What is TikTok?
TikTok is a video sharing app owned by ByteDance, a Chinese technology company. The app was launched in 2016 after ByteDance acquired the app Musical.ly and merged it into TikTok. It quickly gained popularity, especially among Gen Z users, for its short form video content and viral challenges.
As of December 2022, TikTok had over 1 billion monthly active users globally (Source). In the United States alone, TikTok had over 150 million monthly active users as of February 2023 (Source). The app has been downloaded over 3.3 billion times on iOS and Android devices worldwide.
TikTok allows users to create and share short videos up to 3 minutes long. Its algorithm is very adept at figuring out user interests and preferences to serve them personalized and engaging content. This has made it highly popular among teenagers and young adults who enjoy creating and watching its signature short, fun videos as well as participating in viral challenges.
Who was Grace Kelly?
Grace Kelly was an Academy Award winning American actress who was one of the most popular Hollywood movie stars during the 1950s (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Grace-Kelly). She started her acting career on Broadway before transitioning to films. Kelly was known for elegant, sophisticated roles in movies like Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window and To Catch a Thief. Some of her most acclaimed performances were in The Country Girl, for which she won the Best Actress Oscar in 1954, and in High Society. In 1956, Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco and became Princess Grace of Monaco, effectively ending her acting career at the age of 26.
How did the challenge start?
The Grace Kelly challenge began in early 2022 on TikTok as users started recreating the classic, elegant style of actress Grace Kelly from old Hollywood movies. The trend focuses on emulating Kelly’s timeless beauty and fashion sense by harmonizing to the high notes of the song “Grace Kelly” by Mika while dressed in vintage-inspired clothing, accessories, and hairstyles.
The challenge is believed to have originated with British pianist Nicole Reynolds, who often performs movie soundtrack covers on her TikTok account. She posted a video in January 2022 singing along to “Grace Kelly” while wearing a floral dress, gloves, and her hair styled to resemble Kelly’s iconic looks. This video went viral and inspired many other users to create their own versions set to the soaring vocals of the song’s chorus.
As the trend caught on in the first few months of 2022, the hashtag #GraceKellyChallenge gained popularity with over 500 million views. TikTokers from all over the world started participating by channeling Grace Kelly’s classic elegance through fashion and beauty for their own take on the viral challenge.
What does the challenge involve?
The Grace Kelly challenge involves users dressed up to emulate the iconic fashion and style of Grace Kelly, the elegant actress who later became Princess of Monaco. Participants recreate some of Kelly’s most famous looks from her classic films of the 1950s. The trend focuses on glamorous hairstyles, makeup, and outfits that channel Grace Kelly’s timeless beauty and poise.
A big part of the challenge is the transformation video, showing users transitioning from casual modern clothing into a graceful and glamorous Grace Kelly-inspired ensemble. They style their hair, apply makeup, and finish with a reveal showcasing their version of Grace Kelly’s iconic fashion sense.[1]
Popular looks include Kelly’s sweeping up-do hairstyle from Rear Window, cat-eye makeup and pearls from To Catch a Thief, and the floral embroidered gown she wore when she won the Best Actress Oscar for The Country Girl in 1955. Participants aim to emulate her elegance and beauty in their own take on Grace Kelly’s most memorable fashions.[2]
Popular elements of the challenge
The Grace Kelly challenge involves recreating Grace Kelly’s iconic 1950s glamour style. Some of the popular elements of the challenge include:
Signature updos like the Grace Kelly bun – Many attempt to recreate Kelly’s perfect twisted bun hairstyle. The bun sits at the nape of the neck, with strands of hair softly falling to frame the face.
Bold red lipstick – A classic red lip mimics Grace Kelly’s signature bold lip. Red lipstick flatters the complexion and evokes 1950s Hollywood glamour.
Pearls, gloves, cat-eye sunglasses – Pearls evoke the elegance of Grace Kelly and were one of her go-to accessories. Long gloves add a touch of ladylike polish. Cat-eye sunglasses further capture her retro yet timeless style.
