I know the amount of time and attention that goes into dressing well could absolutely be used in more effective ways in my daily life — and yet — I still care about using clothing to reflect my personality. Even still, fashion is an inherently funny thing. It’s always curious to see what goes and comes back into popularity. For as many interesting trends as we’ve seen, I don’t think I would have ever predicted that hiking gear would or could be the next big thing.
I’m an Eagle Scout who grew up in the shadow of the Appalachian Trail in upstate South Carolina, so having a fondness for hiking and camping came naturally. That admiration was helpful when looking for a part-time job, as I worked at a camping store throughout high school and college. I soon knew all the benefits of layering with merino wool, why fleece was so cozy, and why it made for the warmest jackets. The technical nature of outdoorware made me realize clothing could have far more of a practical application outside of just wearing them. North Face jackets were prevalent in my high school, but their ubiquity seemed to arise out of being cool more than their inherent technical purposes.
I’ve assembled quite the collection of fleeces thanks to working at that store over the years. My attention to them ebbed and flowed over the years as I got more into layering hoodies, sweaters, and sweatshirts under oversized coats to withstand the brutal DC winters. Still, I thought of fleece as this hidden secret — and certainly not something that would ever become fashionable. So color me surprised when gorpcore became a thing.
Coined by The Cut in 2017, “gorpcore” (or gorp for short) is a reference to the popular hiking snack of the same name is and defined as “defiantly ugly, like something you’d buy (or exactly what you’d buy) at REI before a weekend in Phoenicia — practical, element-braving fleeces, ponchos, parkas, and windbreakers from no-nonsense brands like Patagonia, the North Face, Teva, Columbia, and Birkenstock.” Suddenly this crazily patterned Patagonia jacket I’d gotten was both practical and fashionable.
This Patagonia jacket has come to represent so many things to me. I first found it on Four Pins — Complex’s long-shuttered menswear blog was 1) absolutely unhinged 2) one of the best things on the Internet, and 3) the source for a whole generation of fashion enthusiasts now think about how they dress. In 2014, it seemed kind of surreal that a jacket I could get at a place I worked in suburban South Carolina would end up on a fashion blog based out of New York. The clothing I saw on Four Pins was something I’d be hard-pressed to find on the Internet, let alone at ::checks notes:: my local Belk’s. Here was something I’d always worn, being validated in a way that felt meaningful.
It also helped that the jacket just looks great. Patagonia has done this printed Aztec-pattern in many fleeces, but it’s rarer in their zip-ups, let alone their technical fleeces. What struck me about it initially is that it’s a heavier weight, lined with material that helps to add wind-resistance. Looking through the brand’s offerings and it appears the company doesn’t make it longer, which just makes it even cooler to me. Plus, the faux-hair is a neat texture to incorporate into a fit.
There’s something fascinating about gorp catching on during a period where so many of us are trapped indoors. Gorp is all about ensuring comfort in the face of the unpredictable nature of, well, nature. In this regard, it shouldn’t be at all surprising that it’s caught on. For me, it’s cool to feel I was ahead of the curve.
Marvel officially returned from its year-and-a-half-ish hiatus today with the premiere of WandaVision. The Disney+ series marks the MCU’s first foray into streaming and is the first of ten (!) different Marvel projects we’ll see this year. Thusly, it was a huge content week for your boy. On Complex, I wrote about five different comic book series you should read before watching the show and also reviewed the premiere. For GQ, I wrote a spoiler-filled explainer about one of the premiere’s big teases and what it might mean for the future of both WandaVision and the MCU writ-large.
I’m really curious to see what people make of the series. If you’ve seen the premiere and want to chat about it, definitely reach out.
Another wild and crazy week is in the books. I know I’m wiped and I have a feeling I’m not the only one. Thanks for reading. Hang in there and speak soon.
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