The summer concept in New York: Hot Girl Summer

The summer is almost over again, but I still need to talk about the concept that everyone in New York has been discussing for the past few months: hot girl summer. I know, this sounds like a bad Habbo Hotel username, but there is a more powerful meaning behind it than you think. And I'm sure you'll be grateful that you can now add this to your vocabulary.

I saw the term a few weeks ago in a meme and didn't understand it at all. Later, I came across it in another meme and on someone's Insta Stories. What is this hot girl summer anyway? Soon I couldn't ignore it anymore, because it's really everywhere. To make my point: I had two newsletters in my inbox this morning with a reference to ‘hot girl summer’ in the subject line.

The journalist in me had to know what this was about. So I asked the person who always has the answer to everything: my mother. Just kidding, I don't think she even knows what Instagram is. I mean, of course, Google. After a few clicks, I found out that the term comes from the female rapper Megan Thee Stallion. On the cover of her latest album, it said: ‘She’s Thee Hot Girl’ and her fans came up with the catchy phrase ‘hot girl summer’.

According to Megan, you are a hot girl or having a hot girl summer when you are completely yourself and having a ‘good-ass time’ with friends. You do you, so to speak. Put yourself at the center of every party, fully accept yourself, laugh a lot, and do what makes you feel good and happy.. Look, that's a lifestyle that makes us happy and it sounds a lot cooler than YOLO or Live, Laugh, Love.

Without realizing it, I participated in this whole summer trend.. After a pre-summer break-up, my best friend (who happened to be going through the same thing) and I made a pact that despite our broken hearts, we would have the best summer ever. So this summer, we say a resounding yes to everything we feel like doing. Do we want a beach vacation? Then we plan a weekend to Fire Island. Do we want to dance? Then we go to House of Yes for a 90s night. Are our stomachs rumbling? Then we try a new restaurant. It's all about having a positive attitude towards life.

New York is of course the perfect place to have a hot girl summer. So if you plan to come this way in the coming days, add the following things to your hot girl to-do list. And if you're here in the fall or winter, we'll just make it a hot girl fall/winter, no need to make it complicated.

• Buy a hot outfit at Reformation, a brand that has made eco-friendly clothing cool, or Beacon’s Closet, the best vintage shops where you can find beautiful brands for a steal (a Dior jacket for $40 or a Marc Jacobs skirt for $20, just to name a few).
• Self-care is self-love, so that's extremely important when you're hot girl summering. Go to Heyday for a facial and get your nails done at Chillhouse.
• Cocktails are the drink of choice for hot girls. Rooftop bar Broken Shaker is the ultimate summer spot with its Tiki vibes. If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground, or in this case under the ground, I recommend cocktail bar Lovers of Today. Or sip a cocktail on a waterbed in the trendy seventies-style bar Joyface.
• Of course, you have to go dancing. The aforementioned House of Yes is a must if you're in the mood to feast your eyes (because of the theatrical decor and an audience that loves to dress up). The Jane in Meatpacking District is in an old hotel and reminds you of The Great Gatsby.

Happy hot girl summer!

Written by Anna van der Heijden