Style Starters – Normcore

You’ve heard about it, you’ve made fun of it, you’ve unwittingly veered into it and you’ve been baffled by it. Reed attempts to dissect Normcore.

Reed Nelson  |  June 16

So, normcore. You’ve heard about it, you’ve made fun of it, you’ve unwittingly veered into it and you’ve been baffled by it. We’re here to help with that last one. Or try to.Let’s start here: the concept of “normcore” doesn’t exist without controversy, and whether it’s even a style subset at all has been open to debate since the term was coined in late 2013, making it something of a moving target (more on this in a moment). And to muddy things even further, “normcore” is, depending on who you ask, a dress code, an ideology, a philosophy, a meme, a media thirst trap, a lagging indicator of impending socio-economic conditions under late-stage capitalism and (potentially) 14 other things.That means that the term “normcore” is, by its very nature, a wide umbrella. It covers the Steve Jobs-in-turtlenecks-stonewash-New Balance trifecta; it helps to explain the NOS-fueled Snap T surge; it widened the Overton window on the Random Merch™ category, ostensibly clearing a lane for sold-out MoMA-branded Yankee hats; it was an homage to ‘90s mainstream, pulling style inspiration from a spectrum of monocultural hallmarks from the decade — sitcom characters, musicians, mall denizens, Time Square tourists, the Three Ninjas when they’re in civvies, etc. — and helped spark the Ali-like comeback of white athletic socks and other cool-in-the-right-context-but-dumb-easy-to-acquire pieces. Again, it’s shifty. 

Historical Context

Image via The Cut

How shifty? For instance, as the term “

normcore

” burst into the mainstream lexicon in early 2014 via 

The Cut, 

writer Fiona Duncan called it a 

“self-aware, stylized blandness

” that 

“isn’t about rebelling against or giving in to the status quo; it’s about letting go of the need to look distinctive, to make time for something new.”

Two months after that, The New York Times called it a “fashion movement… in which scruffy young urbanites swear off the tired street-style clichés of the last decade — skinny jeans, wallet chains, flannel shirts — in favor of a less-ironic (but still pretty ironic) embrace of bland, suburban anti-fashion attire. (See Jeans, mom. Sneakers, white.),” and also said it was “a sociocultural concept… having nothing to do with fashion, that concerns hipster types learning to get over themselves, sometimes even enough to enjoy mainstream pleasures like football along with the rest of the crowd,” and also also “an Internet meme that turned into a massive in-joke that the news media keeps falling for” — in the same lede of a single article. 

Image via The Cut

But to put a finer point on it, the term (and thus the look) emerged out of Brooklyn, with the primordial ooze stage occurring (roughly) between 2011 and 2013. It was coined by a trend-forecasting collective called K-Hole in an October 2013 report called “

YOUTH MODE: A REPORT ON FREEDOM

.” The report was a (still) fascinating meditation on youth, individuality, and normalcy, among other things. And “normcore”, they argued, was “about adaptability, not exclusivity.”

“Normcore doesn’t want the freedom to become someone. Normcore wants the freedom to be with anyone. You might not understand the rules of football, but you can still get a thrill from the roar of the crowd at the World Cup. In Normcore, one does not pretend to be above the indignity of belonging.” That meant that it was both earnest and tongue-in-cheek; a rebellion against the exhaustive trend cycles and oversaturated touchstones, using derided sneakers and gas station merch as tools of protest; a complex existential equation that yielded ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ as the solution.

Normcore lord Shia Labeouf via The Mavenist (left) and Vogue (right)

Therefore, it incorporated — and was characterized by — elements that, at the time, were considered anti-style, in some cases aggressively so. By 2014, the 

New York Times

 were clocking kids in Bushwick wearing “a pair of Gap cargo shorts, a Coors Light T-shirt and a Nike golf hat,” while 

The Cut

 were seeing big-name stylists 

“layering white athletic socks with strappy stilettos”

 and Uniqlo khakis being worn with 

“New Balance sneakers or Crocs and souvenir-stand baseball caps.”

 Around this time is when 

Quartz

 noticed that the term was taking off — like 0 to 55,000 news results in a month taking off — an actual, identifiable thing. But for such a well-searched concept, it still wasn’t *really* a thing. Or at least you couldn’t find a lot of assertive self-selecting around normcore the way there was around goth or punk or prep or urban lumberjacks or most other equally well-documented subsets.

The Seinfeld Cast via Confettismo

As 

The Guardian

 noted in late 2014, 

“no one, not even fashion journalists, ever seriously referred to themselves as ‘normcore’”

 declaring that,

 “at best, it was an ironic way of saying you weren’t getting dressed up”

. 

“It soon,”

 they argued, 

“became a term that could mean whatever you wanted it to, from ‘anti-fashion’ to ‘wilfully anonymous’

, but that didn’t stop journalists, academics, and businesses from picking it up: as interest peaked in May and June ’14, the beleaguered people at K-Hole were fielding up to 50 inquiries a week.

Borderline-goofy New Balance 530s being rocked via Fakerstorm (left) & Oscar Isaac rocking New Balance (right)

So if you’re asking yourself, “is normcore even a real thing,” you’re not alone. But the best answer seems to be “sort of.” And if you think the reliance on media definitions is a little heavy, you also have a point. But that’s because, unlike more directional trends, the media’s obsession with defining normcore led to a culturally-workshopped definition of normcore, the knock-on effect of a cool-kid inside joke breaching its fortified walls and blasting into the mainstream.

Dissecting the Basics

But let’s say it is an aesthetic… aside from a ‘90s Mall Stars word salad, what are the key components of normcore, as much as there are any? For starters, everything has to be accessible. Or reflect accessibility. Or at least not be exclusive. If your dad would wear it and your dad is a Normal Dad™, it probably qualifies. It also has to be relatable — no one has been labeled normcore in Homme Plisse. And it probably doesn’t fit great — but that doesn’t mean it fits poorly, if that makes sense. Anyways, there are institutions of the genre, so let’s get into them. 

