By Emily Chan
You’re scrolling on TikTok when a video titled “Tomato Girl Summer,” to the sound “Somethin’ Stupid” by Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra pops up, showing an array of images that feature a particular fruit and orangey-red clothing items. After, you scroll once more and the sound of unreleased Lana Del Rey songs fills your senses. You’re now transported to the world of headphones, the Brianna Brandy Melville Sweater and a specific gourd-flavored latte. You just witnessed a bite-sized portion of Tomato Girl Summer and Pumpkin Girl Autumn.
But what actually is behind these recent fashion/lifestyle trends?
Tomato Girl Summer is an aesthetic that exemplifies a slower lifestyle. Instead of focusing on working late nights and being ultra productive during the day, Tomato Girl Summer romanticizes going to farmer markets, reading and taking walks in the streets of Europe. In a world that puts so much pressure on working toward success, it’s no wonder people find the concept of Tomato Girl Summer appealing.
For example, she doesn’t have to clock into her 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and she doesn’t worry about her school assignments because she’s on vacation. The only thing on her mind is what she should order for brunch.
She wakes up around midday and spends ample time picking out her produce-inspired outfit of the day. Then, she makes her way to the farmers market for her morning tomato toast, where she’ll eventually find a random bistro table on the side of the road to read an insightful yet romantic novel.
But what exactly is she wearing while partaking in this fresh morning routine?
Well, throughout the broad tomato girl fashion umbrella, there are three things that remain consistent from outfit to outfit: the patterns, textures and color palette. The color palette for Tomato Girl Summer is rather simplistic; consisting of white, cream, light yellow and a whole lot of red. This color palette is embodied by the many materials utilized in the aesthetic. These materials include linen, silk, crochet and cotton. That said, any material that’s relatively breathable and suitable for the summertime heat will do just fine. Similar to the color palette, the patterns seen with Tomato Girl Summer are quite simplistic as well. Common prints include thin stripes, small polka dots, red gingham, flat-lays of various other produce and of course, tomatoes.
The most commonly seen outfit across Pinterest and TikTok are red kitten heels, a structured brown bag and a red or white midi dress as the main course. The dresses seen in each outfit generally have puffed sleeves or spaghetti straps.
Some of the bottom pieces seen within the Dolce Vita-inspired aesthetic include tiered-white maxi skirts and denim mini skirts with a chunky black belt to match. Oftentimes, these pieces can be seen being paired with a white or patterned babydoll-style top.
To finish off the outfit, tomato girls often accessorize with small structured brown or red bags, black cat-eyed sunglasses and large hats. The aesthetic also features very minimal amounts of gold jewelry. For shoes, they are oftentimes seen with dark brown or red kitten heels, sandals or channeling their inner tomaTOE girl with their barren feet out for all to see.
But now, as summer comes to an official end, so has the reign of the tomatoes.
Unlike Tomato Girl Summer, Pumpkin Girl Autumn, more commonly known as the downtown girl aesthetic, is much more applicable to the school setting.
Pumpkin Girl Autumn is appealing because it helps add a bit of charm to the gloomy days that define the fall. This is because the aesthetic romanticizes key components of the typical school day, such as going to classes, studying and reading. However, these simple activities are not exempt from a bit of pumpkin girl flair.
A typical day in a pumpkin girl’s life starts with waking up at 7 a.m., just in time for her to pick out her cute and cozy outfit! The color palette of these outfits usually consist of browns, dark greens, dark blues, black, white and burgundy. This darker color palette is showcased within a variety of different materials such as denim, leather, corduroy and knit. Additionally, patterns/textures like lace and stripes are crucial to Pumpkin Girl Autumn outfits.
Oftentimes, you’ll catch pumpkin girls wearing knitted sweaters, graphic baby tees, lace tank tops, puffed-sleeved baby-doll tops and long sleeve shirts throughout the fall season. For warmth, cotton zip-ups and leather jackets are Pumpkin Girl Autumn staples. These pieces are often paired with flared or wide leg jeans, cargo pants or a-line mini skirts.
The main shoes that are fit for Pumpkin Girl Autumn include Doc Martens, Converse and UGG boots. Furthermore, to complete the look, large headphones, scrunched up socks and a tote bag are a must. Lastly, make sure to add a silver heart shaped locket and dainty rings to finalize the outfit.
After putting on her ideal ensemble, our pumpkin girl makes her way to school. But, instead of dragging her feet to school along a busy road, she takes a leisurely stroll through a quiet street with her pumpkin spice latte in hand. As she walks, fallen leaves line every path she takes and she is not afraid to snap a cute picture of her shoes along the way. These pictures, of course, are all taken by her vintage digital camera.
A pumpkin girl on TikTok and Pinterest is also a connoisseur of all things music and literature. You can frequently spot her on overcast mornings, reading by herself in libraries or at parks. Some of her other favorite activities include thrifting, making baked goods and playing the guitar in her free time. Finally, as night begins to fall, she usually ends the day with watching Gilmore Girls or by dancing in the rain.
As we conclude our analysis of these two seasonal, fruit themed trends, it’s interesting to see how many similarities they both share. At first glance, the most obvious similarities are the love tomato and pumpkin girls have for reading and the color red; as well as their prominence they have in the fast fashion industry (given that they are trends at the end of the day). But if we dive deeper, we can actually learn a thing or two about the life we lead outside of social media. By looking more closely, we can see that both aesthetics also place an emphasis on the need for a sense of freedom and a calmer lifestyle, whether that’s by escaping to a different country or glamorizing the mundanities of everyday life. This idea of living for the little moments, such as finding joy in indulging in a book, can actually help us appreciate our lives just a little bit more. So when life seems drab and dull, maybe think to yourself, how would a tomato or pumpkin girl see this?
