Core Dictionary: Fashion Cores to Know About

A core is a niche fashion trend that people, especially the younger generation, follow and is heavily influenced by social media such as TikTok. It is based on a single aesthetic and focuses your entire wardrobe on it. However, it needs to be mentioned that following a single aesthetic can be detrimental to the creation of your personal style, so instead of blindly copying trends, it is better to let them be your inspiration. We’ve put together a list of some of the most well-known and trendy cores that you can get inspired by.

Gorpcore

If you’ve ever seen someone dressed as if they’ve just come from camping back to the city streets, then you’ve witnessed a follower of the gorpcore aesthetic. The name of this fashion core is an abbreviation of “Good ol’ Raisins and Peanuts”, the staple food for hikers. It became especially popular three years ago since because of the pandemic people started valuing the time that they spend in nature and doing physical activities. Gorpcore is focused on practical and utilitarian clothing like the one you’d wear when going camping or hiking, with things like fleece jackets, cargo pants, and boots being incorporated into modern outfits. Celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Billie Eilish, and Emily Ratajkowski have been seen rocking it, so you can do it as well!

Normcore

Normcore is exactly what it sounds like: a fashion aesthetic inspired by normal clothes for normal people, without all the extravagant garments that you usually see on the runways at fashion weeks. It is often called a sign of protest against all the other cores that impose wearing certain clothing and is focused on basic, but comfortable garments perfect for everyday activities. But normal doesn’t mean boring and if you wear it correctly even the most basic white t-shirt or wool sweater can become a part of an interesting outfit. A knit Irish sweater, for example, is a classic piece of clothing with a twist, as thanks to its intricate Aran patterns it looks way better than a simple pullover. Even if you wear it with a basic pair of denim jeans, a knit Irish sweater https://www.tarairishclothing.com/  is sure to make you look elegant and preppy.

Ballet core

Just as the name says, ballet core is a fashion aesthetic focused on ballerinas but not only their elegant performances on the stage but also their lifestyle. This hyper-feminine fashion trend is based on graceful and girly clothes, usually on a pink and white color palette. The indispensable elements of this core are wrap tops, mini skirts, chunky leg warmers, thick tights, tutus, and ballet flats (even if you’ve never worn or even seen a pointe shoe in your life). Ballet core is used as an inspiration not only by fashionistas but also designers, for example, last year Miu Miu presented the pink satin ballet flats that everyone went crazy about. Just like many other trends, it gained popularity thanks to TikTok where #balletcore now has almost 400 million views.

Dark Academia

A fashion core that anyone could pull off, the term Dark Academia refers to the aesthetic that is focused on the academic lifestyle and the black, brown, and beige color palette. It is perfect for gloomy, rainy fall days when you’re late to your classes but still wants to look effortlessly chic. Not only it makes you look like a straight-A student of an elitist boarding school but it also fits absolutely anyone regardless of your age and body shape. Turtleneck sweaters, vintage jeans, tweed trousers, wristwatches, leather belts, and bags –  all these are must-haves in your dark academia wardrobe. The beauty of these garments is that they always look chic and preppy but it is very difficult to understand how much your outfit costs. Whether you’re wearing a $5,000 suit jacket from a designer brand or you’re rocking the $10 secondhand blazer that you’ve found at your local thrift store, your outfits will always look good.