I have been thinking a lot about what has sprouted from the indie hipster aesthetic of yesteryear. Back when it was all about ‘making fun of ppl with moustaches’ who ‘wore skinny jeans.’

The Contemporary Conformist.

I think the latest rationalized as ‘pure’ consumer mindset is contemporary conformity. The contemporary conformist has ‘urban lust’ for an unsubstantiated version of day-to-day life in urban environments. However, that urban lust is balanced with a ‘rural naturalism’ that attempts to utilize an arbitrary perception of farm-2-table vibes (when you’ve only ever sat at the table in some try-too-hard-contemporary-wave designed restaurant).

The Contemporary Conformist believes that they are ‘progressive’, while they are actually only ‘of the times’ [via contemporary]. Our times are currently a retro-vintage-urban-modern-artisanal lusting time. The Contemporary Conformist uses his/her consumer identity to rationalize post-youth-culture existence, transitioning to quirky take a ‘well-adjusted, healthy, and decently earning’ couple.

The Contemporary Conformist ‘Look’

The Contemporary Conformist is meant to dress as though they ‘fit in’ against the contemporary conformist design aesthetic. Wood. ‘Weathered.’ Exposed Brick. Zany Light Fixtures. Hints of Metal. Plants (but not generic flowers).

Plaid. Gingham. Denim. ‘Chambray.’ Shirts with subtle stripes.
Contemporary Conformists wear loud neutrals to try to shock you with their naturalism.

The contemporary conformist ‘pays’ to look like they are not trying. Their look attempts to cloak dependence on technology, low-paid service industries, and sweatshoppes to make things affordable 4 every1.

The Contemporary Conformist attempts to convince themselves that they aren’t falling for arbitrary/uninformed youth culture trends. Instead, the contemporary conformist ‘dresses the part’ of a lifestyle that they have earned with middle-class jobs.

The Contemporary Conformist fashion look is meant to be a preparation for the Contemporary Conformist home purchase, where the Contemporary Conformist couple uses their ‘design aesthetic’ to create a ‘natural’ urban vintage rural look using their ‘great taste’ that is completely in line with contemporary conformism.

Understanding the interior/exterior design aesthetic that the Contemporary Conformist Desires

There is a contemporary conformist design aesthetic that has taken over all ‘trendy’ restaurants designed in the past ~5 years. The contemporary conformist design aesthetic is meant to provide a ‘welcoming’/’curated’ experience to those who want to ‘break free’ from the unnatural aesthetic of chain/branded experiences.

By accumulating ‘more experiences’ in contemporary conformist spaces, the contemporary conformist human believes that have experienced ‘something you can’t pay for’, even though you paid higher prices than you would have at a scaled international chain.

While mason jars are now ‘too Pinterest basic bitch wave’, the contemporary conformist tries to live a life with a visual aesthetic that transcends the Pinterest aesthetic.

Reaction Against Suburbia

Suburbia is not urban.
Suburbia is not industrial.
Suburbia is not rural.
Suburbia is not natural.
Exposed brick is ‘too expensive’ of a building material for suburbia.
Understanding this is the gateway to being a contemporary conformist.
Rage, Rage against the expansion of suburbia [even though suburbia is probz pretty natural [via cheapness]]

The Contemporary Conformist wants to distance themselves from a ‘suburban existence.’ This requires investing in ‘nicer’ clothes than the Old Navy/Ross shit meant to cover the tummies of fatties.

The Contemporary Conformist wants to look so natural/urban that they seem like the alien in a frozen yogurt shoppe.

The contemporary conformist attire attempts to rationalize denim as an ‘upscale casual’ look.

The contemporary conformist finds ‘meaning’ in following recipes that use ingredients that they weren’t ‘fed’ as a kid. They have rationalized this ‘culinary’ journey as meaningful.

The contemporary conformist looks to create a ‘permanent instagram filter’ in their lives/personal space where #NoFilter is necessary. Instead, there is always a source of ‘natural’ light that is meant to properly illuminate every space/photo opportunity.

