'Russian Women With Many Flowers' Instagram Trend Is Less Creepy Than You Think

This 'Russian Women With Many Flowers' Trend Is Surprisingly Not Creepy

On the face of it, Russian Women With Many Flowers may sound slightly off - like a retro car advert with a woman draped across the bonnet or some sinister J-Pop trend.

But with flowers.

However, because the pictures aren't creepily sexual and there are SO MANY FLOWERS, they are actually pretty beautiful to look at.

Hat tip to Jezebel who wrote: "As far as stupefying Instagram trends go, Russian Women With Many Flowers (read in my mother's accent please) is not particularly funny or offensive. It's just really fucking awesome. And also really entertaining. And, according to The Cut, it's been going on for over two years."

Molly Young, writing for The Cut asks the questions we want answers to. "Why do these women have so many flowers? Do they have a corresponding fleet of vases? And cabinet space for the vases?

"Do their partners purchase the flowers ad hoc, or is it a standing-order situation? When they are eating, does the floral aroma compete with the food smells in a discordant way? What are all these flowers communicating? Well, the last one is easy to answer. Receiving flowers means that you are loved."

However, you may not see many all-yellow bunches or red carnations. Your Russian Girl advises: "In Russia yellow flowers symbolise separation. Yellow bouquets are usually given to those who are leaving home. A man can give his girlfriend a yellow flower as a very strong suggestion that he wishes to break up with her.

"Also, for a very long time, red carnations used to be a symbol of war and army in Russia. In the Soviet Union they were given to soldiers who left to war and then were laid on the graves of soldiers who never returned alive."

There is no denying that the women fit a very specific demographic: slim, beautiful and in some instances quite passive. But we like to think the pictures are relaxing because it instantly plugs us into that feelgood moment when someone has given you flowers and for a moment, the world seems pretty perfect.

Sure we could get riled about about how this presents women, we're just too busy looking at all those gorgeous flowers to care.

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