Reminiscent of "Black Beatles" by Rae Sremmurd, fidget spinners, Pokémon Go, and Snapchat's "Puking Rainbow" filter, early to mid-2010's "basic" style might be making a comeback. If you aren't entirely oblivious to what others wear in hallways, you may have noticed that there has been a recent homogenization of the female fashion scene at Berkeley High with the emergence of an "old basic" style based on comfort and nostalgia.
What's particularly interesting is that the "old basic" style subverts and builds on earlier elements of the 2010s whilst still keeping fundamentals- the foundation, you could say. Adidas 3-stripe joggers and ugg boots are essentials, while accessories and tops are more flexible, and permit the wearer to express individuality. For example, one could select a pink claw clip as opposed to a blue one, or, to get really wild, a metallic one. Shirts possess an even more staggering range, from displaying the name of an irrelevant town on the East Coast to a university that the wearer will never get into. Black leggings, cropped or flared are a perfect way to demonstrate that you never skip leg day. When headed to the airport, to school, or a shoplifting lip gloss at Target run, the world will know that you got that dumpy.
But what draws people so heavily to this style? We set off on the insurmountable task of asking around campus in order to decipher the style's popularity. Some interviewees instinctively responded to the Blazer Staff with "double it and give it to the next person" and "Flashing Lights' by Kanye West" without further questioning. We were however able to attain some poignant insight from a sophomore in AC, who asked to remain anonymous. When asked what initially interested her in the style she had this to say, "I was just too lazy to bring my old Brandy Melville tops to Goodwill, so I thought I would just start wearing them again. Also, I recently rewatched Stranger Things, and it made me fall into my old habits of chai iced teas and Stan Smiths." We then questioned how she interprets "basic", "It's a philosophical doctrine of sorts, utilitarian and pragmatic, the sheer practicality of a PopSocket far trumps its unanimously agreed corniness."