The Resurrection of King Kylie

Just when we thought Tumblr was gone forever.

by REBECCA CARR ★ JULY 25, 2022

If you obsessively keep up with the Kardashians as I do, then you exactly know who King Kylie is. Kylie Jenner has represented Gen Z in our attitudes and styles by posting silly videos on Vine and sharing photos of her and her model besties at the hottest parties. This era was then coined “King Kylie” as Kylie Jenner showcased being in her badass element where she freely expressed her love for experimenting with fashion and a carefree lifestyle.

During this time, a typical Kylie Jenner closet consisted of dark edgy clothing with mixes of leathers and striped clothing, dark moody makeup, and of course the end of her hair dyed blue. If you have seen any Coachella look, you have definitely seen her range of colored hair with her neon and sequin outfits when she started to experiment away from her edgy look and exchange her skull rings for Cartier rings.

Kylie Jenner was also known for her famous Tumblr page “Kalifornia-Klasss” which sticks to the theme of K’s in the family, but also was a space where she expressed herself creativity by posting runways, art, jewelry, and high fashion. This self-expression online was reflected in Kylie’s real life when we saw her dress edgy and dark one day and then colorful and sparkly the next. Kylie Jenner teased bringing “King Kylie'' back on her Instagram where she was wearing her old and tarnished skull ring that she was known for wearing on a daily basis. Personally, this makes me wonder, will she make a comeback as “King Kylie?” Or is she just teasing us to get a response? Either way, it does make me reflect on the popularity of Tumblr and if it could possibly make a comeback.

Should Tumblr Make a Comeback?

Tumblr has got to be one of the most controversial apps to date and it is hard to see if Tumblr would ever be socially acceptable again. For starters, Tumblr often warranted unwanted pornography and created a culture of eating disorders that ultimately led to the bad reputation of the app where it was left behind by users. Kylie Jenner is also one of the only celebrities who popularized the app and made it a creative space for herself and others to enjoy. Even when Tumblr was popular, it was not as popular as its other entertainment competitors like Vine, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Today, we have VSCO, which is a more positive version of Tumblr where people share photos that either didn’t make it to the gram, their favorite foods, or memorable quotes. There are also no likes or followers which allows users to enjoy the app without worrying about the likeability count.

Although Kylie Jenner gave Tumblr life, it, unfortunately, became a toxic app that may be better left in the grave. Although most of us forgot about her Tumblr page, we most certainly did not forget the badass and carefree “King Kylie” that influences us to be the hottest version of ourselves mentally and physically that make us feel free to change our aesthetic whenever we want. Even when Tumblr is no longer relevant, we can still look up “Karlifornia Klass” if we ever need King Kylie-style inspiration.

Cover Photo Credit: Pinterest

UGirlJuly 25, 2022