dating

What you might have noticed single women doing on your Instagram feed.

You know a Relaunch when you see one.

Bridget hasn’t posted on Instagram for a while. Last thing you heard she was living overseas with her boyfriend, Mike.

Oh.

But now Bridget’s back in your Instagram feed and, yes, she’s in a gold ball gown. You can’t quite make out the occasion. She’s twirling in a forest and has a spray tan and highlights. Fresh highlights.

The caption is about the year ahead. “2019 is my year…” Bridget says, before alluding to all the possibilities. 

The picture, in all its glory, begs one question – and it’s meant to.

Where the f*ck did Mike go?

We talked about The Relaunch on Mamamia Out Loud. Post continues…

Mike is gone now and, no, Bridget doesn’t want to talk about it. Hence The Relaunch.

The Relaunch can be defined as follows.

The launch of oneself following a break up, specifically on Instagram, involving a thirsty (but not desperate) image. Used to announce status as single to community but also world at large. It says ‘if you’ve ever had the slightest interest, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE.’

Here are some examples:

Jenna Dewan announcing herself post Channing Tatum split.

 

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#tbt flashdance @cosmopolitan cover with @ericraydavidson! Such a fun shoot????????

A post shared by Jenna Dewan (@jennadewan) on

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Amber Heard celebrating ‘Friday’ not long after break up with Elon Musk.

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FRInally!

A post shared by Amber Heard (@amberheard) on

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… And again on Valentine’s Day.

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What up #Feb14 !?

A post shared by Amber Heard (@amberheard) on

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CLASSIC relaunch by Jessica Origliasso in the month after her break up from Ruby Rose.

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48hours of catching rapids and my breath????????‍♂️ Sometimes we have to lose ourselves to find ourselves again ????????????????

A post shared by Jessica (@jessicaveronica) on

Ariana Grande being sexy in bed after Pete Davidson.

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????

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on

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I asked friends to send me their Relaunch photos… and they are everything. 

Renny is very pensive post break up

Renny doing a Relaunch.
Renny doing a Relaunch.
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Rach would like her ex boyfriend to know what he is missing out on, please, but also attract new interest. All with one simple photo!

Rach is single EVERYONE.
Rach is single EVERYONE.
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Oh. I've Relaunched like four times and they're all... a lot.

 

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Me being awks in #phuquoc

A post shared by Jessie Stephens (@jessiestephens90) on

Twenty years ago, The Relaunch consisted of a) new clothes, b) a brand new hair cut and c) possibly a fringe that one would immediately regret and d) desperately trying to get the word out there that you were on the market, perhaps through distributing... flyers.

Now, The Relaunch is supported by a number of comments, mostly from the sisterhood who are helping to improve reach. There are flame emojis, love heart eyes emojis, strong arm emojis and comments like, #goals and "Tell me everything about last night xxx" from Bridget's good mate, Jen.

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Jen, of course, knows that nothing happened last night. But it's a critical step in letting everyone know that Bridget is very busy but also sought after.

The direct messages are open. The comments are extremely welcome. The likes are appreciated.

The Relaunch is the modern day mating call - like when koalas let off that weird smell, or crickets vibrate their creepy wings.

When a woman Relaunches she is setting her light from red to a blinding green, the visual equivalent of yelling: "I'M HERE PLEASE SEE ME."

Chances are you've seen a lot of Relaunches lately - some were posted during an emergency girls trip to Thailand, and others lying in bed on a Sunday afternoon after at least 500 attempts to look a bit sexy.

But, in case there was some confusion, there is nothing at all 'sad' or 'desperate' about The Relaunch. Rather, it's an act of commendable efficiency.

You see, The Relaunch reminds us of the liberating freedom that comes with a break up; a chance to somewhat reinvent yourself.

It's an opportunity, and the girl in The Relaunch photo bloody knows it.