Gorpcore

About

Gorpcore is a slang term for the fashion trend denoted by wearing extreme weather, winter and hiking clothing as casual streetwear, regardless of the climate or setting. Brands that produce some gorpcore-style fashion include Arc'teryx, Columbia, The North Face and Gore-Tex. The term was coined by a writer for The Cut in 2017 and is described as an extension of normcore. The etymology of the term comes from an abbreviation for the phrase "Good Ol’ Raisins and Peanuts" (or G.O.R.P.), an American synonym for trail mix often used by hikers. Gorpcore became an increasingly prevalent fashion trend on TikTok in the early 2020s. The word "gorp" is sometimes used to describe someone's style as gorpcore.

Origin

On May 25th, 2017, The Cut^[1] writer Jason Chen published an article titled, "First Came Normcore. Now Get Ready for Gorpcore." In the article, Chen coins the term, describing how celebrities like A$AP Rocky (shown below wearing gorpcore) and Drake are wearing extreme weather and hiking gear, including large jackets and boots, as casual streetwear. CR Fashion Book^[2] writer Mia Risher writes that gorpcore "aims to transport the in-the-know wearer to the great outdoors."

Spread

In late 2020, gorpcore started to become popularized on TikTok. TikToker^[4] @juulian.c is one of the earliest users to showcase his gorpcore outfits on the platform, posting his first gorpcore fit check on October 21st, 2020 (shown below, left). On November 21st, he posted a video showing off his gorpcore fit, garnering over 20,000 views in just over a year (shown below, right). On November 26th, 2021, One37Pm^[3] writer Max Paek wrote an intro to gorpcore.

On December 2nd, TikToker @mark_boutilier posted a video sharing the best brands for gorpcore that aren't Arc'teryx, gaining over 97,000 views in a month (shown below).

On January 28th, 2022, YouTuber^[5] Frugal Aesthetic uploaded a video titled "HOW TO GORPCORE" diving into the fashion trend, gaining over 195,000 views in six days (shown below).

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References