#trending: ‘Wear your clothes properly, I'm warning you’ sound clip of angry ‘auntie’ resurfaces on TikTok

SINGAPORE — If you have been on TikTok recently, you might have noticed an old audio clip making its rounds again among users here, in which an older woman berates a young woman, telling her to "wear (her) clothes properly”.

Some might even recognise the harsh and hysterical voice of the “auntie” or older woman bellowing "I'm warning you" — first heard in a YouTube video titled "crazy aunt in Takashimaya" in January 2014.

In the video caption, the YouTube creator wrote: "This is what happens when you wear Zara T-shirts in Singapore. Random crazy aunty gonna scold you. Wear carefully!"

She also included a photo of a young woman wearing shorts paired with an open-back T-shirt that showed off the back straps of a bra. It was apparently what she was wearing when confronted by an older woman in Ngee Ann City mall on Orchard Road.

In the video, an older woman is yelling as she points an accusing finger at someone: "Next time you better wear your clothes properly, I'm warning you! Okay? This is not… this is not proper dressing. Is that clear? You ****!"

The original video has since been removed, but it lives on through reposts on social media — and now, as a TikTok Sound clip.

In April last year, TikTok user “krazy.mhm” reposted the video on the video-sharing platform, combining it with her own re-enactment of the incident and accumulating more than 533,500 views. Since then, the audio clip has been used more than 1,000 times.

Throughout the later half of last year, TikTok users primarily used it to poke fun at their friends wearing similar "improper" outfits. One popular format, for instance, would have a person off-camera imitating the auntie's finger-pointing at a person dressed inappropriately.

This format even made it to Malaysian TikTok, with one video posted in October receiving more than 883,300 views.

Earlier this year, TikTok user “annalimsm”, who is well-known on the platform for her pranks on her father Vincent, posted a video of him with his shirt rolled up to expose his back and abdomen.

The video captures the man's visible irritation when he finds his daughter filming him, with the "I'm warning you" audio clip lecturing him for his show of skin.

One user commented: "This audio still gets me every single time."

Now, the audio clip seems to be going round on TikTok once more. On June 19, TikTok user “kristianlenardt” uploaded a video using a remixed version of the sound file, allowing him to seamlessly transit from the original video to a fashion showcase.

The top comment on his video, which has gathered more than 232,100 views, said simply: "Thank you for the new sound."

Sure enough, others have begun to use the remixed audio for their own fashion and dance showcases.

Even the "finger-pointing" videos are back, with one posted on the same day getting more than 247,300 views. The comments of the video were flooded with praise for a figure-hugging, midriff-baring outfit on show, and with amusement at the old audio clip.

Last Monday, TikTok dancer “agirlwithtatts” jumped on the trend with a comedic video of herself and user “aaronowh” re-enacting the incident. Instead of simply lip-syncing to the original audio, he took it a step further and lent his own voice to the role of the auntie.

Their video has been viewed more than 266,700 times, to the hilarity of viewers and "10/10 acting" reviews.

A top comment cried: "He sounds exactly like her."

Another agreed: "The energy is on point."

Over the past week, the number of videos using the auntie's voice has only grown.

Another TikTok video, posted on Sunday by fitness influencer Sunny Lim, uses the sound in response to a comment criticising girls who like to wear very tight pants.

Previously, it was used by TikTok dancer Kevin Tristan to criticise people who think that "boys can't wear crop tops".

The most popular by far is still the take on the meme by Singaporean actor and comedian Henry Thia.

In his TikTok video posted last September that earned 1.6 million views, the comedian has his shorts pulled up to his chest and works through his signature funny facial expressions as he acts out being scolded by the auntie.

With the resurgence of that unmistakable high-strung voice shouting "I'm warning you", there has also been an increase in searches for similar videos on TikTok. Turn down the volume when watching at work. You have been warned.