Have you ever been called a basic white girl? Or a VSCO girl? Well, that's not very nice and here are the reasons why.

What Is A Basic White Girl?

The term basic white girl is commonly used to describe young Caucasian women who share their interests and preferences with the majority. All of this can easily be summed up with just that one word: basic.

Basic white girl is as ordinary as it can be. She is not controversial. She is boring.

But is she actually?

We are trained to believe that lacking individuality is a negative trait. And at the same time, we cannot really describe what individuality is.

Any basic white girl is just as basic as any middle-aged person, who is used to buying the same brand of clothes and going to the same restaurants. We all develop habits and preferences. But not all of us receive a specific name for our choices in life.

And most importantly we forget that despite what we wear and what coffee shop's logo we display on our cup, we are people. People who don't need to be labeled and categorized.

But more on that later. First, let's get to the bottom of this terminology.

A basic white girl is, well, white, wears black yoga pants, a neutral color long sleeve, and a pair of UGGs. Her hair is either in a messy bun or in a high pony. She's wearing shades and drinking an over-sugared frappuccino.

Basic white girls all read the same books, watch the same movies, and listen to the same music. The list goes on, but yeah, the general idea is that they are basically copy-pasted.

Recently the basic white girl got an update and there is also a VSCO girl term. Now, what is that?

What Is A VSCO girl

In case you don't know, VSCO is a picture editing app that is rather popular among social media users. Yes, an app.

But a VSCO girl isn't just a person who uses the app. It is again, a woman, who succumbs to following the same style in clothing as a group she 'belongs' to.

Typically, the VSCO girl is going to be displaying a set of well-known hipster public-oriented brands. She is also rocking a scrunchie, crocks, and drinks from a reusable metal bottle.

Feeling a pattern yet? Exactly, that is just a basic white girl with some latest upgrades in terms of style and technology.

And honestly, as a millennial who is just a year short of being a gen Z, I could easily fall into both basic white girl and VSCO girl descriptions. But would I call myself basic? Not so much.

And here is the problem.

The Problem With Being Called A Basic White Girl Or A VSCO Girl

Question: why do we absolutely have to categorize everything and everyone?

Is putting stamps on each person and object we encounter make life easier? Yes, kind of.

The answer is simple: projecting stereotypes is convenient. We judge a person by a look and immediately know what their whole life is about.

And since we do, there is no reason to try to find out more or level up with them. Why bother? We already know everything we need to know.

But how accurate can this judgement be in reality?

Calling someone a basic white girl or a VSCO girl based on what they are wearing or eating is just as logical as trying to guess the exact income of everyone in your local grocery store based on their basket.

Additionally, the word 'white' in particular is an entirely separate issue. Because I hope we all know at this point that skin color does not define anything other than the palette code on the foundation bottle.

So, is calling people a basic white girl or a VSCO girl a good idea? Let's dig deeper.

Nobody Is Basic

We are going to leave alone the fact that being called a basic white girl is offensive for a while and focus on the 'basic' part.

Basic white girl simply doesn't exist because nobody is truly basic.

If one day everyone on earth decided to wear blue sweatpants with a black hoodie, we would still stay different people. Different people with their own stories, preferences, struggles, emotions, and ideas.

So, how does liking UGGs or scrunchies make you basic in any way?

As soon as you take a closer look at someone you considered a basic white girl, you might discover a whole new universe.

Maybe she is a wonderful musician. Or cooks a mean lasagna. Maybe she's writing out of this world poetry. Or builds beautiful furniture.

Perhaps she is not even a 'she' in the full sense of this world. Transgender people tend to suppress their individuality by following the majority in the ways they look and think, for example.

There are just so many variations to every single person, it should be illegal to try to fit them into categories.

Plus, and this might shock you, people who are called a basic white girl or a VSCO girl actually choose pretty good things for their lifestyle.

Basic White Girls Choose Wisely

I am sorry if this offends you in any way, but Starbucks baristas make good coffee. And tea. And all those fuzzy lemonades that will surely give you a sugar rush.

Black leggings are comfy and so are UGGs. Putting your hair in a messy bun is both very practical and looks cute enough for any outfit.

See where I am going with this?

A VSCO girl might not be right about using the C1 filter on every picture, but she surely knows that a scrunchie is the most gentle tool for your hair. And that a reusable water flask is way better than buying disposable plastic bottles.

However ironic these choices might be, there are not bad choices. And at the end of the day, they are not hurting anyone either.

Once again, the clothes you wear don't define you unless you want them to. How much thought did you put into the outfit you are wearing right now? Me, personally — not a lot.

As long as you are comfortable and happy with the way you look — great. Who cares how many people outside are going to look the exact same way as you do?

Things don't define us. We choose them based on our own decisions and it just so happens that a lot of times our opinions match.

Why You Are Not A Basic White Girl

No matter how many pairs of Birkenstocks you own, you are not a basic white girl. Unless you want to be for whatever reason.

And you are not a VSCO girl if you don't wish to identify as one.

The desire to belong and be a part of a group is very human and very reasonable. But if your choices are not based on the description of a particular subculture, there is no reason to worry.

Whatever is inside your head is most certainly not basic. Because we all come from different backgrounds, live through different challenges, and see the world through different color lenses.

This means that everyone is by default extraordinary and unlike anyone else. Knowing this, you will probably not want to call someone a basic white girl or a VSCO girl without their consent ever again.

Basic White Girl For The Win

Judging people by their looks is easy. The real challenge is to choose the harder path and look past messy buns and Starbucks cups.

Feel free to wear whatever and be interested in whatever. No one has a right to define you as a basic white girl or a VSCO girl unless you want them to.

You do you in black leggings and an over-sized shirt, whatever anyone says.