How TikTok is reviving Jeff Hardy's aesthetic

A simple trend on TikTok has revived the aesthetic of the Hardy Boyz, one of the most famous teams in WWE history, with a particular focus on Jeff Hardy. Simply put, in the trend, a user frames a ladder and No More Words starts playing, which was Jeff Hardy’s theme song for years, referencing his fearless Swanton Bombs. Every wrestler that made history in professional wrestling has a gimmick, meaning a combination of behaviors and visual traits that make them unique, almost like characters from a cartoon or TV show. But, most importantly, behind every wrestler's costume there’s a story: an outfit often suggests whether a wrestler is a heel or simply evokes the atmosphere of their character.

The Undertaker was an emblematic example, but even the less flashy looks of John Cena were carefully designed to evoke a sense of Americanness, with a character almost from high school—chunky sneakers, snapbacks, and chains around his neck. Then there’s WWE’s approach of telling a wrestler’s story through multiple alter egos. This is the case of Mick Foley, known not only by his real name but also by the aliases Mankind, Dude Love, and Cactus Jack—yes, it’s from the latter that Travis Scott drew inspiration for his nickname, but that’s another story, and let’s get back to Jeff Hardy.

Jeff Hardy’s Aesthetic

Well, it’s fortunate that TikTok, starting from a simple trend, is allowing many people—even younger generations—to rediscover the aesthetic of one of the coolest wrestlers to ever step into the ring. The Hardy Boyz project was perfect from start to finish. If the original gimmick of both Hardy brothers was that of being Daredevils—daring and fearless people who weren’t afraid of anything, not even the craziest situations, and executing the most dangerous moves—the term Daredevils alone doesn’t say much in aesthetic terms. In fact, around this word, looks and a well-defined aesthetic were built, even though, especially Jeff Hardy, went through countless phases, and the only thing he probably never changed was the black pants he wore in countless matches. Goth, ravers, some even on Reddit refer to them more colloquially as weird kids, but more simply, Jeff Hardy is a summary of as many subcultures and aesthetics that emerged in the 2000s—his double tribal cuts are full Y2K style.

If anyone has tried to replicate the Enigmatic Charisma look, it’s mostly because of the ripped sleeves (there are even tutorials on TikTok to make them), which, along with painted nails, tight fluorescent long-sleeve shirts, hairstyles mentioned earlier, and face makeup, painted the image of Jeff Hardy. One can be attracted to a wrestler because they’re showmen, but also because they embody a mix of aesthetics and subcultures, just like Jeff Hardy. Well, no one has had such a defined personality in this regard as Jeff Hardy. Therefore, it’s much more likely to feel nostalgic for his character compared to less eccentric wrestlers—just to name one, Big Show. Rediscovering Jeff Hardy, perhaps after years of being away from WWE, means rediscovering meanings and asking questions, reflecting on the fact that each of his costumes was essentially a mirror of an era and an entire youth culture. It means understanding that there was a reason behind the fascination with those looks we couldn’t quite decipher as kids, while we focused on his entrances and moves, between the ropes and outside.