# Boots And A Slick Back Bun "Boots and a Slick Back Bun" is a TikTok trend from mid-2024 where groups of friends chant catchy two-part descriptions of their outfits in a call-and-response style. Created spontaneously by three London friends during a night out in Margate, England, the original video racked up millions of views and spawned countless imitations from regular users, celebrities like Amy Poehler, and brands. The trend also triggered a generational cringe debate when a skincare company's version, "Gen Z Boss and a Mini," drew backlash across Twitter/X. ## Origin On June 29, 2024, TikToker @maisieisobel_ (Maisie Sellwood) posted a video of herself and two friends, Amelia Gregorian and Eloise Lord, chanting about their outfits on a street at night[4]. The three, all 26 years old, had been friends since studying musical theater at The BRIT School in London[5]. The whole thing started by accident. While getting ready for a night out during a last-minute weekend trip to the seaside town of Margate, Sellwood asked Lord what she planned to wear[1]. Lord's answer was simple: "Oh, you know, the usual. Boots and slicked-back bun"[5]. Sellwood found herself repeating the phrase, entertained by its rhythm, and the chant spread to their bar crawl. "After a few cocktails we were just chanting 'boots and a slicked back bun,'" Sellwood told the New York Times[5]. Later that night, Sellwood pulled out her phone and recorded each friend's verse, with Gregorian adding "cowboy boots and a blowie" and Lord rounding it out with "Sambas and a little red bag"[7]. - **Platform:** TikTok - **Creator:** Maisie Sellwood (original poster), Eloise Lord (originator of the phrase), Amelia Gregorian (co-creator) - **Date:** 2024 ## Overview The format is simple: a group of friends takes turns stepping forward while the whole group chants a two-part phrase describing that person's outfit or signature look. Each verse follows the same rhythm and melody, with the key items swapped out. In the original, the three verses were "boots and a slick back bun," "cowboy boots and a blowie" (slang for a blow-dry hairstyle), and "Sambas and a little red bag"[5]. The chanter usually does a small dance or gesture pointing at the items being named while the group hypes them up[9]. The appeal is part earworm, part friendship ritual. The tune is infectious enough that viewers reported it stuck in their heads for days, and the format gave friend groups a structured way to celebrate each other's personal style[3]. ## How It Spread The video took off fast. Within two days of posting, it hit 6 million views[5]. By mid-July 2024, it had crossed 7.6 million views and roughly 951,900 likes[4]. Other TikTokers jumped on the format almost immediately. On July 1, @laurencosier posted her own version with friends, picking up 3.4 million plays and 555,600 likes within 10 days[4]. On July 5, @dosyes used the original TikTok sound and pulled in 2.3 million plays[4]. The trend spread far beyond Gen Z friend groups. Restaurant workers in Boston, residents at a senior living center in Colorado, and staff at an animal rescue organization in Arizona all made versions[3]. The animal rescue iteration had employees modeling shelter pets while chanting, "Cute face with a curly tail, cute face with a curly tail"[5]. The biggest celebrity adoption came on July 10, 2024, when actress Amy Poehler posted a TikTok with Rachel Dratch and Rashida Jones doing the trend[9]. Their verses included "hoops and a black short dress," "pony and a cashmere shirt," and "Sambas and a little blue bag," with Seth Meyers walking slyly through the background of each shot[1]. The video hit 21.8 million plays and 4 million likes in a single day[4]. TikTokers quickly turned Poehler's clip into a green screen template, with @ferreroroshelle adding "me mentally planning out which outfits to pack for vacation" and pulling 2.2 million plays the same day[4]. Also on July 10, Australian beauty company TBH Skincare posted their own version on Instagram and TikTok, which would become the trend's most controversial iteration[2]. ## How to Use The format typically follows a simple pattern: 1. Gather your group (friends, coworkers, or any squad). 2. Each person picks two signature items from their outfit or look. The two-part structure is key: "boots and a slick back bun," "hoops and a black short dress," "Sambas and a little red bag." 3. Film one person at a time stepping forward while the whole group chants that person's verse in the original melody. 4. Each person gets their own verse, repeating the two items twice. 