Why I can't wear gorpcore
(in town)
I mean obviously I have the ability to put on a cagoule and some hiking shoes. See photo. Maybe this should be ‘why I won’t wear gorpcore (in town)’?
Anyway.
I have a mental blocker when it comes to outdoors wear in town. It’s all brilliantly summed up by those meme accounts that show people in La Sportiva approach shoes and €800 Gore-Tex shell jackets on their way to drink a matcha latte at a Japanese-inspired cafe in hipsterville.
Like navigating a Land Rover Discovery through Chelsea, or strapping on a specialist dive watch for cocktails at l’Avenue, there’s something painfully performative about gorpcore en ville.
For me, outdoors wear should be worn in the great outdoors. At my Mum’s place in there Lake District, I have half-zip fleeces galore, several pairs of Salomons, a fancy cagoule, waterproof overtrousers…hell, I even have waterproof gloves. But the difference is that in the Lake District, these are essentials that you need for a day out on the hills.
Naturally this struck me in the Lakes last week, where everyone wears practical gorpcore: ugly padded jackets, hip-length shell jackets, ankle-height walking boots, thick socks. In town it’s none of this, which in my eyes makes it all the more performative. With no shade intended (even tho this sounds shady af), it’s more an observation. In Canal St Martin or London Fields, it’s different - logo-heavy, practical silhouettes for town, bright colours. An emphasis on styling. If you wore that in the Lakes, locals would say you have “all the gear and no idea”.
I have tried to bring my hiking stuff to town, in fairness. I brought my Haglöfs fleece to Hackney and my Arc’teryx to Belleville, but they both just felt out of place. Like wearing wellies in a light shower in town, it was overkill. You just don’t need a 3 season jacket on the Line 11 to Chatelet. It also felt very herd mentality, like wearing a trend for a trend’s sake. Because other people are wearing it, it must be cool, right?
I always used to hate writing those ‘these are our most popular items’ emails for fashion brands. I’m also very aware that this is a *me* thing. But I guess that’s a way we could perhaps look at fashion trends. Why do I want to wear something? Does it suit me, specifically? What does it say about me? Why the hell am I buying this?
Anyway, let’s not go too deeply into trend psychology. That way ‘consultancy” lies. All this is more to explain why I leave my approach shoes and Gore-Tex in the Lakes, and instead wear stupidly impractical long wool coats and Vans in town. Yay!
Some other stuff for the week? Voila:
Nigella Lawson’s flourless chocolate brownies
Travelling super-light (more on this next week)
Planning for Xmas - but quietly in my head, not actually making any festive purchases, and being mock-shocked that M&S is already selling mince pies
Cardigan season - sound the #grampaseb klaxon
Importing Yorkshire Tea bags (€13 for 80 in Smiths on rue de Rivoli? LOL)