Have Bows Gone Too Far? (Yes, Bows Have Gone Too Far.)

Online videos featuring pink ribbons are becoming more absurd.

Want to go viral on TikTok right now? Grab some pink ribbon and a random object. A roll of toilet paper, a houseplant, or a kosher dill spear will do. Tie it up in a bow and film it. Post the video online, and voilà.

In recent weeks, bows in all the wrong places have become all the rage on the social media platform. Popular TikTok videos have featured ribbons wrapped around a bowl of macaroni and cheese, a knife and a Chick-fil-A order. Another one showed up on what appeared to be a bowl of cereal at first glance — but instead of cereal, it’s just a bowl of bows.

If you can name it, somebody has probably tied a bow on it.

The online trend comes in reaction to the recent popularity of bows in fashion and pop culture.

Sierra Palian, a 22-year-old nanny in Washington, D.C., recently posted an 8-second video that shows a glass of ice water on top of a table. It is shot from above, and the three floating ice cubes are tied in pink bows.

Like some other bow videos, Ms. Palian’s was set to “Let the Light In,” a dreamy love song by Lana Del Rey, whose personal style is known for being traditionally feminine and bow heavy.

The ice cube video has racked up more than 11 million views on TikTok. Ms. Palian said it was meant as a commentary on the coquette aesthetic, a style she described as girlie, soft, delicate and often marked by pastels.