Anti Normcore

Have you heard about Normcore? No?

Apparently it is a new fashion trend that is against trends. It is a movement (movement, lol) that glorifies blandness or never standing out in the crowd. People who are considered Normcore followers dress in bland outfits favoring jeans, tees,  beanies and backpacks.

I am not sure I fully grasp the concept but I am anti - Normcore. There is nothing bland about my wardrobe for I favor color and prints. Jeans used to be my uniform but I sometimes replaced them with printed or colored pants. I wear beanies during Winter and only inside my home  ( and since we moved in Pune, there is no need for Winter wear!). The way I understand it, Normocore is about going back to simplicity and ditching labels. Fashion has become so complicated ( and expensive) with mixture of textures, prints, quirky things that it can be confusing and daunting. It becomes harder and harder to follow trends for they can be crazy, to tell you the truth. Therefore, with Normcore, we go back to a certain simplicity, easiness about dressing up ( or down). I find it appealing. I love the idea of a white tee and pair of jeans. But for some reasons, I can never look chic in them. I do not even own a simple white tee that has not been embellished. These days, I see a white tee as a canvas that I can turn into a work of art ( with sequins or embroidery).

Yet, I also think Normcore is just another excuse to dress down. And I am all for it. You do not know how many times, I just wish I went to pick up my kids in sweats. But I see some Mothers doing it and I do not find their look very proper- they just look like they rolled out of bed. After all I am a Senegalese and ever since I was born, the concept of dressing up even to go to the corner store was branded in my brain. I am sure I am less excessive ( way less, believe me!) that my people, but I still like to be put together ( whether I am or not depends on the days).

That is why Normcore is a fashion trend I will not try any time soon. I am still at the point where I am figuring out my style. But I do know what is not me. And Normcore isn't!

Now let us talk about this outfit. I got inspired by a Girl with curves. This dress is lovely and it was lovelier on me two years ago when I was lighter. I could button it all the way down and move without having the seams bursting. But now it is a different story. I am not going to cry over spilled beans ( or body issues, enough tears and sighs have been sacrificed on that topic), so I found a new way to wear the dress. It is a lovely cover up for my tee and jeans kind of days. Add a colorful belt and scarf and shoes I decided to get rid off two years ago for some reason ( I dug them out of the throw away pile and they were in mint condition, how cray cray am I?), and I am good anti-normcore for the day.

Scarf - Dmart

Dress - G.U.

Jeans - thrifted

Shoes - Ross

What is your style? What trends are you willing to try? What trends do you think are just cray cray? Let me know.