Should We All Take A Cue From Dylan O'Brien And Enter Our Slut Era?

“Slut Era,” Dylan O’Brien tweeted on April 27. No context, no follow-ups, and no clarifications. So, um, what does slut era mean? Much like the eras that came before it (ahem, hot girl summer), the definition of slut era is somewhat ambiguous. It’s not exactly a hoe phase, but it’s also not not a hoe phase. It’s less about hooking up and more about attitude. Going all out with silver winged eyeliner? Slut era. Slipping your number to the bartender? Slut era. Going on a sea of dates just for fun? Also slut era. Even O’Brien, who coined the phrase, played coy about the tweet. He told Not Okay costar Zoey Deutch that slut era was “open to interpretation” during a July 29 episode of Chicks In The Office. Fortunately, the actor is in the middle of a press tour at the moment, so he’s finally sharing some deets on slut era — even if he still won’t give everything away.

The term is not exactly easily defined. When I searched “slut era” on Urban Dictionary (where else?), they had zero entries. Though Urban Dictionary turning up empty might be a historical feat in itself, it definitely doesn’t help clarify things. O’Brien himself has also been (a little annoyingly) vague about what slut era means. According to the actor, "It's just like a concept, it's like an energy.”

Speaking to E! on August 1, he explained that his portrayal of his Not Okay character, a thirsty-for-attention micro-influencer named Colin, was actually “inspired” by his own slut era. He explained, “It clearly has always been inside me somewhere.” I guess there’s never been a better time to let out your inner slut? The actor added, "It's also like somewhere sort of like a prediction of where the world was heading.”

With no slut era definition readily available and O’Brien’s prediction that we’re all headed due “slut era,” the real question, then, becomes: How can we join in on O’Brien’s slut era when we don’t even know what it is?

Slut Era, Defined

TBH, it sounds like slut era is more of a vibe than anything else, so it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with your current level of sexual activity. As one tweet joked, “in my slut era (i can't remember the last time i was touched by another human being).”

The true mark of a slut era, then, is to sluttify everything you do. (Urban Dictionary does have a definition for “sluttify,” BTW: the act of making something slutty.) Whether that means posting the thirst trap on IG, making eyes at someone across the bar, or simply licking your margarita glass’ tajín rim is totally up to you.

Of course, if you want to embody O’Brien’s slut era, you could always try twerking at work. Another tenet of his slut era philosophy? Keeping some things to yourself. When asked about his current slut status (slatus?), O’Brien told E!, “Oh, that stays with me."

Is It Time To Embrace Our Own Slut Era?

If you’re wondering about embarking on your very own slut era, I just have one question: Why not? Since this era is so personal (there are no minimum hookup requirements involved), embracing this “concept” or “energy” can be as simple as sliding into your favorite Bachelor Nation alum’s DMs or ordering oysters on a date. It can also involve having a lot of sex — to each their own!

Slut era is less about your actions and more about the attitude behind them. As long as you’re doing it for you, congrats, it’s slut era-worthy.

Whether you label it as a “slut era,” “hot girl summer,” or any other variation, the idea is the same. ‘Tis the season of doing what you want and giving it whatever label feels right.