“Text Me When You Get Home” has long been a popular expression among young women. Thanks to the Lonely Ghost, it’s becoming a staple in fashion.
Long nights with friends often come to a similar close, with one of the digital generation’s most common terms of endearment, “text me when you get home.” Although the term can be considered a simple formality, asking a woman to notify you when they are safe has a greater sentiment behind it. Author Kayleen Schaefer discusses this in her book, Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship, “women who say, ‘Text me when you get home,’ aren’t just asking for reassurance that you’ve made it to your bed unharmed. It’s not only about safety. It’s about solidarity. It’s about us knowing how unsettling it can feel when you’ve been surrounded by friends and then are suddenly by yourself again. It’s about us understanding that women who are alone get unwanted attention and scrutiny,” she writes.”
The phrase has now entered the fashion realm at the hands of streetwear brand Lonely Ghost, created by influencers Indy Blue Severe and Bronson Christensen. By encouraging their followers to have friendly conversations in the comments, their social media page has transformed into a community known as the “Ghost Gang.” This encouragement to foster personal connection has brought significant growth in numbers. After reading a suggestion from a follower, Lonely Ghost released a sweatshirt with the phrase Text Me When You Get Home printed on the back in spring of 2020; it sold out quickly and has since been restocked by the brand several times.
“We feel terminology has changed, but the feelings have always been the same… It’s something that we always say as a society but don’t realize the meaning behind it. It’s a way to say you care without even realizing it. It’s saying I love you without saying it…” Severe and Christensen state over email to Mission.
The fashion community fosters connection through self-expression, especially when it comes to clothes with a deeper message. “The words and the corresponding texts we send when we do get home are a web connecting us, winding through the many moments we spend together and apart, helping us understand that whenever we’re unmoored, or terrified, or irate, or heartbroken, or just bored, we’re not by ourselves.” states Schaefer. This modern mode of communication will most likely continue to grow, and digital terms of endearment will evolve. In the words of Kayleen Schaefer, “It’s a way for women to tell each other, I’m always with you. I won’t forget about you when you walk away. I am here when I’m standing in front of you or any other time you need me, no matter what.”
Image credit: Lonely Ghost
