LAJFSTAJL / LIFESTYLE
BOTH CAFÉ CORE AND COFFEECORE Fancy a coffee? The aesthetic that we affectionately refer to as “caffeine chic”, and that shimmers and shines on TikTok, is coming to a café near you soon Y our favourite coffee might come from a tra- ditional coffee pot, an espresso machine or a glass French press, but there’s no di- lemma when it comes to the trends of to- day: they all reach us from the popular FYP (for you page) channel of China’s short-form vid- eo platform TikTok. You’re already familiar with how it functions: the suffix “core” serves as a popular qualifier for countless aesthetic subgenres that have emerged in various places worldwide and are shared on TikTok with the use of a hashtag. Normcore, cottagecore and Barbiecore have already become recognisable, but ever more specific “cores” are appearing on a daily basis (from angelcore to royalcore). However, and very intriguingly, it seems as though this year will be marked by two that have been inspired by cof- fee: coffeecore and café core. One reason for this is our collective obsession with coffee in general, while mar- ket research shows that the lead is being taken in this area by Gen Z, which enjoys its caffeinated beverages as much as it enjoys anything else – by accentuating the personalisation of the experience and overwhelming so- cial media followers. Although it’s somewhat confusing that we have two very similar sounding trends that are also associated with the same thing, it turns out that, the more you research, the more you understand why these iterations are defined as such. Here’s the lowdown. CAFÉ CORE: A FASHION TREND THAT SAYS “I LOOK GOOD, BUT I ALSO DON’T CARE WHO’S LOOKING!” A guy sporting baggy woollen trousers, moccasins and a tweed overcoat wanders around, from time to time lifting his phone to his ear, though it’s unclear whether he’s actually conversing with anyone. A girl wearing fad- ed, loose-fit jeans, streaked socks and chunky trainers stands next to the bar, her cropped hoodie, oversized and faded, almost seeming to float around her upper body. These two examples are most accurately described as the pinnacle of “café core”, the outfit choice for people head- ing out for coffee (or to pick up a takeaway coffee). Café core seems to many like the most comfortable combina- tion you can imagine while remaining the envy of pas- sers-by. Café core actually refers to dressing up noncha- lantly for no specific reason. It’s a fashion metaphor for the best table in a café, the one beside the window that offers a good view of the rest of the venue, where you sit pretending to be engrossed in your phone or a magazine
while you actually spend most of your time observing the world around you – all the while aware that you are also being watched. Café core encompasses tracksuits, oversized items like knitted sweaters and loose cardi- gans, as well as luxurious textures like velvet and tweed. COFFEECORE: A COLOUR IMPERATIVE THAT WILL RENDER YOU AS COOL AS A COLD MOKA FROM HEAD TO TOE While café core expounds carefully planned cas- ualness, coffeecore delves to the depths – of the cof- fee cup. Add a dose of coffee-inspired tones to your life, from espresso and cappuccino to creamy latte, as a way of reinvigorating your wardrobe and beauty rou- tine. This is genuine refreshment (almost like a "nitro cold brew") in the wake of the oversaturated versions of pink that were brought to fashion by last year’s suc- cess of the Barbie movie. Fashion shows for this spring season saw designers embrace tonal clothing with var- iations of espresso shades below the waist and creamy shades above, imitating a well-crafted “flat white”. There are already many beauty products containing the words “espresso” or “latte” in their names, which provides the optimal description of these rich brown tones. The ulti- mate coffeecore make-up includes a well-tanned com- plexion, with blusher that isn’t in the usual pink or cor- al shades, but rather in a shade containing significantly more brown colouring. The lips also remain neutral or tend towards a darker hue. And for the eyelids? Yes, you’ve guessed it: aromatic brown is the leading con- cept, ensuring that your face ultimately harmonises with your espresso. However, it doesn’t end with the choice of make-up: you can utilise ground coffee, which isn’t only excellent for exfoliating the skin, but also has a wonderful aroma. And while we’re on the topic of fra- grances, the arabica aroma comes to the fore subtly in selected perfumes.
88 | Sve o kafi » All about coffee
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