd in buying the Lululemon Define jacket.

My mom has several of these from her marathon era, and is probably pondering why I have one, since I don’t have a single athletic bone in my body.

The only way I can explain this trend is like this: it gives the appearance of a snatched waist. Lululemon took the word ‘define’ very seriously when designing and producing this jacket.

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As most Lululemon products are, this jacket was made with exercise in mind. It’s comfortable to wear, easy to move around in and provides warmth on a brisk day.

Even in this harsh winter weather, I see students subtly flexing their jackets below their open winter coats — other students opt for no layering of a winter jacket, which makes me cold just looking at them.

The one trend that takes the cake, however, is the liquid makeup phenomenon.

Popularized by Glossier’s Cloud Paint in 2017, liquid blush has been stealing hearts all over TikTok.

But it isn’t just liquid blush that has a chokehold on people — it’s liquid everything.

Selena Gomez’s brand Rare Beauty has not only a blush, but a liquid highlighter (which, I can confirm, lives up to the hype.)

Skincare brand Drunk Elephant has liquid bronzing drops, made impossible to find in stores after TikTok influencer Alix Earle posted her makeup routine.

After matte-style makeup was all the rage in 2016, it makes sense that makeup influencers are doing a total 180 on what they think is in.

Going hand-in-hand with the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic, liquid makeup gives the appearance of a ‘second skin,’ making the user's skin look supple and glowy.

I used to be extremely anti-makeup, since all I had ever known was the cakey powders clogging my pores. It’s refreshing to see makeup companies rebranding themselves with skincare in mind as well, as many of these products practically melt right onto the skin and moisturize as well – perfect for the skin-destroying winter.

With second semester finally rolling in, I find myself scanning the crowd of students in Armstrong, carefully inspecting lecture halls and scoping out the party scene Uptown to see if what I see on TikTok will transfer over to Oxford – and, once again, I’m not surprised to see that it has.

And I’m loving it.

leeam8@miamioh.edu