Slang dictionary
VSCO girl
摆听vis-koh gurl ]
What does VSCO girl mean?
VSCO girl is a term, generally used as an insult, for a young, usually white woman who posts trendy pictures of herself edited on the app VSCO.
Stereotypes of the VSCO girl include wearing scrunchies and Birkenstock sandals, drinking out of Hydro Flask reusable water canisters, saying sksksk and I oop, and generally seeking attention online.
Where does VSCO girl come from?
Since launching in 2011, the app VSCO (formerly VSCO cam) has allowed users to edit photos and videos with preset filters and other tools, which they then share on the app itself or on other social media, such as Instagram.
We can find the phrase VSCO girl in 2017鈥�2018. Some of these instances apply the term to describe a young woman who is a loyal user of the app. Other instances use VSCO girl, likely with an ironic tone, for a young, white woman who posts perfectly鈥攁nd enviably鈥攁ttractive pictures online. (The phrase calls up similar constructions like Tumblr girl, e-girl, and Tinderella, as well as Valley girl and preppy girl before them.)
This latter use of VSCO girl anticipates how the term evolved in 2019. In January 2019, YouTube user Greer Jones posted a satirical video in which she explained how to become 鈥渢he ultimate VSCO girl.鈥� This included trying to become famous or go viral by posting a lot of pictures involving designer clothes (e.g., Nike Air Force 1 shoes and Lululemon athleisure wear) and lifestyle trends (drinking coffee with oat milk).
By summer 2019, the term VSCO girl spread as a slang insult online as more social videos on YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms stereotyped her as an obsessively trendy, vain young woman. VSCO itself praised, perhaps ironically, one mocking “VSCO girl transformation” video, posted in June 2019 and since earning over 1.5 million views. The first Urban Dictionary entry for VSCO girl was published in July 2019, and articles on several popular websites were considering the term and trend by August.
Trends especially mocked center on a beach-y, 1990s aesthetic popular in the 2010s, including scrunchies, the color yellow, friendship bracelets, high-waisted jean shorts, baggy tie-dye tops, Birkenstock sandals. Lifestyle trends include health fads, using eco-friendly products, drinking out of Hydro Flask water canisters, using disposable cameras, and taking pictures of hangouts with friends in coyly free-spirited poses.
The terms sksksk and I oop are also associated with the stereotypical VSCO girl. The former is meant as an expression of excitement or awkwardness, the latter a playful way to acknowledge a mistake. Both of these expressions, however, have been traced back to Black female, drag, and/or LGBTQ communities.
sksksksanoopanoop sksksks and i oop anoop anioop scrunchie girl hydroflask vsco girl white tiktok
— reaction videos (@findurmeme)
The underlying implication of the insult VSCO girl is that she is white, relatively rich, conformist, and obsessed with social media鈥攖hat’s she’s basic, to use another slang term, but according to the perceived fashion and lifestyle trends among young, white women in the late 2010s.
Examples of VSCO girl
Who uses VSCO girl?
In early 2019, some young women earnestly used VSCO girl when describing themselves or outfits when posting pictures online.
However, VSCO girl has generally become as a mocking meme and insult, roughly equivalent to basic bitch. The term may refer to a particular young woman perceived to be as a VSCO girl or to refer to stereotypical VSCO girl look and lifestyle.
even ari has become a vsco girl
— 菨蓴谋谉鈭�鈽侊笍 (@aristhequeeen)
essentials of a vsco girl//
Some people online have pushed back against the insult of VSCO girl, considering it mean-spirited or embracing (often ironically) some of its aesthetics in spite of the mockery.
Imagine having such an amazing sister that you would do anything to be like her. If that鈥檚 a 鈥淰SCO Girl鈥� then so be it. Abby is pretty amazing, and probably the most selfless person I have ever met. I hope when I grow up I can be half the person she is. Keep being you Abs. 馃挋
— Ally Robertson (@Ally47035225)
i鈥檓 a quirky vsco girl now 馃槍馃槍鉁婏笍
— juuler yeosang (@punkyeo)
The hashtag #vscogirl is a very popular on social media, with over one million results on Instagram and getting nearly 300 million views on TikTok.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of VSCO girl like most terms we define on 亚洲网紅露点, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of VSCO girl that will help our users expand their word mastery.