The "Fake Picnic" Is the Latest Instagram Trend to Blow Up This Summer
No beach? No problem. Fittingly, this summer’s most-liked pictures don’t involve a tropical vacation or set up on the sand, but rather center around something a little closer to home and a lot more accessible.
Spoiler alert: iI’s a patch of grass and, optionally, a blanket or even bedsheet if you so please. That’s right—it seems that more time to appreciate the simple things in life has led Instagram’s most stylish fashion people to reimagine (yet again) what a cool shot looks like. Luckily, at least for now, all it requires is stepping into your front or backyard (or even a local park granted you wear a mask and social distance) and snapping a pic in a picnic-like setup which can be real or—no judgment—staged for the ’gram.
As for what to wear, that’s entirely up to you. Some are going full-on cottagecore, donning breezy floral dresses, while others are opting to style the swimsuits they had previously stocked up on for summer which might not have otherwise seen the light of day. The good news is that no matter which way you go, you can’t go wrong, which is what makes the fake picnic trend so appealing, at least to me. To see it for yourself, and, of course, shop some of the most stylish snaps along the way, just keep scrolling.
Leave it to Aimee Song to nail it on the setup.
A sweet treat never hurts—especially when it matches your swimsuit.
Still looking for the perfect summer dress? I’ve got you covered.
Take cues from Elsa Hosk and throw on an of-the-moment halter.
Sometimes, a great bag is all you really need.
Further proof that everyone should have a classic black slip dress hanging in their closet.
Matching sets always make for great photo ops.
Open-back dresses and picnic baskets clearly go well together.
Go the extra mile by turning your sheet into a backdrop.
Of course, keeping it simple always works, too.
Next, seven random trends that are definitely a thing right now.
Since starting as a fashion intern in 2013, Nicole Akhtarzad Eshaghpour has held several roles at Who What Wear. She is currently editor at large, and in her present work for the site, she focuses on a mélange of shopping content, including her new-arrivals and Trust Me—Buy This columns as well as her weekly Trust Me—Buy This newsletter. Her interest in shopping spans everything from decoding the best luxury investments to discovering on-the-rise brands to trend forecasting, affordable fashion, and more. She holds a business administration degree from USC's Marshall School of Business and has been based in New York since 2017, when she moved from her hometown of Beverly Hills.