Whether you wear the friendship beaded bracelets or not, it’s time to break the stigma.
Being a VSCO girl is the equivalent to what we saw in the early 2010s known as the ‘Basic Tumblr Girl’ or the ‘Basic White Girl’. Back then, they were Starbucks drinking, choker wearing, UGG loving teens. Now, they’ve evolved.
 The VSCO girl trend comes along with a strong negative connotation. They are easy to make fun of and don’t make the best jokes (ie. “sksksksksks”, “and I oop-”). This week it’s time to delve deeper to learn who they REALLY are.
Brands, brands, brands. That sounds horrible but VSCO girls are known for wearing Crocs, Birkenstocks, and will ALWAYS have a Hydro Flask. Most people see these brands as nothing more than a meme due to the friendship bracelet loving girls, but a lot of them are better than expected.
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- Hydro Flask
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The water bottle that truly defines who VSCO girls are－Hydro Flask. Hydro Flask is a rather new company breaking out onto the market in 2009 in Bend, Oregon. Each bottle is equipped with double-wall vacuum insulation to regulate the temperature, and are made out of stainless steel to ensure cleanliness, and clean taste.Â
They have created a program “Parks for All” in 2017 and continue to raise money and awareness to rehabilitate parks. The company supports 63 nonprofits, and have donated over $800,000, along with donating over 17,000 bottles. Hydro Flask recently has also partnered with World Surf League (WSL) this past year to sponsor all of the competitions this season. From the Hydro Flask website “WSL is committed to reducing our use of single-serve plastics at our events and cultivating a more sustainable planet. Our partnership with Hydro Flask supports our community’s active lifestyle, while also shaping environmentally conscious habits and working to rid the world of single-use plastic. The quality of their products, reputation for innovation, and commitment to the environment make them a tremendous partner for the WSL.” – Sophie Goldschmidt, WSL Chief Executive Officer. Hydro Flask is dedicated to sustainability and getting rid of single-use plastics.
There are 8 different types of bottles ranging in sizes from a kids 12oz, to a whopping 64oz… talk about a lot of hydration. They also have tons of different tumblers, coffee mugs, and beer/wine coolers that come in all different sizes and GORGEOUS colors.
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- Crocs
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Crocs: a staple in VSCO girl culture. Whether you’ve decided to wear them with gibbets or not, they are always worn. The company has become self-identified as the “most delightfully comfortable shoes in the world”, and we’re here for it. Since the year 2002, they have sold over 600 million pairs of shoes, and they are being sold in over 90 countries. Crocs as a company chooses to follow six core values as follows. “ Delightfully democratic, people-purposed design, inherent simplicity, imaginative innovation, unapologetic optimism, and confidently comfortable”. This is the center of their customer service and company outlook.Â
There are countless different styles of crocs along with the iconic clogs, so there is most definitely a pair for anyone and everyone, but if you’re ready to be a VSCO girl the classic are the way to go. If you really want to commit every VSCO girl has Jibbitz on their pair. Jibbitz are little charms that can pop into the classic style of Crocs, and they come in all different designs. Anything ranging from flowers to avocado toast they have it. Each charm comes priced at $3.99 which is not too much but can add up if you go too crazy with picking them out!
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- Birkenstocks
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   Owning a pair of Birks is vital, VSCO girl or not. These trendy sandals originated in Germany in 1774, Johann Adam Birkenstock was creating them. This was found in the archives of a church in Langen-Bergheim, Germany. From there they were continually becoming more popular. In 1966 the company finally opened up to the American market, and the rest is history.Â
   The footbed of the shoe truly identifies it. They are made to promote good posture and to last for ages. Take this, for instance, my 89-year-old grandma has been wearing a pair that she bought in Germany in the 1950s. She REFUSES to get rid of them. The most popular among the VSCO girls is the Arizona, the two-strapped, Jesus shoe. In my opinion, they are for sure the best option off of the Birkenstock website. Nonetheless, they have dozens of other cute styles as well. Surprisingly enough Birkenstock does not only sell shoes they have a line of natural skincare as well. Ingredients included can be elderberry, cork oat extract, coconut oil and more. The company makes sure that there is no chance of chemicals being put in their products─ perfect for the earth-loving VSCO girl.
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You DO NOT have to be a VSCO girl to love these products. Each company actually values sustainability. They are more than just superficial products.