The VSCO girl trend got traction shortly after Roisin Lanigan published “A Guide to VSCO Girls: The Tumblr Girls of 2019” on the i-D UK website in late July, after hearing about the meme from teenagers she was speaking to for a different story. The piece ended up being one of the site’s most popular of the summer.

VSCO (pronounced “vis-co,” not “V-S-C-O”) girls, named after the photo-editing VSCO app, are easy to spot on Instagram or IRL. It’s always 68 degrees and sunny in the VSCO girl’s world, identified for her love of ’90s fashion and a laid-back surfer girl lifestyle.

The top comment on Urban Dictionary describes VSCO girls as “the Tumblr girls of 2019, you’ll probably catch them wearing a scrunchie, tube top, puka shell necklace, white vans or Birkenstocks and don’t forget the hydro flask to finish off the look.”

Unlike the very put-together baddie look, YouTuber Mai Pham told BuzzFeed News the VSCO girl look is meant to seem effortless. “They always look like they’re doing everything effortlessly even when it comes to their ‘natural dewy’ makeup and ‘beachy waves’ hair,” said Pham, 16. “They drive around in jeeps to watch sunsets. And they’re constantly taking pictures with their Polaroids and disposable cameras.”

Everything you need to know about the latest social media subculture:

• VSCO is the photo-editing and sharing app known for its flattering filters with minimal names like B1 and F2—75 percent of its 20 million weekly users are under 25.
• The VSCO girl is a digital native having grown up online and accustomed to the internet’s hypercritical gaze. They’re self-aware, socially conscious, eco-friendly, and masters at visually pleasing online aesthetics.
• VSCO girls are the evolution of the “basic” teens who came before them in the 2010s.
• The trend was born in suburban high schools and is largely embraced by white and middle-class teenage girls. VSCO girls are not in line with the trend of inclusivity—this aesthetic excludes anyone who doesn’t fit the physical model (thin and white).
• Common vernacular is “and I oop” a reference to a video of drag queen Jasmine Masters, used to express surprise and “sksksksksk,” meant to represent excitement, sort of like “OMG.”
• They embrace a minimalist approach to consumption that has extended to their beauty routines which include a dewy, fresh-faced aesthetic with beachy waves. Favorite beauty brands are Mario Badescu (particularly the facial sprays), Glossier, Lush, Carmex, and Burt’s Bees.
• They look for comfort and companies that give back to the environment.
• VSCO also functions as a low-pressure Instagram, allowing users to upload to a social media feed that doesn’t track engagement. Without likes or comments, it’s a safe place to be creative.
• VSCO girls are also found on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. TikTok even added a dedicated VSCO-girl filter, which includes a water bottle decorated with stickers and a side ponytail tied with several scrunchies, three days after #sksksk first started trending.

According to Google searches, the VSCO girl trend started getting traction in early June and may have peaked at the end of September.