The Cool Kids Renaissance
Damon Albarn in the 90s: The Bloke-Core IT Boy
In the last few years, we have run through a lot of microtrends online. The suffix “core” relates to different style aesthetics and indicates style niches that are not mainstream yet (but undoubtedly will become so). For their latest collaboration, Zalando and Adidas have joined forces to create the ultimate style glossary, bringing together all the key aesthetics. Adidas is, in fact, at the forefront of the current trend: the Blokette aesthetic. We’ve all seen the Bloke-core aesthetic that has been taking over FashionTok (Tiktok’s niche for fashion enthusiasts) for several months. Well, take this microtrend and mix it with the “coquette” aesthetic, and you’ll get a true aesthetic revolution that, despite being a social phenomenon, still dictates rules in the fashion market: the Blokette-Core.
But let’s start from the beginning: Bloke-core draws inspiration from British teenagers of the 1990s: football t-shirts, baggy jeans, and Adidas trainers. What once was a mainly male aesthetic (the term “Bloke” itself is a British slang term indicating super passionate male football fans) has now been embraced by individuals of all gender identities, making it an inclusive trend.
Well, Coquette is quite the opposite of Bloke-Core. Embracing charm and grace, this style is fully made of lace, ruffles, ribbons, and bows. The pastel pinks and the flowy silhouettes simultaneously represent and mock femininity stereotypes, enhancing sensuality and innocence in an aesthetically pleasing manner anyway.
Bella Hadid in NYC
Coming back to us, Blokette-core is the fusion of these two opposite worlds: it combines masculine elements (oversized soccer jerseys, baggy jeans, Adidas Sambas, and Gazelles) with hyper-feminine elements (lace mini-skirts, knee socks and hair ribbons). A significant influence behind this trend is the British designer Wales Bonner, who has been redefining athleisure high fashion for many years. With the latest collaboration with Adidas, the brand has become the icon of the blokette trend, thanks to its avant-garde Sambas.
So, Blokette-core stands as a testament to the power of inclusivity and creative fusion and we firmly believe that this could be one of the microtrends that won’t die after two months. In the meantime, I’m still in line, trying to get my silver Sambas.
