Natalie Barletta – Opinions Editor
For those of you who have a Twitter or an Instagram account, let me ask you this. How many times when you’re on your Instagram or Twitter feeds when you’d see the following hashtag: #basic.Think about it for a second, I’m sure you’ve been it before.
Give up? Usually, you’ll see this when you’re looking at pictures of Starbucks cups, Ugg boots in autumn leaves or froyo in pastel colored cups. However, you may ask yourself what exactly does it mean to be ‘basic’?
Being basic, according to the website Internet Slang, is basically being uncool, unoriginal or boring. The term initially was made popular by musician Kreayshawn in 2011 in her song ‘Gucci, Gucci,’ with the lyrics ‘Gucci, Gucci, Louis, Louis, Fendi Fendi Prada. Basic b*tches wear that sh** so I don’t even bother.’
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WJFjXtHcy4]
Needless to say that started a trend. In a 2011 interview with the website Popdust, Kreayshawn classifies someone whose ‘basic’ as being ‘someone who likes what’s typical to like.’ Ever since then, the word ‘basic’ has taken the world by storm faster than you can post that picture of your Starbucks cup.
The women who are considered to be basic usually crowd Starbucks faster than you can say ‘Pumpkin Spiced Latte,’ have Taylor Swift’s last album on repeat on her white iPhone, consider LC (Lauren Conrad) to be a honorary member of their clique, and are living vicariously through Carrie Bradshaw from ‘Sex and the City.’ However, the term is something that many are ashamed of because it makes them uniform to just about everyone else. Some even use it as being an insult. The question however is, why is it something that we should be ashamed of?
It isn’t. Recently, Lauren Conrad was called ‘Basic’ by Allure Magazine.’ The magazine classifies someone whose basic as smelling like Vanilla Cupcakes, has ‘sausage curls,’ wears skinny jeans and wears light pink nail polish. Conrad fired back to the magazine in a tweet saying ‘I just got called a basic b*tch. Haha! Sausage curls? Really?’
I definitely just got called a basic b*tch! Haha! Sausage curls!? Really @Allure_magazine? pic.twitter.com/m7CsNqvU0Z
— Lauren Conrad (@LaurenConrad) July 21, 2014
The term basic can also be switched with ‘classic,’ ‘plain,’ or ‘preppy.’ The thing is that many people strive to have a more classic look, because it never goes out of style. A basic girl wears the basics, so it will always remain in season. So, why is the term ‘basic’ an insult to people?
The answer is that many people strive to be unique. Being basic is basically being just like being like everyone else. Some people think that it’s a bad thing, because of the desire to stand out from the crowd. Many people think that someone who is considered to be ‘basic’ lacks any sort of originality, and that they are just like everyone else. Which to many people think that it is bad thing.
Being basic isn’t something to be ashamed of, in my opinion. Lauren Conrad is the queen, and she’s not afraid to hide behind the crown.
It’s something to own and wear with honor, because its something that makes you happy. Whether its getting that Starbucks to brighten up your day or you’re counting down the seconds until Taylor Swift releases her new album, it’s something that makes you happy. It shouldn’t matter what others think about the coffee that you drink or the music that you listen to.
Taylor Swift says it best. At the end of the day ‘haters are going to hate hate hate.’ You should do whatever it does to make you and only you happy. And if that makes you basic, then that’s perfectly okay.
Photo Credit: Shandli-Lee Cox
