Normcore is the antidote to my daily grind of trying to squeeze myself into 30 different aesthetics. It’s the “surprisingly chic” revolution that lets me embrace my life and stay exactly as I am—fake, wooden granite countertops and all. Because, honestly, who has the energy to reinvent themselves every morning?
I found myself in the throes of Normcore on TikTok late last night, watching woman after woman give daily vlogs of “day in the life of a normal girl,” and let me tell you, I felt so seen! They were using blenders that their parents had used to blend peppers to make their smoothies, and that distinct peppery aftertaste? Chef’s kiss. They were driving cars just as beat up as mine, breathing the same sighs of relief I breathe daily when my car gives me no troubles or “check engine” lights. For once, I felt relief at not experiencing those heart-pangs of aspiration. For a moment, I simply was. I was in a world so much like my own.
In my world, those beyond off-white sneakers and functional comforters are celebrated. There is no hustle to look editorially perfect because the life of the average person is not editorial. Normcore is my ticket to a life where excessive effort is completely optional. This aesthetic looks me right in the eye and says, “Relax.”
A Day in My Life of Normcore
My hair is neat and natural, with my God-given curls as unruly as the uncut grass in my yard. My skin is scrubbed clean and moisturized with the same combo of African Black Soap and raw Shea butter I’ve always used. My clothes are second-hand—from 10 years ago—and they feel familiar with the smell of detergent and one of my many perfumes wafting off of them. My coffee is not gourmet—it’s a simple k-cup in my white Yeti mug with cream and sugar. Not wearing the perfect purse, instead, I wear my trusty backpack because I’m a grad student and merely need all of my belongings to be readily available without any hassle.
I walk into the lab and do my experiments, work on my laptop, and make boring little graphs. And at the end of the day, it’s just me, my bed, Netflix, my blog, and an at-home poke bowl (the ingredients of which cost HALF the price of a poke bowl I’d get from an establishment, thank you very much). Good god, I am just MEEEE! And that’s so luxurious to me.
Finding Peace in Normcore
From my second-hand clothes to my simple k-cup coffee, I’ve found a peculiar joy in embracing the ordinary. On several mornings, I revel in the exhaustion of caring just a bit too much before deciding, “Nah, I’m good.” I slip into my well-worn comfort zone, ditching the constant demand to be on-trend. Normcore reminds me that sometimes, the best way to stand out is to stop trying so hard. Let’s be real—nothing says freedom like giving up on the daily aesthetic rat race. The best part is that your normcore may never look like someone else’s, and having an aesthetic that is all your own is the biggest flex in my book.
Normcore isn’t just a trend; it’s my liberation from the exhausting pursuit of trying to be someone else, and it feels pretty f***ing good! I recommend that you embrace your life with the normcore aesthetic every so often! Of course I’d never dog anyone who is wants to embody an aesthetic that makes them feel amazing (I mean…have you SEEN this blog? I’m an aesthetic whore). But every once in a while, I love to embrace the mundane as an aesthetic that’s so unique to myself, and maybe you should, too.
