Zendaya’s aura knows no bounds. It is not only her presence or blockbusters such as Dune, Euphoria, or Spider-Man that draw attention, but also each one of her fashion choices turns heads wherever she goes. Even her low-key trends go viral, but her recent, most-talked-about moment was not something out of a film; it magically emerged out of a hat. At the Met Gala 2025, clad in white Louis Vuitton, she returned to the fashion mainstream with a white floppy hat, reviving a ten-year-old meme fixated on what is underneath her headgear. 

Not much in the world can live on forever, but memes do not fall under the mortal category, as they can erupt on social media at any given point in time. And one such meme occupying everyone’s brains is the theories behind Zendaya’s hats.

What is the Zendaya Hat Theory and why are people obsessed?

TikTok has revived the Zendaya Hat Theory, taking a serious yet sarcastic deep dive into the mysterious meanings behind the actress’s hats. During this year’s Met Gala weekend, social media lit up with videos and poorly edited images declaring Zendaya’s legendary hat is filled with cryptic meaning, such as what or who might be underneath her brim. 

Rather than fashion commentary, the theory now exists as meme-fueled cultural playfulness, tracing back to 2014 during the Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party. Thus, the Hat Theory took off into parody mode quickly.

Whether the hat is too large or too absurd to take seriously, the theory lives on over the head, literally and metaphorically.

How a Met Gala Hat sparked TikTok’s wildest fashion conspiracy

What began as a fashion morsel became one of TikTok’s greatest and most absurd conspiracies. The Zendaya Hat Theory is a reminder that satire requires no substance. The actress walked 2025’s Met Gala steps in a white Louis Vuitton tailored suit and the iconic floppy hat, which sparked the wild theories. Many hoped for her to bring back the 2014 hat in keeping with this year’s theme: Black dandyism. However, when the actress chose all white instead of an all black look, the series of sartorial memes took off.

The Internet’s deep dive: Hidden meaning or just a hat?

With people mocking hidden messages, such as old Zendaya gone missing to her fiancé, Tom Holland, being hidden under the 2014 giant black hat, this conspiracy-culture satire took the form of ridiculous hat theory memes. Several people believed the actress was channeling a yin-yang energy by wearing opposite colors, and that the origin of her Met Gala blue carpet look was tied back to her giant black hat from a decade ago. 

Several creators took her legendary 2014 black hat from the party, clipped it up with glitchy red-carpet interviews, and added spooky soundtracks. The result was a tongue-in-cheek conspiracy theory. One Reddit user even conspired, “You never see the hat and Tom Holland in the same room,” suggesting that whenever Zendaya wears the hat, Tom Holland is hidden inside it. With no specific meaning behind it, the Hat theory memes began parodying conspiracy videos, full-fledged. 

Is Zendaya’s Hat Just a Meme or a Masterpiece of Symbolism?

Zendaya, who is set to star in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey with Tom Holland, once confessed that she still reads memes about her 2014 hat and would re-wear it even today. Ultimately, the Zendaya Hat Theory” thrives because it insists upon not being taken seriously. Social media claims to uncover an old mystery through it, but it is more about popular imagination and playfulness. When she wore another iconic hat again this year, it was permission to revive the joke online, which netizens quickly did.

What is your favorite Zendaya Hat Theory meme? Tell us in the comments below.