TikTok autumn trends: From Sade aesthetic and Filipino food to new BookTok favourites and more

The TikTok forecast is looking cloudy with showers of #filipinofood and a chance of some #grumpysunshine. And get ready for #sadeaesthetic and #sadegirl fashion and beauty trends. Not sure what that means? Read on, and have your TikTok login at the ready.
After providing a trends forecast event for the first time in February, the social media giant on Wednesday offered round two in advance of the autumn/winter season, presenting data-driven forecasts about what will perform well on TikTok in the coming months.
Editorial manager Louisa McGillicuddy and content operations lead Rebecca O’Keefe pointed to the hashtags #sadeaesthetic and #sadegirl which are rapidly multiplying. The hashtag #sadegirl, inspired by the soulful singer of tracks such as Smooth Operator, has seen a 1,942 per cent increase on TikTok since February. Sade songs are now frequently used on the app, McGillicuddy and O’Keefe said. They highlighted a video where one TikTok creator breaks down what it really means to be a #sadegirl. Think slick-back hairstyles and elegant outfits with autumnal-inspired colour palettes featuring browns, black and burgundy, maybe even some leopard print. The make-up look is equally minimalistic; if you’re striving for #sadegirl brilliance you’ll want to exude a naturally bronzed radiance and pair this with a dark red lip. Simple really.
Staying with autumnal vibes, Twilight and Twin Peaks coded aesthetics such as Pacific Northwest – or #PNW – are quickly gaining traction, with individual accounts dedicated to highlighting the mountainous pine-tree engulfed beauty of US states such as Oregon and Idaho.
Gaming trends have also taken a warm and wholesome turn, with #cozygaming and #cozydesksetup predicted to be big this season. Cute family-friendly games such as Animal Crossing come to mind. Some other less mainstream examples given included Moonstone Island, Wylde Flowers, and Mineko’s Night Market.
For all the foodies out there, Filipino cuisine is one to note. Between February and July, #filipinofood TikTok posts increased by 75 per cent.
Another popular food trend, #boodlefight, which has more than 28,000 posts, features a communal way of eating in Filipino culture that involves dining from a long sharing table where the food is served on banana leaves. If you want to take part you’ll have to ditch the utensils, this banquet is strictly hands-only.
In music, electronic and dance are strong contenders. Faster tempos are in right now, with subgenres such #hardhouse and #hardcore getting millions of views. McGillicuddy highlighted some local talent in the genre from creators such as @camrinwatsin and @billygilliemusic, both of whom have seen huge success in the last year. Scottish dental nurse turned DJ, Hannah Laing, also got a mention.
In #BookTok, romance is the order of the day with tropes such as #billionaireromance, #grumpysunshine and #sportsromance rising in popularity on the platform.
The #grumpysunshine hashtag alludes to the age-old idea that opposites attract. Put one bubbly, exuberant, ray-of-sunshine character in a room with a brooding hero who embodies a rain cloud, and you might just get the perfect storm. The #sportsromance trend is meanwhile perhaps inspired by this year’s Olympics in the city of love, Paris.
Colleen Hoover continues to top the female-dominated charts when it comes to which authors are most mentioned globally, while Irish authors such as Sally Rooney, John Boyne and Colm Tóibín are also capturing TikTok users’ attention – no mean feat in a world of seconds-long videos.
On Irish-specific trends, O’Keefe predicted that travel, history and food content with Irish themes will woo TikTok users both at home and abroad. Posts tagged #irishfood have increased by 66 per cent between February and July, while views of #irishhistory posts have doubled. O’Keefe said a lot of the interest generated by Irish history is centred on the Celtic origins of Halloween, or Samhain, which is on track to continue growing as the spooky season approaches.
Irish TikTokers making waves include BookToker and author JF Murray (@j.f.murray), historian Anthony Delaney (@anthonydelaneyhistory), and comedian Rachel Galvo (@rachel_galvo), who recently performed her show The Shite Feminist at Edinburgh Fringe Festival.