Slouchy Yet Chic: How To Pull Off The Normcore Look

Looking slouchy yet chic and even sexy, being fashionably unfashionable – it is all about normcore fashion trend. Normcore is more than just a style aesthetic, it is a way of life that focuses on simplicity. People who choose normcore have the desire to look like everyone else and be average. At the same time they realize that it is impossible to be the same as someone because each person is an individual. It is a protest against people who try to keep up with the latest fashion trends. Trying to keep up with them, people lose their personality. It leads to the overconsumption of fashion. This applies to everything, be it clothes, accessories, shoes or handbags.

Such a consumerist lifestyle, which overshadows the simple joys of life led to the new public attitude towards fashion.  There are no notions of who “looks cooler”, or who has “the most trendy jacket” in the universum of normcore. People who support this style are sure that it is all unnecessary nonsense.  The world is so dynamic, and especially the world of fashion, that you once got tired of all these runway collections and celebrity trends. Normcore people leave designer dresses, jeans, and pantsuits in the closet. An alternative to  designer fashion is effortless anti-fashion. As New-York trend agendy K-HOLE, normcore “moves away from a coolness that relies on difference to a post-authenticity coolness that opts into sameness”. In 2014 a group of trend forecasters from K-HOLE first mentioned the term “normcore” in “Youth Mode: A Report on Freedom”. The term went viral. This is how normcore, the new unique timeless trend was born. 

How to create normcore outfits and be post-authentically cool? 

To understand the style better, let’s realize the idea behind this philosophy. As we have already mentioned, the term “normcore” comes from the merge of two words, “normal”, and “hardcore”. The new trend and the new zest are about the simplicity of clothes. The era of samples and glamor is long over, and it’s time to pay attention to something else. If you preach normcore, then you should not think about the process of creating outfits.  It’s better to get an extra two hours of sleep or gamble at a blackjack online game than to spin around in front of the mirror trying to impress other people! Normcore does not waste on this pointless venture neither time nor money. You can even have an illusion that this is a great style for the people who save money on clothes.

However, it is not true at all, to dress in the style of normcore, can fit ordinary T-shirts or T-shirts from the local bazaar, nameless and cheap. They can even be from renowned fashion brands, but look casual, simple and relaxed. There are many fashionistas and celebrities, who opt for basic and comfortable casual items. They wear basic T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies,slouchy jeans, flip-flops, and plain sneakers. Well, it is much easier to enjoy the beautiful moments of life, feel comfortable and confident on a flat sole than to try to impress other people. 

If you are looking for normcore items, you need sporty, comfortable, street-style clothes, with a reference to the fashion of the 90s. This fashion became the prototype of such a fashion style. It was then that the first boundaries between masculine and feminine blurred. Simple and comfortable casual items that would not be a pity to throw away in a month became mainstream. For inspiration take a look at the outfits of comedy star Jerry Seinfeld from the ’90s cult sitcom Seinfeld. His simple yet quirky clothing style became the epitome of normcore. Bright representatives of this style are Steve Jobs and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. Vogue once even named her Duchess of Normcore. Her outfits are simple and modest yet chic, elegant and stylish. And Steve Jones made a simple yet elegant combination of black turtleneck sweater and jeans iconic. This is how normcore works.

Hot to get a normcore fashion aesthetic? Ideas for normcore outfits

Now let’s move on from theory to practice! If items of casual wear are logo-less, neutral colored, unisex, and loose-fitting, they are normcore. Normcore essentials are monochrome, gray, white, or black T-shirts. Pair them with basic straight-leg stonewashed jeans, high-waisted, boyfriend, mom or dad jeans with the 90er vibe. And it is better to leave your skinny jeans in the closet. The most important thing about being normcore is not to spend much time choosing the right top-notch outfits. Go ahead, grab them and go! 

To finish your normcore outfit, choose the right normcore shoes. Normcore shoes are plain simple sneakers, canvas sneakers, basic slip-ons, flat sandals, rubber flip-flops, or Crocs. Yes, many fashionistas hate Crocs, but believe us: Crocs are 100% normcore. After all, the point is to choose basic comfortable clothes and shoes. The color palette of normcore is unremarkable and muted, and includes gray, blue, black, white and beige colors. Normcore outfits often look worn and a bit distressed but not as distressed as the grudge ones. Key pieces of style are straight-leg trousers, oversized button-down shirts, flannel shirts, mock turtlenecks, solid-colored pullover sweatshirts, and hoodies. Wear zipped fleece sweaters, raincapes, sports jackets, windbreakers, dad jackets, hoodies, denim jackets, and tracksuits on colder days. If you want to fill your wardrobe with normcore-like clothes and shoes, look at the fashion retailers and designers we listed below:

1. The Gap

2. Levi’s

3. Uniqlo

4. Wrangler

5. Hanes

6. Patagonia

7. Jack & Jones

8. Carhartt

9. The North Face

10.New Balance

11. Vans

12. Birkenstock

Sometimes it may be quite hard to define if the clothes are normcore or not because this is a diffuse style. It absorbed the best from casual, smart casual, minimalism, grunge, sporty, and hipster styles. Less polished than casual and smart casual, normcore outfits are still much different from distressed and bold grunge outfits. Minimalism is possibly the nearest style to normcore even though they aren’t identical. Simply put, normcore is neutral colored and slouchy unisex minimalism. 

Final thoughts

The 2014 term became a fashion phenomenon, and it has changed the way people look at fashion. Have you seen the iconic appearance of Kate Moss on Bottega Veneta’s spring 2023 runway? She rocked the runway in a flannel-print shirt and slouchy jeans. It clearly showed to everyone that looking normcore is cute. If you don’t know where to start with normcore, start by wearing the comfortable neutral basics we listed in this article. And don’t forget that normcore means feeling comfortable. Go ahead and be normcore!