VSCO girl

A VSCO girl or VSCO kid (/ˈvɪskoʊ/) is someone who participates in the youth subculture that emerged among teenagers around mid- to late 2019. Named after the VSCO photography app, VSCO girls are typically associated with over-sized T-shirts, scrunchies, Hydro Flasks, Crocs, Pura Vida, friendship bracelets, Birkenstocks, shell necklaces, and other beach-related fashion. Environmentalism, especially topics relating to sea turtle conservation, is also regarded as a main part of VSCO culture.

It is often mentioned along with other online subcultures, like e-girls and e-boys, "soft girls", and "Tumblr girls".[1]

Clothing
Crocs with pins (șleopanț)

VSCO girls often wear over-sized T-shirts, sometimes long enough to cover their shorts. Though VSCO girls are primarily associated with wearing shorts, such as Nike track shorts, some also wear "mom jeans" and include them as part of their style.[2][3]

Shoes popular with VSCO girls include those Crocs, Birkenstocks, and Vans. They often decorate crocs with charms. Black and white checkered slip-on Vans are also popular.[4] The "ugly shoe trend" popularized many of these styles.[5][6]

Accessories

They adorn their wrists with scrunchies and Pura Vida Bracelets or similar handmade friendship bracelets. Puka shell chokers are another popular accessory.[7]

Hydro Flask water bottles, often decorated with sea turtle conservation-themed stickers, are popular among VSCO girls. These bottles are often paired with reusable straws.[4]

VSCO girls use instant cameras and Fjällräven backpacks.[8][9]

Makeup and hair

Makeup and hair are often kept simple for a natural and light look. VSCO girl hairstyles have been described as low maintenance. Many VSCO girls often wear a messy bun with a scrunchie[2] or beach waves.[10] Common cosmetics include Burt's Bees and Carmex lip balm,[8][4] blush, such as Glossier Cloud Paint,[11] and skincare products, such as Mario Badescu's Facial Spray.[4]

Brands

Among VSCO girls, the use of the same brand-name products is a major component. Popular brands include Pura Vida, Hydro Flask, Nike, Brandy Melville, Lululemon, Fjällräven, and Urban Outfitters.[7][8]

As of September 2019, brands associated with the subculture have yet to report an increase in sales related to the rise of VSCO girls.[7] However, according to Bloomreach, reusable straws, Hydro Flasks, Crocs, and slip-on Vans have all experienced an increase in sales, ranging from 109% to 357% in the last year.[12][13]

Marketing targeting VSCO girls has also increased.[7] Pura Vida has partnered with Hydro Flask for online giveaways of products associated with VSCO girls.[4]

Controversy about the high cost of products associated with VSCO girls exists, especially due to the emphasis on brand-name products. Fox Business estimates buying all of the products associated with the subculture would cost $229.89.[14] Some teenagers associate the look with private schools and wealth.[1][11]

Associated social media

Although VSCO subculture emerged on and was named after the photo-editing app, content on different social media platforms, notably TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, popularized it further.[15] Many parodies of VSCO girls, often by the subculture itself, exist. Roisin Lanigan of I-D believes this points to empowerment rather than mocking. This combination of self-deprecation and celebration is also popular among Generation Z.[7][2]

VSCO
Main article: VSCO

VSCO is a photo-editing and social media app; most of its users are under 25.[10] Unlike other forms of social media, VSCO does not display likes, follower counts, or comments.[16] This stems from the company's ethos of taking the pressure out of using social media.[4] As a result, the app is used to post more casual content.[16]

TikTok
Main article: TikTok

TikTok is a short video social media app popular with Gen Z.[7] Content its users made played an instrumental role in the rise of VSCO girls.[1] As of August 2019, The New York Times found "more than 422.4 million videos tagged #vscogirl on TikTok, most of them parodies".[4] On August 30, 2019, TikTok added a VSCO girl filter, which included a water bottle decorated with stickers and a side ponytail with scrunchies.[16]

Instagram
Main article: Instagram

Instagram is a photo-editing and social media app. Though similar to VSCO, content on the site is carefully curated and more professional.[7] VSCO girls are sometimes identified as an opposition to the heavy make-up and unnatural perfection commonly associated with the app.[11]

YouTube
Main article: YouTube

YouTube has been used to share videos about VSCO girls, many of which are parodies or commentary videos. Elle credits popular YouTuber Emma Chamberlain with popularizing the VSCO girl aesthetic.[16]

Environmental concern

There are differing opinions on VSCO girls' environmental concerns. While products like Birkenstocks, metal straws, and Hydro Flasks are associated with environmentalism,[17][3] some view VSCO girls as only caring about the environment when convenient, pointing to the popularity of the disposable cameras that inspired the popular filters on VSCO.[10][16]

gollark: *is casually wasting millions of RF testing a spatial IO system*
gollark: I can neither confirm nor deny such things.
gollark: Of course not.
gollark: I even added a function to describe the function of each mod in the pack complete with nice rainbow coloration.
gollark: Far too much.

See also

References
  1. Schwedel, Heather (September 12, 2019). "Teens Explain the VSCO Girl—and Why You Never Want to Be One". Slate Magazine. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  2. Lanigan, Roisin (July 26, 2019). "a guide to vsco girls – the tumblr girls of 2019". i-D. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  3. Aronoff, Kate (September 20, 2019). "Why VSCO Girls are Going on Strike for the Climate". The Intercept. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  4. Hughes, Becky (August 30, 2019). "What Does VSCO Think About the 'VSCO Girls'?". The New York Times. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  5. Bergstein, Rachelle. "Why Ugly Shoes Are Having A Moment In Fashion". Forbes. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  6. Jennings, Rebecca (May 25, 2018). "A Cultural History of Hideous Sandals". Vox. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  7. Jennings, Rebecca (September 24, 2019). "Why you can't stop hearing about VSCO girls". Vox. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  8. "Move Over, Insta Baddies — VSCO Girls Are Taking Over Social Media". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  9. Wu, Jasmine (September 9, 2019). "Teen culture shifted to embrace brands, and the VSCO girl was born". CNBC. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  10. Minutaglio, Rose (August 16, 2019). "A Guide to the 'VSCO Girl' Aesthetic Taking Over Your Feeds". ELLE. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  11. Hoffower, Hillary. "I'm a millennial, and I don't hate the VSCO girl — she's just the first new trend that makes me feel old". Business Insider. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  12. Leskin, Paige (December 12, 2019). "The summer of the 'VSCO girl' may be over, but retailers and the VSCO app itself are still reaping the benefits of the craze that swept Gen Z". Business Insider.
  13. Chen, Tanya (November 1, 2019). "Influencers Of Color Say They Are Treated Differently On Brand Trips". Buzzfeed News.
  14. Fordham, Evie (September 1, 2019). "VSCO girls: Here's how much it costs to be 'on brand' with the new craze". FOXBusiness. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  15. "Where did 'and I oop' and 'sksksk' come from?". The Independent. November 25, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  16. Spellings, Sarah (September 5, 2019). "What Does It Mean to Be a 'VSCO Girl'?". The Cut. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  17. Lewis, Rachel Charlene (August 30, 2019). "VSCO girl culture is really just lesbian culture". i-D. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
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