Trending videos of scores of teenagers invading malls with no visible aim have proliferated across social media, leaving those who have seen the videos with two main questions; what the heck is a LuhTwizzy and why are they invading malls?
What is a LuhTwizzy?
One curious social media chose to pose the question to her younger brother who explained that a LuhTwizzy is a new term used to describe a young person who is a cross between someone who dresses in Y2K-inspired fashion and the “vamp” aesthetic.
According to The Daily Star, Y2K fashion often incorporates elements from popular culture and technology from the early 2000s.
Items inspired by this aesthetic include low-rise jeans, trucker hats, and chunky platforms.
“It also often features bold colours and patterns, such as neon and animal prints, as well as logo-heavy branding and graphic tees.”
A New Wave Magazine article described vamp fashion in urban pop culture or Hip Hop culture terms as an almost Hip Hop punk aesthetic inspired by the kind of clothing male vampires would wear.
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The aestheticisation and commodification of personality
The rise of this and other “aesthetics” speaks to the times we live in where personalities are codified into bite-sized concepts, thus making the easily identifiable. Current popular aesthetics include the clean girl aesthetic, baddie aesthetic and even the personalised Aaliyah Core named after its founder.
The easiest way to code these identities is through dress style and music taste.
Young Thug, Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert are among the artists linked to these aesthetic groups along with American rapper, Yeat.
In a world where streaming and fast fashion are among the leading industries, the codification of these identities and trends linked to them can also be serious business for the industry giants in these fields.
Where do malls come in?
Another one of the explanations for what a LuhTwizzy is comes from their latest penchant for meeting at malls en masse.
It said that those who fall under this category also happen to be school-going age, and as a result, a number of them are on holiday and have been left to their own devices.
They, therefore, organise online and agree to meet at malls where they hang out and sometimes even fight each other.
They also fight young people who belong to other identity groups, taking common online behaviour out into the real world.
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