Angélique Gouws
A combination of gorp and normcore, Gorpcore is an aesthetic of outdoor and utility clothing pieces turned into streetwear fashion. The style originated in 2017, when Jason Chen from “The Cut” introduced the Gorpcore term.
It gained popularity in the late 2010s, and with the help of social media, became one of the hottest trends of 2021 and 2022 (and honestly even now in 2023). Brands such as Patagonia, North Face, and Arc’teryx run the Gorpcore industry, and there is even debate as to which is the best.
What do I think of Gorpcore?
Coming from the Okanagan in British Columbia, it’s not unusual for me to see people rocking hiking clothes as every-day wear. It’s comfortable, convenient, and has more pockets than you could ever wish for. Practically everyone I know skis or hikes or does some outdoorsy activity frequently, especially the friends of my mother, so I have been seeing people dressed in “gorp” since I first moved to BC. Typically, it has always been people in their mid-30s and above, who actually partake in the activities outdoor clothing is designed for.
It is only recently, since early 2022 really, that I have seen people below the balding-age wear these utilitary-wear pieces in non-outdoors spaces. Kids at my small private religious school wearing Arc’teryx jackets down our sparse hallways, and seeing mall rats with the Salomon zip-up shoes. The looks are often tied with a carabiner attached to some baggy cargos, with dad-style sunglasses that look both $5 and $500.
I don’t not like the look. I think it looks put-together and stylish, and makes use of clothing items that you may ignore in your closet if not going camping. I like how it is a style that isn’t uncomfortable for you to wear, and actually has pockets for women. It is a way to express yourself outside of the norms of typical every-day fashion, and opens the doors to a range of other styles (ex: bloke, coquette, etc.) and creativity.
What I don’t like about Gorpcore, is that it has reinstated the emphasis of branded clothing.
We see this with all “hype” styles, where it is a certain logo that makes or breaks a piece. Supreme held this role for a couple of years, and as long as whatever you were wearing had that red Supreme logo on it, your outfit was automatically good. It didn’t matter if it was a plain black shirt, if it had that logo, you had drip.
With Gorpcore currently as a hype-beast style (imo), it is now essential that you are wearing the associated “cool” brands. Like I mentioned previously, the aesthetic is dominated by Arc’teryx, North Face, and Patagonia. Shoe brands you will typically see with the style are Salomon, Asics, and New Balance – brands that until the last year or so were plagued as cringe and honestly only worn by middle-aged-and-up men.
The Adidas Superstars, the mother of 2016/17 shoe fashion, have even bounced back from their cool-to-cringe fall, now cool-to-cringe-to-cool-again. You will find them, as well as their new trending counterpart the Adidas Sambas, paired with many Gorpcore outfits.
I am not saying that I don’t like any of these brands, and I wear my Adidas Superstars almost every-day. It would be hypocritical if I said that I don’t like the Gorpcore style, as it is because of such style that I was influenced to buy my beloved Superstars. But I hate that it is the brand that we are looking at again to determine whether we think someone’s outfit is good or not.
I have seen some of the most atrocious outfits I have ever laid my eyes on categorized as Gorpcore, all because someone paired an Arc’teryx jacket or yellow North Face puffer with the rest of their attire. It is as if nothing but the one hype piece matters, because it is that accessory that makes or breaks the fit.
All trends come and go. One minute something is cool, and the next it is embarrassing to be seen in. It remains sparse until it bounces back some years later.
Is Gorpcore approaching its demise? I definitely see less of it now in-person than I did a few months ago, and now that I think of it, I haven’t seen an Arc’teryx rain jacket or beanie in a while. Even North Face puffers seem to be more of a minority than before. This could be because Montréal is quite a diverse city in regards to style, especially in comparison to BC where everyone and their mother owns one of the above mentioned (I’m talking about you, Vancouver).
I wonder if we are going to continue seeing less and less of this aesthetic, or whether it will spark up again with the rise of warmer months. I feel like there is a good chance that it will, especially as outdoorsy activities are more frequent in the spring/summer. Or maybe the style will return to its original wearers – people who actually use the pieces for their intentions rather than to walk around the mall.
Gorpcore is a style that ties together both fashion and convenience, allowing you to express creativity all while being prepared for a flash-flood. Is it reaching its end, or will it remain/re-spark as a hype street-wear style?
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