The Watermelon Dress meme emerged as a viral social media challenge in mid-2017, where participants use forced perspective to 'dress' friends, pets, or babies in a slice of watermelon carved into the shape of a garment. It quickly took over Instagram and Twitter as users competed to create the most stylish or ridiculous fruity outfits. Unlike many cynical memes, the Watermelon Dress trend is rooted in lighthearted summer fun and creative photography, often used to showcase family vacations or pet humor. Its enduring popularity stems from its simplicity and the visually satisfying way the vibrant pink and green of the fruit contrasts with the background.