Mid-century vintage fashion pieces. Grace Kelly was the picture of 1950’s fashion. Participants in the challenge wear vintage-inspired clothing like full skirts, tailored blazers, and elegant dresses.
Why did it catch on?
The Grace Kelly challenge gained popularity for several reasons. Many found the nostalgia for old Hollywood glamour and elegance to be appealing. Grace Kelly herself is seen as a timeless beauty and style icon, representing sophistication and class. Recreating her iconic fashion looks allowed TikTok users to tap into this romanticized notion of the past.
Additionally, the challenge provided an opportunity for creative self-expression through fashion on the platform. TikTok is the perfect place to showcase different stylings, outfits, and aesthetics. Doing so while paying homage to Grace Kelly added an artistic dimension to the trend.
As this article notes, the challenge allows participants to morph into their own version of the Hollywood starlet. Many found this chance for transformation exhilarating and fun.
Notable examples
Some of the most popular Grace Kelly challenge videos on TikTok include:
This video by @justmaiko has over 4.2 million likes and features a creative dance performance inspired by Grace Kelly’s sophistication and glamour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78SA6A4k3l4.
@alexisren garned over 2.7 million likes for her take combining Grace Kelly’s classic style with modern fashion.
@brookeab garnered over 2 million likes for her comedic video poking fun at the challenge while wearing a makeshift Grace Kelly dress.
Many creators added their own spin, such as @ohsnapitzari incorporating hip hop dance, @mosesstorm interjecting humor through scripted dialogue, and @hannahmelodyrose choreographing an original tap dance number.
Overall, these popular videos show how TikTokers made the trend their own by blending Grace Kelly’s iconic elegance with modern performance art and creative humor.
Criticisms and controversies
The Grace Kelly TikTok challenge has faced some criticism and controversy. Some have accused the trend of appropriating black hairstyles like updos that were historically discriminated against when worn by Black women. The elegant hairstyles worn by Grace Kelly in old Hollywood films were seen as glamorous on white actresses, but many of the same styles were banned in schools or deemed “unprofessional” when worn by Black women.
There have also been concerns raised over antisemitism related to Grace Kelly’s wedding venue. She was married in Monaco’s St. Nicholas Cathedral, which had a history dating back to the 13th century of being restricted for Jewish people. Some critics have argued that romanticizing her wedding overlooks this problematic history of discrimination.
Impact and legacy
The Grace Kelly challenge sparked renewed interest in Grace Kelly’s films and personal style among younger generations who may not have been familiar with the classic Hollywood icon [1]. Users started looking up her fashionable costumes and hairstyles in movies like Rear Window and To Catch a Thief, inspiring modern fashion trends and makeup looks that channeled Kelly’s glamorous old Hollywood elegance [2].
The viral challenge demonstrated the ongoing public fascination with Grace Kelly and classic Hollywood cinema decades after her heyday. By putting their own spin on one of Kelly’s most famous musical moments from High Society, TikTok users kept her legacy alive for new generations. The Grace Kelly challenge showed that the allure of old Hollywood glamour and talent remains as strong as ever in the age of social media.
Summary
The Grace Kelly challenge took the internet by storm in 2022, gaining huge popularity on TikTok as users attempted to recreate the classic style of the iconic actress and princess. Though it began humbly, the viral trend spread rapidly as more and more users shared their own takes on Grace Kelly’s effortlessly elegant look.
The challenge struck a chord with Gen Z users who were fascinated by old Hollywood glamor and Grace Kelly’s timeless fashion sense. Participants aimed to channel her classy vintage aesthetic by doing their hair and makeup in her signature blonde waves and cat-eye look. Recreating her poised mannerisms and transatlantic mid-Atlantic accent also became part of the trend.
While some criticized the challenge as frivolous, it ultimately helped introduce a new generation to Grace Kelly’s lasting cultural impact. The trend provided a creative outlet for self-expression and imagination, allowing TikTok users to embrace nostalgia and connect with the past. As vintage fashion and retro styles cycle in and out of popularity, the Grace Kelly challenge demonstrated the continued allure of her refined, sophisticated beauty.
