Originally Posted by
Gardenarian
DD uses "basic" only to describe someone's personal style or aesthetic. She is 19; at that age most kids are trying to define themselves by their hair style, clothes, jewelry, piercings and tatoos, and choice of transportation.
To be "basic" is to conform to the norms so much that there is nothing striking about yourself. There is pressure NOT to conform, and it looks to me like they mostly non-conform in the same way - see how interesting I am because of my little tatoo, my chunky eyeglases, my vintage t-shirt. It's having a boho apartment and clothes that look like they came from Free People and liking somewhat obscure bands. Now you're not basic, right?
It makes me think of the Red Hat society. It started with a poem about being a singular old woman (When I am old i shall wear purple, with a red hat...Something like that) So all these women who wanted to show how unique and plucky they were got together and dressed in purple and wore red hats. Huh.
It's all based on the idea that appearance, how you present yourself, is deeply meaningful. I don't buy into that. I get that some folks like dressing up, okay. I don't think about style really at all. I'm probably not basic; an older woman with long hair in pigtails flying around town in a neon vest on her electric bike - but it's just practicality, not style.