Am I “Basic” Because I Love Fall?

Donni Smalls Donni's Dash of Sparkle, Wine in my coffee cup basic, fall, seasonal living 9 Comments

Last weekend, as I was standing in line for beer at Music Midtown a girl tapped me on the shoulder to ask if she could take a picture with me. She and her friends made a scavenger hunt to play during the festival. Obviously, the item on her list was magical black girl, right? Check! Alas, she just needed a picture with someone wearing a flower crown. Almost immediately, two of my guy friends began to make a joke that a “basic” girl must have been on her list. I went to high school with these two  jerks Prince Charmings, so they are allowed to tease me. In their minds my flower crown made me summer “basic”. Then came the pumpkin spice latte reference. Cue eye rolls.

Let’s talk about calling girls basic on the basis of their seasonal favorites.  First, let’s start with the basics (ha, see what I did there?) and see how the people of the interwebs are defining the term.

“Basic” Definitions

• Those whose wardrobes include leggings and boots complemented by a Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte in hand.
• “Basic” is a term to describe someone, usually a female, who is without any defining characteristics of her own, usually because she follows the crowd.
• Used to describe someone devoid of defining characteristics that might make a person interesting, extraordinary, or just simply worth devoting time or attention to.
• Lacking intelligence and unable to socialize on even an elementary level.
• The disease that makes people ratchet AF. This includes symptoms such as an unusually strong affection to pumpkin spice (specifically Starbucks), a longing to wear Uggs and/or LuLu Leggings, and continuously saying “I literally can’t even.”

Things that apparently make me basic

• Seasonal candles are my jam: To be clear, I’m a scented candle addict all year-long!  However, there’s just something about being curled up in one million cozy blankets with Hocus Pocus playing and my sweater weather candle sending sweet fall scents around my apartment. Also, I should mention that I quite enjoy watching fall candle hauls on YouTube.  Sorry, I’m not sorry about wanting my place to smell like a home. If loving a well-scented home is basic, count me in.
• Fall wardrobe: Reality check: boots, leggings and scarves have always been staples of chilly days, just like you would expect folks to wear shorts, swimsuits and sundresses in the summer. So how does wearing these items make me basic? Are you mad that I’m hella comfortable in my chunky sweater and boots? Does my flannel offend you? I’m looking and feeling good so again bring on the basicness. P.S. I will also likely Instagram my new boots I bought on Black Friday or Cyber Monday as I’m standing on top of fallen leaves.
• Pumpkin Love: I think PSLs are delicious, whether I’m brewing them at home or grabbing one from Starbucks or a local coffee shop. Would you still call me basic if I ordered a salted caramel latte? Cool, because I drink those too. While I’ve got a thing for pumpkin spice, I need to be absolutely clear on one thing: I’ll take a sweet potato pie over a pumpkin pie any day. Are Patti LaBelle’s Pies going to be a thing again this year?

• Fall traditions: Crunching leaves, roasting s’mores, browsing through pumpkin patches and carving pumpkins are definitely fall traditions, but that doesn’t mean they are “basic.” Carving pumpkins with friends during college are some of my favorite memories. It’s just a fun (and messy) activity.  Research (i.e. in my mind) shows that stepping on a crunchy leaf releases endorphins.

I know most of the time, we call someone “basic” as a joke. However, in reality basic is just another term used by society to judge women and their lifestyle choices. If homegirl (of any race) wants to sip on her PSL and take a stroll through an apple orchard or pumpkin patch – why are we making fun of her for living in the moment and finding beauty in fall? How is it really affecting your life?  While you’re making fun of her or me, we’ll be busy making memories.

Are you a lover of fall like I am? Have you been called basic? Leave me your thoughts in the comments below.