Is Being #Basic A Bad Thing?

By Francine Fluetsch on February 19, 2015

Let’s talk about being #basic.

image via historyinhighheels.blogspot.com

I’m sure you’ve heard this term thrown around before, but if you aren’t totally sure what it is, it basically means someone who is overly ordinary, who likes popular, mainstream products or music.

The term #basic is usually applied to females, though there is also a “basic bro” term for the guys, but it is less common. Many people are getting called basic and freaking out about it, but is it really that bad to be #basic?

To me, the word is just dumb in general. You can get called basic for liking pretty much anything now-a-days, but let’s look at some common “basic” things. This video will help get things started:

Starbucks:

If you get a Starbucks coffee, you are basic. Isn’t that a little ridiculous? I mean who doesn’t love Starbucks? The basic-ness of Starbucks comes from the portrayal of overly animated girls ordering extra complicated drinks: for example, a tall, non-fat, hold the cream, pumpkin spice latte, without the spice.

It’s also “basic” because they portray women as not being able to live without Starbucks, and freaking out when they can’t get it or when their drink is wrong.

I’m not sure how it got this rep, but now if you are a girl and you want a Starbucks, you will be considered #basic. The question is, should you care? No, no, and definitely not! If you want a Starbucks, then go get a Starbucks. People might call you basic, but so what? Deep down, everyone still loves the coffee, so why deprive yourself?

Leggings:

Leggings are seen as #basic attire. I’m assuming this derived from certain people hating the idea of leggings so much they decided to give it a negative connotation. Despite this, I wear leggings pretty much every day because it’s basically like wearing comfortable pajamas that are actually cute. And who doesn’t want to wear pajamas all day?

I find that I can pair way more things with leggings than I can with jeans, so if it means a few people calling me basic, that’s fine by me. If you like leggings, don’t let anyone stop you. You haven’t experienced true freedom until you’ve dawned a pair of leggings.

Selfies:

Though selfies are seen everywhere, it’s considered basic if you participate in all the Selfie Sundays, ootd’s (outfit of the day), and duck face shenanigans on your Instagram.

Selfies receive the #basic wrap because it is usually associated with a loud and obnoxious squeal of “SELFIE!” followed by a mass amount of snapshots. Your Instagram is your Instagram, so if you want to show off your outfit every day or your cute new haircut, don’t be afraid of getting the #basic title.

Abbreviations and Sayings:

Saying things like “totes” or “obvi” is considered #basic, especially when you pair two together like “totes adorbs.” Saying things like “I can’t” for when something is super funny or “I’m dead” will also land you the title of #basic.

My best friend and I started abbreviating everything before it was really big, so now we are always considered basic when we talk. I think it’s actually kind of funny how worked up people get when I say things like “awk” which actually makes me want to do it more. I also heighten my valley girl accent when I do it, so people think I seriously speak in that manner.

Shopping at Forever 21:

Uh oh, according to this article on Popsugar, this is #basic too (remember, pretty much everything is basic now). I love Forever 21 because they have super cute clothes for amazingly low prices. If that means I’m basic for shopping there, then that’s fine by me.

Don’t let the basic title stop you from shopping at your favorite stores. Not everyone has the cash to get the hipster looks from Urban Outfitters (not hating on Urban, just saying). This one seems to be thrown around less, so if you love the store, don’t worry.

Foods:

Basic-ness in foods ranges from a love for toasted bagels, to your love and obsession for eating healthy, especially if you post said food on social media. This also goes with drinks, like immunity boosting smoothies that you post up on Insta post-workout. Simply buying your healthy food at Trader Joe’s can put you into the #basic category.

Getting Your Nails Done:

Getting a mani/pedi will earn you the title of #basic as well, especially if you go for French tip acrylics. And don’t even think about posting said nails on social media because that’s just screaming #basic.

image via knowyourmeme.com

So what have we learned? Well, it’s actually pretty boring/hard not to be #basic. I enjoy many things considered basic, and I’m proud of it. It’s the people who are worried about being #basic and calling people out on their basic-ness that are the boring ones.

What’s so wrong with liking some “popular” things? So rock those leggings, enjoy your complicated Starbucks order, eat what you like, shop where you want, do what you like, because being #basic isn’t a bad thing if you don’t want it to be.

Xoxo,

Basic B*tch

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