Men in gilets do we have good news for you: according to Gen Z you are now certified hot stuff – all thanks, of course, to a viral Tiktok.
The message is simple: “I’m looking for a man in finance, with a trust fund, 6’5”, blue eyes,” sings Megan Boni (@girl_on_couch) layered over noughties classic Like A G6 in the viral song, which along with thousands of Tiktok remixes now has over 2m streams on Spotify. The trend also spurred a gilet-frenzy flashmob at Liverpool Street station last week and has even been capitalised on by Keir Starmer’s social media team who remixed the song to “I’m looking for a Prime Minister” in predictably cringe-worthy fashion.
But despite being a parody, it seems to have captured the zeitgeist, with the Gen Z yearning for a rich husband only part ironic.
“Finance bros are having a renaissance,” ruled Vogue last week, citing that finance is now the most sought-after sector to work in for US college graduates. Meanwhile, The New York Times has reported that “selling out” is now seen as a good thing among Ivy League students, who market their complicity in capitalism as ‘ironic’ – tres chic.
For the truly detached, however, what is even better than being a corporate sellout is marrying one to fund your more fulfilling lifestyle. Notable are recent trends for ‘stay at home girlfriends’ and ‘trad wives’ (women who proudly prescribe to traditional sex roles within marriage), as made particularly viral by Tiktokker Nora Smith, who documents her daily homemaking lifestyle, from making chewing gum from scratch to whipping up elaborate bakes ready for her husband when he comes home from work.
While these trends certainly appear a worrying step back for feminism, captured at their core is a generation that longs to live not work, having seen that work doesn’t always pay. And indeed, @girl_on_couch, who, having now found Tiktok success has been able to quit her sales job to pursue music, may prove the ultimate symbol.