Why we fear being "basic"
Everyone is basic but everyone is unqiue. Or are they?
If you are into fashion in any amount I can bet that you have a fear of being “basic”. Plain Jane, nothing recognizable. This is a fashion person’s worst fear. Being like others. Being simple. Just being. Why is this so terrifying to the fashion person/enthusiast? Is it because the attention would be taken off of them? Attention they want whether it is negative or positive? Or is it because they don’t want to seem like they are just average?
We have really dug into the “being basic” trope by calling anyone who likes mainstream elements whether it be fashion, music, even food an “NPC”. What does NPC stand for? “Non-player character”.
You know that background character that is just there to take up space in the retro videogame. No storyline, nothing that makes them stand out. A white tee blue jean kind of thing. That is a fashioin person’s worse nightmare. Of not being center of attention. Of not being or at least feeling like the main character of their story.
While maintaining this videogame character theme, why would you not want to dress up your avatar? Why would you not change their hair or add some cool shoes to them? Where is the fun in that? When we change our avatar in a video game it isn’t really for getting people’s attention (unless you’re in one of those live player games) it is for the mere fact that we enjoy dressing our character up. It is entertaining even to try to put together an outfit with the stuff given to you. It is part of having a personality.
But what happens when the personality is blue jeans and a t-shirt? Is there even a personality? Is there even anything going on behind there? No interest no entertainment.Just being. Scary.
Some people like the non interesting. It’s comfortable. It’s easy. And it’s practical. Timeless even. When will jeans a white tee ever go out of style? Never. 100% guarantee. They are what you would call staple pieces. However we get into: what kind of jeans? Flared? Skinny? Bootcut? Capri? Ripped? Are they light wash? acid? dark? red? and the white tee? is it v-neck? is it slightly cropped? faded? crew neck? low neck?
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See even the basic, has its little niches in it. Still things that can make it “different” within the realm of “basicness”. If we take that time when a group of women were pictured wearing the same thing. A group of women in Alabama, blonde hair black top and jeans. Everyone screaming at the top of their lungs, laughing, pointing, mocking.
A group of people all wearing identical outfits. The utter horror. And why is it horrifying? Because people look down upon basic people and forget about a group of them. It seems like a visual representation of “group think” of course no individualism.
Like those people that say “you’ll never find a guy like me” and there’s 20 of the same pretentious guy with a mustache wearing Carhartt and driving is ‘79 ford thunderbird parked in the two parkin space coffee shop serving him overpriced matcha lattes. The though of being an indivual is different for everyone. Ironic isn’t it.
The fear is that there is nothing special. Boring. You wouldn’t notice it if it were missing. There are how many humans in the world? Do you think that each one is uniquely different. We share interests and hobbies. We find community in those same interests. Knitting groups, book clubs, pickle ball teams. We find people who like what we like.
And is that really a bad thing? Would we fear basicness so much that we would choose isolation? Wanting to be not understood because it adds some “spice” into your life. Having passer bys take a second glance at you to see your wide legged pants with studs and leapoard print hair.
I had an incident like this the other day,making my target run. I wasn’t wearing anything special. A bubble skirt ang black gingham blouse and some korean brand tabis. A man probably in his older 30s saw me and then crained his neck for a second look. He himself was wearing a plain red shirt and some athletic shorts.What some would call an “NPC” outfit. Basically anyone that doesn’t really care for fashion besides its functionality.
He chuckled and apologized for staring and said he had to double check if my hair is red. Even in 2025 people are still in shock at colored hair. I think it made it double shocking because I was pushing my baby in his stroller. You can’t have red hair you’re a mom. No I’m Kira. I like to think my baby enjoys my colorful hair and my sonny angel necklaces.
All of that being said. Embrace your basicness. Embrace your uniqueness. Embrace you.