Last month, NY mag published an article proclaiming a new term to describe a prominent style: normcore. DON'T USE IT.
The problem with normcore is it means different things to different people; it's nonsensical. And the only commonality are the eventual/negative connotations around it. Like hipster, normcore will be an ignorant mocking and dismissive term of one's style. I also find the word 'normal' problematic because it suggest conforming to an imagined standard but most definitely so in the sphere of personal style and social behaviour. Normal can mean so many things, it means nothing. But when it does, it means mediocre, not special. And the play on words of normcore to hardcore as in an intensely committed attitude towards something - for this matter, normality - doesn't make fuck sense. Like, the context of mom jeans on a twenty-something versus a mom are different and the point being that, individuality is part of the perception of style; exactly the opposite of the sameness of normcore. Or when it does, it's presumptuous. That's because one wears simple clothes it is in consideration of others before oneself. Personal style is best when it is selfish and I'm inclined to believe minimalists are characteristically aware of this. You can call me blackcore, functioncore or comfortcore because those are my intentions not normal. I also fear introducing normcore to the zeitgeist puts it in the same box as minimalism and utilitarian and subsequently tainting those terms. I'm just not fucking about all of these.
I believe in death by anonymous but fashionistas are inherently trend inclined normcore feels inevitable. But my hope is it dies a quick death by making every person who use it feel more gross than the person they just said it to.
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