If you’ve been scrolling the internet and revelling in the latest memes for the past few years, you’ll know about the Four Lads In Jeans clan.
If not, where have you been, loca?
The meme began trending four years ago and is a simple, yet delicious meme indeed.
Four men in skinny jeans and tight tops caused a riot on the internet after posting a photo of themselves on a 'boozy brunch with the lads' in Birmingham.
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Jamie Philips, Connor Humpage, Kevin Rooney and Alex Lacey were having a chilled brunch when they asked a stranger to take a photo of the group, and were immediately met with fame online, and not in a good way.
Many people on the internet mocked the group for their attire.
However, they decided to recreate the meme wearing an updated look of baggy cargo pants and shirts.
The group told the Daily Mail that after the flack they received, they’re sure that their fashion prediction will come true.
Rooney said: “The thing is that those skinny jeans will come back around, they'll be back in fashion.
“We had people asking why we were in skinny jeans in the first place but it's fashion at the end of the day.
“We've even had some people recently tell us they preferred us in skinny jeans.”
Philips chimed in: “Oh yeah we'll be coming out in shorts soon for summer don't worry and then something again - you never know.”
In August 2022, the lads even had a statue erected in the spot where the famous photo was taken to mark the magic moment.
Created by artist William Douglas made it from women mannequins with papier-mâché and PVA glue, covered in bronze paint.
Before releasing it to the public, the artist said: “Come down and see my four lads in jeans bronze statue [on] Saturday outside All Bar One Grand Central.
“A tribute to these lads inspired by them old Greek statues.
“These four men ready for an adventure like the first bit in Homer's Odyssey, before the adventure.”
Funnily enough, the four men came down and took a photo in front of it for a laugh.
However, the fame wasn’t all good.
Lacey admitted that his work number was released and he was hounded by prank calls.
He said: “They trolled my mum, they got her Instagram and would comment and troll her and make up stuff about me.
“I'm getting married in a couple of weeks and my partner, it was difficult for her and it's not been great.
“At the end of the day we still all have our day jobs you know, I'm a plumber.”
Humpage echoed his mate’s words and said that it was difficult as a tattoo artist to separate work and the meme.
He said: “I had people coming up to me and saying 'I didn't know you did tattoos.’
“They'd come to my social media pages and comment 'came for the meme stayed for the tattoos'' and it was nice but also felt like I was still being linked to that one photo.”
Topics: Social Media, UK News, Fashion, Instagram, Viral
Britt Jones