‘Sardine girl summer’ trend has taken off — here’s the unexpected way Gen Z has embraced the fisherman aesthetic

This vibrant, quirky nail inclination has reeled successful Zoomers — hook, statement and sinker.

Fishy fads person driven a shocking magnitude of conversations astir style and wellness this twelvemonth — and it’s not conscionable Gen-Z buying into them.

In an yearly study released earlier successful 2025, Pinterest speculated that nan fisherman artistic would return disconnected among Gen X arsenic well, pinch some property groups reportedly showing accrued liking successful hunt position for illustration “fish bag,” “sardine tattoo” and “fisherman sandals.”

Sardines, specifically, person taken disconnected successful fame arsenic a awesome wellness movement, pinch proponents of nan craze touting it arsenic a measurement to amended bosom health, boost hairsbreadth radiance and forestall neurological disorders for illustration Alzheimer’s — among galore different wellness benefits.

Fisherman halfway dominated runways and NYC streets alike, pinch fashionable pieces ranging from nautical stripes to cable-knit sweaters to angling-themed accessories.

Despite nan wide liking successful maritime motifs, nan fishy nail craze is each Gen-Z.

The look is straight inspired by multi-colored, glittery, eye-catching lures that anglers connect to nan extremity of sportfishing lines.

A-fish-ionados of nan eccentric manicure person taken to societal media to show disconnected their handiwork, and reactions from commenters person been overwhelmingly positive, peculiarly because of nan magnitude and colour customization possibilities.

Some designs person moreover boasted intricate specifications for illustration miniature feathers, chrome-polished standard patterns and bubbles, though possibly nan astir over-the-top look is manicures that characteristic hooks really pierced done nan acrylic tips.

Cameron Short, a Dallas-based nail creator who hopped connected nan inclination backmost successful February earlier it really exploded successful popularity, told Vogue: “I didn’t really person a method to my madness, I conscionable knew that I had to seizure nan nostalgia of sportfishing arsenic a child.” 

When moving connected her first group of sportfishing lure nails, Short, who posts her activity connected her Instagram @reallynichenails, gathered complete a 100 reference photos of nan brightly-hued bait, and has sold dozens of civilization press-on nail sets featuring nan style.

Per remark sections connected sportfishing lure nail photos crossed nan Internet, Gen-Z loves nan inclination for nan productivity and quirkiness — and galore Zoomer girls person shared that their fishing-obsessed partners are arsenic as pumped astir its burgeoning popularity.

“Those are adorable! My man who loves sportfishing really liked them too,” gushed 1 personification successful nan comments nether a Reddit post.

Meanwhile, a chorus of comments to nan effect of “Wait, I’m obsessed” flooded into 1 of Short’s sportfishing lure-forward posts.

Unexpected arsenic this offbeat beauty inclination whitethorn be, galore manicurists are simply happy to drawback a break from nan food-related fingernail fads — remainder successful peace, glazed donut nails.