{"id":998,"date":"2025-05-23T16:16:05","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T15:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/illuminatedmag.co.uk\/?p=998"},"modified":"2025-06-02T15:42:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T14:42:13","slug":"what-is-core-anyway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/illuminatedmag\/2025\/05\/23\/what-is-core-anyway\/","title":{"rendered":"What is \u2018core\u2019 anyway?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Image by Rogers Fund from Wikimedia<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, \u201c-core\u201d<\/em> is the internet\u2019s new favourite way of turning any aesthetic, no matter how niche or absurd, into a fully fledged trend. But what does it mean really?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201c-core\u201d has been tacked onto words to define an intense or devoted version of something, especially in internet and pop culture circles. Ultimately, it\u2019s a suffix that transforms a vibe into an identity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it works<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cottagecore \u2013 romanticising rural life, think baking bread, floral dresses, cozy cabins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goblincore \u2013 embracing the messy, earthy, weird, mushrooms, frogs, shiny things, chaos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normcore \u2013 blending in on purpose, dad jeans, plain tees, beige-on-beige.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barbiecore \u2013 living life in pink, hyper-feminine, glam, Y2K revival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mob Wife core – leather jackets, smudged eyeliner, and pretending you’re in the Goodfella\u2019s universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why it works <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adding -core<\/em> to something turns it into a concept, it\u2019s made for going viral as it gives random fashion choices cultural weight. It’s not just “wearing lace”, you’re part of Coquettecore, with all the Tumblr nostalgia and Lana Del Rey vibes that come with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, here\u2019s the catch <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most -cores<\/em> aren\u2019t real subcultures. They’re just aesthetic containers created by social media (especially TikTok) to group content and drive virality. They’re visual genres, not necessarily movements with deep values or communities behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re meaningless. In a world of fast-moving trends and algorithmic chaos, -core<\/em> names help us make sense of fashion moods. They give us shortcuts to signal identity, mood, or irony, even if just for the length of one post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So you can totally invent your own, want to wear only metallics and carry a martini at all times? Boom, you\u2019ve invented Chrome Diva Core.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And no, you also don\u2019t need to \u201ccommit\u201d to one. The beauty of this trending core culture is that you can try one on, then switch it up next week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember, you don\u2019t have to name it to own it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more stories on Fashion click here: https:\/\/illuminatedmag.co.uk\/fashion\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 2025, \u201c-core\u201d is the internet\u2019s new favourite way of turning any aesthetic, no matter how niche or absurd, into a fully fledged trend.\u00a0But what does it mean really?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":159,"featured_media":1004,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,76,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fashion","category-kiah","category-social-media"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is \u2018core\u2019 anyway? - Illuminated<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From Cottagecore to Barbie Core, explore how TikTok trends transform vibes into fashion culture with "-core".\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/illuminatedmag\/2025\/05\/23\/what-is-core-anyway\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is \u2018core\u2019 anyway? 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