Fashion dictionary
gorpcore
[gawrp-kawr]
What does gorpcore mean?
Gorpcore is a fashion style centered on utilitarian, outdoor clothing.
Gorpcore fashion focuses on sporty, utilitarian clothing that is designed to be outdoor apparel. Some examples of this kind of clothing include hiking boots, fleece jackets, cargo pants and vests, and beanie hats.
A person making an outfit that adheres to gorpcore fashion may use only utilitarian outdoors wear or may mix this type of clothing with their personal style. Gorpcore fashion takes practical outdoor clothing and turns it into stylish outfits that are worn indoors and in urban settings.
Gorpcore often uses expensive clothing from brands that specialize in outdoor apparel, such as The North Face, Snow Peak, and Arc’teryx.
Example: The photo shoot featured musicians known for gorpcore style.
Where does gorpcore come from?
Gorpcore refers to a fashion style centered on sporty, outdoor clothing. The -core compounding form is used in the sense of “an aesthetic or imagery that evokes nostalgia for vintage styles, traditional skills, past trends, etc.” The term cottagecore is another example of a word that uses -core in this sense.
Gorp, also known as trail mix, is a snack commonly eaten by hikers and climbers. It is said that gorp stands for “good old raisins and peanuts.” Gorpcore is a fashion aesthetic that incorporates utilitarian clothing often worn by hikers, climbers, and outdoorsy people.
The term gorpcore was coined by writer Jason Chen in a 2017 article for fashion website, The Cut. Chen used the term to make fun of an emerging fashion trend that focused on outdoor apparel, such as puffy jackets and hiking boots. This fashion style remained popular for years afterward, and the term gorpcore became the commonly used name to refer to the fashion aesthetic.
Examples of gorpcore
Who uses gorpcore?
Gorpcore is a popular fashion aesthetic that is commonly discussed both in the media and on social media.
my favorite use case for AI is putting celebrities in gorpcore.
— 𝖘𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖓 𝖏𝖔𝖍𝖓 (@sorenwrenn) June 7, 2023
Now every time I see like a middle aged dude wearing cargo pants my brain just shouts “gorpcore!!”
— 𝔩𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔩𝔢⋆𝔩𝔦𝔟𝔯𝔞 (@_S0URCANDY) February 24, 2023
How delicious is the concept of hot cocoa (not chocolate) at a ski lodge while wearing a gorpcore beanie
— caity🧃 (@caitybanana) December 14, 2022
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of gorpcore like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of gorpcore that will help our users expand their word mastery.