Something fishy is going on in the fashion scene lately – here's everything you need to know about the whimsical (yet admittedly kind of bizarre) sardine print trend taking over summer style.
Here's everything you need to know about the sardine print trend taking over summer style. © Unsplash/Mari Helin
Mediterranean-inspired style trends for the warmer months are nothing new. Remember "" from last year?
Now, there's a fresh new take on this aesthetic vibe.
We're talking sardines, baby! (Yup, you read that right.)
Since April, Google searches for sardine-themed items like purses, dresses, and more have spiked with fashion TikTokers going so far as to herald in "sardine girl summer."
and strawberry girls, beware! These oily fish are coming for your bag (literally).
Some have suggested that the sardine trend may be another viral "recession indicator," while others think it's just some weird campy fun.
"Sardines aren't trying to be perfect or precious, and that's exactly the point," Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson of the style wave.
"Shoppers are gravitating toward visuals that feel lived-in and a little offbeat, pieces that tell a story with grit and personality, not just gloss, and feel a little less filtered, and sardine prints do exactly that."
What is the viral "Staudine" bag and why is everyone obsessed?
Particularly viral is the $295 , a cult item that fashion influencers can be seen unboxing on TikTok en masse.
Staud co-founder and creative director Sarah Staudinger about their Birkin equivalent bag from Spring 2024.
"We try to incorporate a playful symbol in each collection, and sardines felt like the perfect fit," she said.
"They instantly remind me of long, lazy summer lunches in the Mediterranean – there's something so nostalgic and emblematic about them."
