Decoding Fashion Trends, Normcore

FROM 'SEINFELD' TO STEVE JOBS: WHAT WAS NORMCORE & WHAT IS IT NOW?

Normcore is one of those ambiguous 21st-century terms that has been bandied about for several years without being fully defined. So, what exactly does "normcore" mean? How can you tell if something is normal or not? Is it still around, and do we want it to be?

Normcore is all about being truthful. It's a rejection of excess. It's all about defying any notion of edginess. It's all about looking like Jerry Seinfeld. It was a fashion trend, but it was also mocked to the point of becoming a meme. The rise and fall of normcore, as well as its lingering influence on current trends, are linked to the year it was born, around 2014.

Normcore shifts from a coolness based on difference to a post-authenticity coolness based on sameness. Instead of appropriating an aestheticized version of the mainstream, it simply accepts the situation. To be truly Normcore, you must recognize that there is no such thing as normal.

So normcore fashion — essentially an out-of-control joke — is about embracing the mundane and following the crowd, ignoring alternative subcultures and more challenging or daring approaches to fashion. According to Normcore, you don't have to feel or look special to be a part of a group.