Jeans

Levi’s Silver tabs via Asos (left) and a vintage pair via Brag Vintage

Jeans are a foundational element within the normcore universe, and not the ones traditionally heralded on these pages. We’re talking Levi’s Silver Tabs, 570s, some Brett Farve-ass Wranglers — and other expensive options like orSlow 105’s in the three-year wash, if you’re so inclined — with straight legs, no belt, stone-washed to a mid or light blue; more Seinfeld than Dean. 

Outstanding & Co. 90s Wide Selvedge Jeans, $100 from This Thing Of Ours

  Pants

Mathew Perry’s character, Chandler Bing, rocking perfect 90s slacks via Financial Times (left) and Pinterest (right)

Pants are important, but the right kinds of pants. Workwear stalwarts will pass, but better to go with some old Gap chinos, some vintage high-waisted wool joints that don’t understand the concept of “slim,” or the kind of straight-legged cords or moleskin jawns that are absolutely primed for the Tour of Italy at Olive Garden. 

Fujito Wide Slacks, $315 from Brooklyn Tailors

Simple is key here, but not minimal — regular-ass cargo shorts instead of Acronym ones. If you could do actual chores in them, you’re probably on the right track. If you don’t want to mow your lawn in them, the FujitoWide Slacks (above) mimics the vintage ones well, and so do the Nanamica Wide Chino Pants (below). 

Nanamica Wide Chinos, $335 via Wallace Mercantile & Shop

  Sneakers

Steve Jobs in his iconic New Balance 992 Sneakers via Complex

Footwear is arguably the most important element in the normcore phylum, and sneakers dominate the category: ugly, but not in a fashion way; comfortable, in a comfortable way; noticeable because of context, not content — in other words, microcosmic of the ethos at-large. Anything your dad (or uncle or neighbor or whoever) ever called “lawn mowing shoes,” “my going out pair,” “walking shoes,” “good for my back,” “my tennis shoes*” or something similar would qualify. Nike Monarch I-IV’s are the golden standard, but the grey New Balance 990s and 992 are canonical heavyweights, the Kirkland Signature Men’s Athletic Shoe will tell everyone you saw that one John Mayer post, and the Merrell Jungle Mocs are on their daywalker shit, existing both in the gorp and normcore realms.

New Balance 990v5 available for $198 from Lost & Found 

Shirts

1991 advert for the Ralph Lauren Big Oxford via Uomo Classico

When it comes to shirts, tees are the main character — cheap, old, or both — while sized-up oxfords (striped or solid), denim shirts, and flannels tend to play supporting roles. Again, thrifted is probably best, but if you’re looking to spend some money, J. Crew’s Classic-Fit Oxford (sized up) will play the role well, or the recently re-released Ralph LaurenBig Oxford, sleeves rolled up more often than not. For something within our niche that’s expertly crafted in small batches, a real winner is the Dr. collectors Picasso shirt, which has a roomy, lax fit. 

Dr. Collectors Picasso Shirt, $330 from Trading Post LA 

Knits

Robin Williams & Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting via The Independent

For knits, the thrifted kind are once again best, or at least ones that look thrifted. Coogi-adjacent pieces — busy jacquard patterns, loud colors, anti-fit (there’s a theme, here)— are the most on the nose, but anything worn-in and big works, as well as a cardigan that doesn’t take itself too seriously or veer too far into Mr. Rogers territory (toes in, not neck-deep).If you’re not trying to spend a rent check, though, size up your mall favorites or tap into your local vintage market — as long as you’ve got some room without entering grunge territory, you’re on the right track. 

Tees/Sweatshirts

More Shia Lebeouf action via Pop Sugar and Pinterest

The ones your deli sells. Or your local Walgreens. Hanes. Gildan. Something with a hyper-regional business blazed across the back. Don’t overthink the t-shirt, don’t overspend. If you do, make sure it’s a strong vintage tee. (And then very much do not cop to the actual price you paid for it, that’s your little secret. Say you’ve had it forever if you have to. Invent a storage unit, who cares. Just don’t say you paid $140 for it.) If you want a middle ground, check out our Teamster Unionmade Tees. Also sized up. 

Outerwear

Seinfeld’s George Costanza via Put This On

If sneakers are the glue and jeans are the rhythm guitar, outerwear is the frontman in the normcore ensemble. Often loud, always recognizable, and shedding more nostalgia than microplastic (and it sheds a lot of microplastic), the staples include Patagonia Snap T’s, vintage anoraks and windbreakers, and Columbia shells among other things. It’s certainly possible to put together an unimpeachable normcore outfit without outerwear, but an old piece of ACG, a ‘90s Synchilla or a weathered North Face Denali punches it up in all the right ways.

Battenwear Warm Up Fleece, $255 from Battenwear 

Accessories

Larry David via Vulture

Last, but certainly not least, are accessories. If the above is a guide, this is more of a rule, particularly when it comes to dad caps and socks. Dad caps are a core element, the more touristy the better — think souvenir caps, swag bag giveaways, strange corporate logos. Soft, shallow crown, brim with zero perspective, a suspect adjustable closure… the good stuff. And when it comes to the socks, white athletic (like Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, Nike DriFit, or Uniqlo ribbed if you don’t like the padding, whatevs) are it. With anything. Sloppy is fine… maybe even encouraged.

Heddels+ content is intended for a single recipient, but occasional forwarding is totally fine!If you know of anyone who would be interested in joining Heddels+, they can head straight to heddels.plus to sign up or contact us anytime at [email protected].

Thanks for being a supporter!