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.
For The Love of Fall
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.
Thank you for breaking this down this way!!! #proudtobebasic
That’s right, girl! So proud! Thanks for reading.
-Donni
Oh how I love this!!! I guess I am a basic girl and I have to admit that I LOVE it! I’m also addicted to seasonal candles and cute boots plus pretty much everything else on this list.
Because all of these things are awesome! How could we not love them? Welcome to the club, Jamie. lol Thanks so much for reading!
-Donni
I actually get really frustrated when people use the term basic to describe girls. Especially in the terms you’ve describe because as you’ve laid out, it’s logic. You like pumpkin spice lattas in the fall because that’s the only time they are available to you. Starbucks doesn’t let you get them in the spring… It just feels like another way men put down women. It’s a frustrating culture. and you’ve worded it very well.
Angela Tolsma recently posted…When Someone Else Does Your Hair
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. To your point, the next time someone calls me and basic for something like this I’ll correct them and say what you meant was logical, correct?
Donni
I agree with Angela! Let’s just live our lives in our Uggs and PSLs
Hear, hear!! Let’s just do what we want. Thanks for reading!!
-Donni
If loving fall makes me “basic”, then count me in I guess, because I cannot live without my spicy candles and pumpkin pie 😉 These things get popular for a reason: they’re amazing! So silly for someone to try to degrade you over that.
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We’re not basic, we’re logical and like happen to like seasonal things. We obviously rock lol. Thanks for reading!
-Donni
If this makes you basic, then I must be basic too! How could you not love fall lol
We appreciate you love of FALL. We love a lot of components that make us all basic, BUTTTTT we all know were not! Do what you want!
Agreed! We should all just so what we want. Thanks for stopping by and reading!
-Donni
LOL 🙂 I love this article, so cute. Basic is good, especially when you put it this way: “Those whose wardrobes include leggings and boots complemented by a Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte in hand.” Plus the dancing pumpkin head guy at the end, love it. Your basic sounds happy and happy is always good.
Thanks so much! Yes, if being wrapped in comfortable clothes, holding on to a yummy latte, and surrounded by fall scents is basic I’m all in!!
-Donni
I admit, I definitely shouted and laughed at the beginning of this post. lol I don’t enjoy fall. I don’t, but I don’t think that makes you basic either. I just hate pumpkin, chilly wind, and pants. Dresses help me feel free and I like pina coladas and sand in my toes. To each their own!
Ha, I love summer too. It brings beach days and my birthday.? There’s just something about fall though. Thanks for reading and I’m happy it brought you some laughter!
-Donni
Thank you for posting about this! It really bothers me when people refer to women or when women refer to themselves as basic! It’s derogatory and a demeaning term. I can’t stand it!
I love all things fall related too and I’m definitely not basic or a basic b****. That term needs to be over and forgotten, like yesterday!
Thank you for reading! I don’t understand why it bothers other people so much that some people enjoy seasonal things. It doesn’t affect them at all and doesn’t give them the right to demean others.
-Donni
I LOVE everything about fall and have often been told I’m a Basic B&%$* but whatever. They can say what they want to say because I’ll still be over here in my leggings, sipping a PSL enjoying my day!
Great post!! Hope you had a great time at Music Midtown this year!
Christine recently posted…The Cutest Mini Pies You’ll Ever See
Yasss!! Enjoy your latte in the comfort of your leggings, honey! I support it fully. Thanks for reading!!
-Donni
I LOVE fall and everything about it and I have definitely been called basic but I don’t care. I will embrace what I love.
La Belle Sirene
That’s right! Embrace what you love and enjoy fall!
-Donni
Ha, I’ve never been called basic, but probably only because I hate coffee. There’s just something about a woman loving a PSL that attracts sexism. I don’t get it.
Now I feel like I should write a post calling out guys for being “basic.”
Also I will be rocking my flower crowns into fall because reasons.
Brita Long recently posted…Hillary Clinton Has Earned Her Woman Card
Oh, I would support that post 100%. Call them out, Brita!!
-Donni