Picture a Boston girl wearing thrift store acid-wash jeans, a T-shirt emblazoned with “Nike”, white Louboutin pumps, and a black Celtics hat. She is the embodiment of the fashion trend “normcore.”
Trend forecasting collective K-Hole defines this as “embracing sameness deliberately as a new way of being cool, rather than striving for ‘difference’ or ‘authenticity.’” This means a hodgepodge of brands and styles that defy traditional labels. Not grunge, not preppy, not goth—just normcore.
Millennials may be catching onto this trend in their 20s, but Gen Edgers (or those born after 1995) are adapting this trend in their formative years—the years that will define their generational personalities.
What does this mean?
Edgers are bringing authenticity to a whole new level. It’s not a statement, not a youth culture movement, or a rebellion. They know they’re different, they know you see it, and they feel there is nothing to prove (#nomakeupselfie). The bottom line: Should this trend see some longevity, marketers will need to make major strategy adjustments to appeal to this new normcore consumer.