Pose 28: Roblox Meme, TikToks Explained

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Learn why people are striking the funny pose on TikTok

Co-authored by Bailey Bujnosek, BA

Last Updated: November 18, 2024 Fact Checked

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Pose 28 Meaning

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Pose 28 Memes

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Is Pose 28 banned?

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What is “Dress To Impress”?

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Related Memes

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If you’ve been on TikTok (or around teenagers) lately, you’ve probably heard of Pose 28. The stiff, awkward pose might look like the newest Fortnite dance, but it actually comes from a Roblox game called “Dress To Impress.” Wondering what Pose 28 means in memes and TikToks, or if it’s been banned? Read on for a complete guide to the viral pose.

What is Pose 28?

Pose 28 is a meme that references an awkward pose from the popular Roblox dress-up game “Dress To Impress.”
To do Pose 28, a “Dress To Impress” avatar stands with their legs open past shoulder-width, holds their hands behind their back with arms straight, and leans backward at the waist.
TikTok users make meme videos striking Pose 28 in real life. Fans of Sabrina Carpenter also ask the singer to do Pose 28 at her Short n' Sweet Tour when performing “Juno.”

Section 1 of 5:

Pose 28 Meaning

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In the game, you dress up a virtual avatar according to a theme and select poses for your avatar to hit on the runway. Pose 28 went viral in February 2024 when players began posting videos of the awkward pose on TikTok and doing the pose in real life, making it into a meme.^{[1]
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When K-pop band Zerobaseone released their song “Sweat,” one of the members did pose 28 in their music video, sparking fan attention.^{[2]
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Research source} Fans also ask Sabrina Carpenter to do pose 28 when performing her song “Juno” during Short n' Sweet Tour shows, as she does different positions on-stage each time she performs it.

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To strike the pose, stand with your legs shoulder-width apart or wider. Hold your arms behind your back so your shoulders are pulled back and your hands are close together (like you’re making the letter “V” behind your back). Finally, lean backward at an angle at the waist. The more you lean back, the more ridiculous (and funny) the pose.

Section 2 of 5:

Pose 28 Memes

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These videos are what originally spread the pose 28 meme on the TikTok app in early 2024. Users might cringe about accidentally selecting the pose, or make TikToks about how they purposely spam it to get other Roblox players to rate their avatar’s looks highly because it looks funny.
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Gen Zers make TikToks of themselves striking pose 28 in real life. This take on the pose 28 meme became a viral trend. For example, two users uploaded a video where they struck the pose outside their university’s graduation ceremony, receiving three million likes. Other TikTokers simply strike the pose in their living room or outside. The more out of place the pose feels, the funnier the resulting video.
- Some TikTokers add text to their video stating a theme that matches their outfit—for example, writing “Theme: Going Out” to show off a clubbing outfit.^{[3]
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Section 3 of 5:

Is Pose 28 banned?

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However, it has been split into two versions. Find and select the original Pose 28 by finding it in the game’s pose list. Or, purchase the “Troll Poses” pose pack in “Dress To Impress” to select “Pose Twenty Eight,” which is similar to the original pose but with a more dramatic lean backward.^{[4]
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Section 4 of 5:

What is “Dress To Impress”?

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“Dress To Impress” is a popular multiplayer dress-up game. It’s hosted on the online platform Roblox. The game launched in October 2023 and achieved viral popularity in early 2024.^{[5]
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Research source} “Dress To Impress” (or DTI) lets players participate in a virtual fashion show and compete with each other for the title of “Top Model.”
- While Roblox is a children’s gaming platform, DTI has found popularity among adult gamers and celebrities like Madison Beer and Charli xcx—the latter even did a collaboration with the game’s creators on virtual brat clothing inspired by the ‘Brat summer’ trend.^{[6]
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- At the start of each round in “Dress To Impress,” players are given a theme and have five minutes to customize their virtual avatar. Then, the avatars walk down a runway one by one and do pre-selected poses while other users rate them on a scale from one to five stars. The user with the highest overall star ratings wins.

Section 5 of 5:

Related Memes

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Lana. Lana is a character from “Dress To Impress” whom fans of the game create elaborate lore about. In the first versions of the game, Lana was “Nail Lady,” a nail artist who helped players put nails on their avatars before the runway. However, in-game clues added during the 2024 April Fool’s Day update hinted that she had a dark backstory.^{[7]
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- In Lana’s virtual diary from April to late August 2024, players could see her writing about seeking revenge on players for mistreating her and being unhappy with her role in the game.
- After a game update on August 30, 2024, Lana was removed from the nail salon and replaced by a similar-looking character named Lina. Players discovered a secret room where Lana is trapped in a cage.
Another common “Dress To Impress” meme on TikTok and among streamers on YouTube or Twitch is for players to vote other avatars with one star during the in-game fashion show. They do this to help themselves win by lowering the ratings of other players, instead of rating according to which outfits they like best. The unfair practice has become a relatable meme, especially as TikTokers poke fun at how seriously they take winning the game.