Gen Z are ditching dating apps and looking for love on TikTok by making ‘application videos’ for potential suitors.
Sick of swiping and casual hook-ups, Gen Z has become increasingly sceptical about the modern state of dating – with many desperately seeking out new methods for finding partners and others even renouncing the search for love all together.
Now, a new dating trend circling on social media has young people posting boyfriend or girlfriend ‘applications’, offering themselves or their loved ones out to the wider world.
Several have taken to TikTok to offer themselves up as open for a relationship, with some even penning their ‘pros and cons’ to potential suitors, alongside pictures and videos of them looking their best.
Creators then list what they are looking for in a romantic partner, and wait for the love applicants to roll in.
And it seems to be working – dozens of particularly admirable creators have received thousands of comments from hopeful love interests.
One British creator, mollymaybrissettx, posted a clip just before Christmas writing: ‘Is it too early to ask for applications for a winter boyfriend? Winter Wonderland? Matching pjs? Baking together?’
Another, Amber Charlotte, posted a video of herself sat in a bar attached to the caption: ‘POV: looking for a gf to spend these ice cold cosy winter days with and cuddle the hell out of her.’
While another, posted a video to let TikTokers know she ‘will be accepting boyfriend applications are open in 2025’.
Now, a new dating trend circling on social media has young people posting boyfriend or girlfriend ‘applications’, offering themselves or their loved ones out to the wider world. One British creator, mollymaybrissettx, (pictured) posted a clip looking for winter romance
Another, Amber Charlotte, posted a video of herself sat in a bar attached to the caption: ‘POV: looking for a gf to spend these ice cold cosy winter days with and cuddle the hell out of her’
‘Very exciting, no uglies and no uneducated and I’m not playing,’ she added, saying she ‘can’t wait to be in love next year’.
In a clip posted days later, the creator, anisethemuse, added a second video clarifying who would be considered as an applicant.
In the video she said she was looking for ‘no nonchalant men and no emotionally unavailable men – lover boys only’ and ‘interesting men only’. Meanwhile, she also insisted that she wasn’t interested in ‘broke or ugly’ men.
Others have even used to app to set up their friends or family members, hoping to secure them a partner.
One TikTok creator, Kell Mell, racked up 7.6 million views on a video where she advertised for a new girlfriend for her YouTuber brother, Christopher Michael Dixon, commonly known as ChrisMD.
The clip, which also has 679,000 likes, includes several shots of her brother attached to a list of ‘pro’ reasons for matching with him.
‘Taking girlfriend applications for my brother (I’m bored of being the only girl at Dixon Family Christmas)’ she penned next to a video of the YouTuber, who boasts 6 million followers on the app.
‘To apply please comment which Taylor Swift song you think best fits each member of the fellowship,’ she captioned the video.
Others have even used to app to set up their friends or family members, hoping to secure them a partner. One TikTok creator, Kell Mell, racked up 7.6 million views on a video where she advertised for a new girlfriend for her YouTuber brother, Christopher Michael Dixon, commonly known as ChrisMD (pictured)
The clip, which also has 679,000 likes, includes several shots of her brother attached to a list of ‘pro’ reasons for matching with him
An American creator, with the username myracle.worker, also took to the app to plug her brother in a video which has been viewed 1.5 million times
Listed among his pros of dating him was ‘Can cook and clean; sometimes scores penalties; will play video games with you; if you’re at least as strong as me you can probably carry him around; knows the words to All Too Well (10 min version)’
Others have also taken to TikTok to advertise their family for romance.
An American creator, with the username myracle.worker, also took to the app to plug her brother in a video which has been viewed 1.5 million times.
Attached to a video of him, she wrote: ‘Someone wife up my twin brother. He’s bought CDs for all his long distance best friends, choosing ones he thinks best represent them or are tied to share memories and is attaching hand written letter in the liner notes.’
The video proved hugely successful with 2225 comments of suitors begging for more information on the creator’s brother.
One wrote ‘Where do I apply ?!’ with others said ‘give him to me pls’ and ‘AND HE WEARS GLASSES!? WHERE DO I SIGN UP.’
The video was even so successful that the creator started a Google form so hopeful romantics could apply to go on a date with her brother.
Attaching a link to the form on her video, the creator encouraged those interested to apply, asking admirers to declare their names, ages, where they are from and a selection of pictures, to be in with a chance of a date.
Sick of swiping and casual hook-ups, Gen Z has become increasingly skeptical about the modern state of dating – with many desperately seeking out new methods for finding partners and others even renouncing the search for love all together
She wrote on the Google form: ‘hello! serious inquiries only and please be kind! Brian (my brother) means a lot to me, so if you hurt him, I will hurt you if you also want to apply for me, that’s fine too.’
One Gen Z TikToker even used the app to try and find a date for her mother. Posting a sweet video of her mother ice skating she penned her caption: ‘My mom has given on dating apps so I’m taking it to TikTok.’
She then added facts about her mother for potential mates, disclosing her age, height, home town and occupation.
Though she added a caveat that those applying would ‘be screened by me to get a date’.
The video has been viewed 19.3 million times and has amassed 2.1 million likes, with streams of comments suggesting potential matches.
One suggested their father as a suitor writing: ‘My dad!! 64 but looks much younger & has a full head of hair. Recently semi-retired doctor, very active, and a great chef! He lives in NM but his kids all now live in Texas and is always traveling!’
Another offering their father said: ‘My dad!! 64 but looks much younger & has a full head of hair. Recently semi-retired doctor, very active, and a great chef! He lives in NM but his kids all now live in Texas and is always traveling!’