5. The vibe is hype and celebratory. Point at the items, do a little dance, and keep the energy up. ## Cultural Impact The New York Times covered the trend on July 10, 2024, interviewing the original creators and framing it as a wholesome celebration of female friendship[5]. Sellwood reported that "99.9 percent of the response has been women uplifting women"[5]. The Amy Poehler crossover was significant. Her version with Dratch, Jones, and the Meyers cameo became one of the most-viewed entries in the entire trend, pulling over 21.8 million plays in one day and bringing it to a wider audience beyond TikTok's core Gen Z demographic[4]. The trend sparked broader discourse about generational cringe cycles, with multiple outlets (Polyester Zine, Daily Dot, The Super Slice) covering the backlash to the TBH Skincare version as a case study in how memes get co-opted and how each generation eventually faces the same mockery it once dished out[8][9][2]. ## Fun Facts - Maisie Sellwood, Amelia Gregorian, and Eloise Lord all met while studying musical theater at The BRIT School, the same school that produced Adele and Amy Winehouse[5]. - "A blowy" in the original video refers to blow-dried hair, not the more common British slang meaning, which caused some confusion among viewers[5]. - Seth Meyers walking through the background of Amy Poehler's video was never explained, becoming a mini-meme within the meme[9]. - The original video was filmed during a last-minute weekend trip to Margate, a seaside town in Kent, England[1]. - TBH Skincare's response video ("Gender pay gap, bring it back") outperformed many original entries in the trend, getting 2.8 million views[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is "Boots and a Slick Back Bun"? A TikTok trend where groups of friends chant catchy two-part descriptions of each other's outfits in a shared melody, started by three London friends in June 2024[5]. ### Where did "Boots and a Slick Back Bun" come from? TikToker @maisieisobel_ (Maisie Sellwood) posted the original video on June 29, 2024, after she and friends Eloise Lord and Amelia Gregorian started chanting about their outfits during a night out in Margate, England[4]. ### What does "Boots and a Slick Back Bun" mean? It literally describes an outfit: boots paired with a slicked-back hair bun. The phrase caught on because of its catchy rhythm, and the format expanded to include any two-item outfit or personality description[3]. ### How do you use "Boots and a Slick Back Bun"? Film your group taking turns stepping forward while everyone chants two signature items from each person's look (e.g., "hoops and a black short dress"). Keep the same melody and rhythm as the original[9]. ### Is "Boots and a Slick Back Bun" still popular? The trend peaked in July 2024, with major celebrity and brand participation. As of mid-2024, it was one of TikTok's biggest trends, though like most viral formats it cooled after its initial run[7]. ### Who are the creators of the original video? Maisie Sellwood (poster), Eloise Lord (who coined the phrase), and Amelia Gregorian. All three are 26-year-old friends from London who studied musical theater at The BRIT School[5]. ### What was "Gen Z Boss and a Mini"? A version of the trend posted by beauty company TBH Skincare on July 10, 2024. It went viral but also drew widespread cringe accusations, particularly when reposted to Twitter/X[2]. ### Why was the TBH Skincare version controversial? The corporate adoption of the meme, combined with the "girlboss" framing, drew criticism from both the manosphere and regular internet users who saw it as cringy corporate co-option[9]. ### Did any celebrities do the trend? Yes. Amy Poehler posted a version on July 10, 2024, featuring Rachel Dratch, Rashida Jones, and a cameo from Seth Meyers. It pulled over 21.8 million plays in a single day[4]. ### What does "a blowy" mean in the original video? It's short for blow-dried hair, referring to a blowout hairstyle. Amelia Gregorian clarified this in an interview with the New York Times[5]. ## References 1. [‘Boots and a slicked-back bun’ is more than just an…]() 2. [Gen Z Boss and a Mini meme is about women chanting in a circle]() 3. [What is the ‘boots and a slick back bun’ trend on TikTok? Viral videos explained - Dexerto]() 4. [Boots and a Slick Back Bun - Know Your Meme]() 5. [2010s in fashion]() 6. [Women Hype Each Other’s Outfits With ‘Boots and a Slicked-Back Bun’ Meme - The New York Times]() 7. [Awkward moment ABC senior journalists attempt catchy 'boots and a slick back bun' TikTok trend | Daily Mail Online]() 8. [‘Boots and a slicked-back bun’ is more than just an outfit. It’s a TikTok phenomenon]() 9. [‘Gen Z Boss and a Mini’ and How Gen Z Inherited the Millennial Cringe Curse — Polyester]() 10. [Boots And A Slick Back Bun TikTok Trend: An Explainer]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/boots-and-a-slick-back-bun Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library