A picture of a plate.
A picture with your significant other.
This is different than youth culture broadcasting. It is tasteful, deliberate, and shows ‘a life that you are living’, not a culture that you are ‘conforming to.’

Let’s go to a bakery.

The contemporary conformist values non-traditional pastries more than the desserts of American youth. Macarons provide a highly Instagrammably experience that has ‘pops of color’ against the contemporary conformist backdrop.

The Contemporary Conformist Consumer Identity

The contemporary conformist is dependent upon technology to stay up to date with contemporary conformist trends. This means staying up to date on restaurants, critically acclaimed TV shows, and ‘important topics’ covered in netstream thinkpieces.

The contemporary conformist pretends to desire ‘a walkable way of life’ where every one is ‘dressed well’ to ‘go to brunch’ the night after ‘drinking cocktails’ that are more than just spirit+low-cost mixer from a soda gun.

The contemporary conformist believes that he/she is living a ‘natural life,’ and their entire life/personal brand/personality is a natural reaction to an over-branded childhood.
The contemporary conformist values ‘locally sourced’ products and attempts to stay away from global brands.
The contemporary conformist prefers to purchase clothes from global brands who ‘do pop-up lines’ with smaller brands that appear to be ‘authentic.’

The contemporary conformist attempts to exude wealth.
The contemporary conformist is a pseudo-affluent lifestyle where you attempt to rationalize ‘taste’ as your ticket to luxury. However, all the contemporary conformist is doing is conforming to a fleeting contemporary aesthetic/life/vibe/paradigm/consumer-existence.

Contemporary Conformist is Not Normcore

Normcore is not contemporary conformist. Normcore is a low-price vintage look. Normcore is forgettable. Normcore is not contemporary. Normcore is not conforming–it is a nostalgically driven fashion aesthetic.
Contemporary Conformists find comfort in brands like J.Crew, MadeWell, Anthropologie, and other affordable yuppie tastemakers.
Contemporary Conformists attempt to rationalize their middle class existences.
Contemporary Conformists attempt to ‘distance themselves’ from ‘youth culture’ despite still being dependent upon social sharing, community social experiences like music festivals, and a human desire to ‘be outdoors in functional public space.’
Contemporary Conformists believe that ‘craft’ coffee/beer/mixology drinks/mixed greens.

Contemporary Conformists Want to be upper class, but they can’t, so all they can do are simulate pseudo-upper-class experiences and rationalize how they ‘fit in.’
The contemporary conformist rationalizes their educational experiences as having created a ‘well-rounded’ global view of the world, despite being as ‘narrow-minded’ as traditional conservative ruralites.

The Contemporary Conformist is grounded in nothing. They have no sense of the world. They are not traveled. They do not actually ‘know’ cuisine. They only have a collection of consumer experiences.

The process of assembling a contemporary conformist lifestyle is the same as assembling a mainstream lifestyle. However, the mainstream lifestyle is ‘more honest’, which the contemporary conformist is contrived–meant to ‘conform’ to an unnatural contemporary aesthetic.

Dear Lord,
Please free me from my
Contemporary Conformist Leanings/Practices
Set me free.
Dear god, Set Me Free.

Do u know Contemporary Conformists?
WTF does contemporary mean?
What’s the diff between modern and contemporary yall?
Is the ‘contemporary conformist’ aesthetic already becoming ‘the mainstream’ design aesthetic?
What else do Contemporary Conformists do/practice/buy/think?
Are many post-hipsters contemporary conformists?
Can u be urban/industrial/natural all at the same time?
Which do u h8 more: exposed brick, Edison Light bulbz, zany light fixtures, damask wallpaper, or weathered wood?
Does ‘the web’ look too contemporary conformist now?
How has Instagram impacted the contemporary conformist aesthetic?
Don’t u srsly h8 contemporary conformists and how they think they are soo0o pure?
Are ‘wedding announcements’ / photos of food on square plates the ultimate representation of the contemporary conformist visual aesthetic?
Are ContempConfies worse than mainstreamers/indies/EDMers/tweens?
Why does Contemporary Conformism exist?

Also Read: Contemporary Conformity [Part 2]

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