TikTok glossary: From Barbiecore to WaterTok

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Will your summer look be more coastal grandma or cottagecore? If you’re not sure, this TikTok glossary is here to help.

Since TikTok debuted in the U.S. nearly six years ago, it has inspired countless – and rapidly changing – food and fashion trends. Fads like the McDonald’s Grimace Shake and Barbiecore have sparked higher sales for food chains and retailers, and viral videos have increasingly shaped news coverage.

But for those not on TikTok, you may be wondering: What in the world is WaterTok? Here’s a food, beauty and fashion glossary of TikTok trends to guide you.

TikTok has inspired viral fashion and food trends, and boosted sales for restaurants and retailers. (Photo illustration by Chesnot/Getty Images)

TikTok glossary

Barbiecore: Barbiecore is a fashion trend that celebrates all things pink, like Barbie. It started in June 2022 when photos of Margot Robbie appeared online and showed her wearing all pink. That was a year before the hit movie "Barbie" was released.

Chopped Italian sandwich: An Italian sub with chopped meats, salami, lettuce and banana peppers.

Clean girl aesthetic: A no-makeup makeup look that emphasizes moisturized skin and lip gloss. It’s often paired with slicked-back buns and simple attire (think white t-shirt, gold jewelry and jeans)

Coastal grandma: A beachfront, white linen-clad fashion look that incorporates light blue and loose clothing in a way that subtly communicates a peaceful and carefree lifestyle. Lex Nicoleta, a TikTok creator who has 325,000 followers on the platform, coined the term.

Cold girl makeup: TikTok creator Zoe Kim Kenealy shared this makeup look in 2022 in an effort to showcase how people look when they’re cold. The look involves rosy cheeks and a rosy nose, plus sheer lipstick or gloss.

Cottagecore: If you’re dressing for your summer, countryside home, this look is for you. Think greenery, long flowery dresses and the aesthetic of Middle-earth, the planet’s mythological past as imagined in J.R.R. Tolkien’s "The Lord of the Rings."

Girl dinner: Girl dinners, a term created by TikToker Olivia Maher, is when women prepare a snack plate for dinner instead of a typical evening meal, then post photos and video of the plate on TikTok.

Latte makeup: Coffee-colored is all the rage in the Latte makeup world. The look is focused on smoky brown and nude shades and was coined by influencer Rachel Rigler. Rigler said she was inspired, in part, by Australian makeup artist Tanielle Jai.

McDonald's Grimace shake: The berry-flavored Grimace shake at McDonald’s gained traction after TikTokers posted videos of themselves drinking it and then having what appears to be a paranormal experience – mostly ending up on the ground in a pool of purple shake. The viral trend boosted sales for McDonald’s last year.

Mob wives: In a 180 from the Clean girl, the mob wife era incorporates leopard print, heavy makeup and big hair. Think Ginger from "Casino."

Office siren: For the trendy office worker, the office siren look pairs pencil skirts and blazers with slim glasses, like the ones worn by model Gisele Bündchen’s character, Serena, in "The Devil Wears Prada."

Smash burger taco: Smash burger tacos aren’t new, but their popularity is. The term describes a burger fried with a tortilla on top. They went viral last year when TikTok creator Brad Prose posted a video about it.

Strawberry makeup: This makeup look, named by model and trend-setter Hailey Bieber, is kind of like latte makeup, but focused instead on pink and red hues. Bieber first posted the look on Instagram last August and followed up with a video tutorial on TikTok.

WaterTok: TikTok videos of users mixing water with different types of colorful and artificially sweetened syrups or powders to create flavorful drinks, such as salted caramel apple water.

Y2K fashion: An umbrella term that describes various trends from the early-2000s, such as cargo pants, mesh tops and baguette bags. TikTok has helped resurrect such turn of the century styles. They overlap with the so-called McBling era, which emphasizes flashier items personified by brands like Juicy Couture and designer Kimora Lee Simmons’ Baby Phat.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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