How to Tell if a Girl Is Basic

Co-authored by Eric McClure Reviewed by John Keegan

Last Updated: February 13, 2025 Fact Checked

Wondering if the girl you’re dating qualifies as basic? Are you curious if you’re a basic girl yourself? While the idea of being basic is a little flexible, it generally refers to anyone who has a mainstream, unoriginal, and mid-American vibe. We’re here to break down what makes someone basic to begin with so that you can keep an eye out for all of the classic signs. Keep in mind that there isn’t really anything wrong with being basic. Even if certain women dress, look, and act the same way, everyone is a unique person with their own lived experiences.

1

She takes a ton of selfies.

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A basic woman never skips the opportunity for a cute selfie. Bonus points if she’s making the “duck lips” face or throwing a peace sign up with her fingers. A basic gal will use selfies to document nights out with friends, show off her newest outfit, or showcase her latest trip to the beach.^{[1]
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- If you scroll through her phone’s photo gallery and 50% or more of the photos are selfies, it’s a big sign she’s basic.

2

She’s always posting on social media.

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When photos of fancy meals on Instagram are #goals, she’s basic. If a girl is basic, she’s likely to be super active online. She’ll post about where she’s going, what she’s doing, and how she’s feeling. She’ll likely be active on Insta, Twitter, and Snapchat, and she won’t hesitate to share how poppin’ the party is or how popular the brunch spot is.^{[2]
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- A basic girl may even delete posts that don’t get a lot of traction online.
- She may fixate on how many followers or friends she has, and add random people to get more exposure online.
- A basic girl is also likely to be active on Pinterest.

3

She wears basic brands.

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Forever 21, Hollister, and Ugg boots are the staples of a basic wardrobe. It’s a kind of strip mall, mainstream designer, yuppie vibe that a basic girl goes for. Northface pullovers, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Birkenstock sandals are all popular staples as well. Picture the kind of outfit you could put together just by shopping at Target—that’s the basic girl uniform.^{[3]
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- You’re unlikely to see a basic girl wearing a ton of eccentric colors, secondhand clothes, or vintage styles.

4

She listens to top 40 music.

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Whatever is super popular on the radio will be in heavy rotation. Taylor Swift, Adele, One Direction, and Beyoncé are the key ingredients in a basic girl’s playlist, but anything that you’d hear on the radio can qualify. Whether it’s country, hip hop, pop, or EDM, a basic girl will be super interested in whatever’s popular at the moment.^{[4]
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- Basic girls rarely have vinyl collections or listen to obscure artists. This isn’t to say they don’t have good taste, just that they’re not going to dig deep to find new music.

5

She watches reality TV.

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A basic girl follows shows like The Bachelor and 90 Day Fiancé. Reality TV won’t be the only thing a basic girl watches, but it’s likely to be something she follows quite closely. Basically, if it’s still on basic cable and most people would consider it “trashy” TV, she’s probably going to be super interested in following it.^{[5]
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- Keeping Up with the Kardashians is also a common reality show.
- Popular non-reality TV basic viewing might include Grey’s Anatomy, Arrested Development, The Office, Law and Order, and Gossip Girl.

6

She loves fancy coffee.

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A basic girl lives for mocha pumpkin spice latte Frappuccinos. Basic girls pride themselves on having exceptionally complicated coffee orders. They don’t just drink black coffee, or coffee with a splash of cream. Starbucks is exceptionally popular among basic girls for this reason—it’s a great option if you need some fancy coffee.^{[6]
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- Seasonal coffee tends to be popular with basic girls. For example, they’ll order pumpkin anything in October, or green-colored mint coffees around St. Patrick’s Day.

7

She loves wine.

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Basic girls tend to prefer white or red wine over beer. Offer a basic girl a Budweiser and she’s likely going to ask, “Got any chardonnay?” When it comes to harder stuff, a basic girl is more likely to prefer vodka and rum over whiskey and gin. Popular basic girl cocktails include the mimosa, vodka cranberry, the Moscow mule, and Cosmopolitan.^{[7]
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- Wine tends to be a little fancier than the average domestic beer, and beer isn’t particularly a good idea if you’re counting calories. Basic girls often try to take care of themselves, and they enjoy the finer things, so skipping beer makes sense.

8

She abbreviates unnecessarily.

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It’s totes cray cray how basic girls will shorten random words. If she uses “adorbs” to describe a cute dog, or she tells you your outfit is “totally fab,” she’s probably basic. This little quirk is fairly common among basic girls, so if you notice she’s truncating adjectives and nouns, she might be basic.
- Basic girls will often have a bit of a West Coast Valley Girl accent, too. This is where you place an upward inflection at the end of sentences to make statements sound a bit like questions.

9

She has average, typical interests.

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A basic girl will like traveling, dogs, and movies—just like everyone else. If someone has a really unique hobby, like metalworking, painting, or slam poetry, you can’t really call them basic. The archetypal basic girl is going to have super standard interests, so if she mentions how she loves hanging out with friends, going on road trips, or hanging out with her cat, she fits the bill.^{[8]
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- Basic girls may talk about “going on adventures,” but they’re usually just talking about going to brunch or going hiking.

10

She has “live, laugh, love” home décor.

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A basic gal will have a home filled with mason jars and cursive signs. The “live, laugh, love” signage is a 100% surefire sign she’s basic, but really any kind of farmhouse-style signage is an indicator of basicness. Essentially, if Target would sell the décor and her home is filled with generic furniture and fixtures, she’s probably basic.^{[9]
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- Her walls may be decorated with art she bought at Ikea, but you’re unlikely to find any original art on her walls.

11

She loves stores like Lush and Sephora.

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If she goes nuts over scented candles and cucumber face scrubs, she’s basic. Basic girls live for anything that makes their home feel or smell fruity, fragrant, and colorful. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to live a lavish and comfy lifestyle where you look and smell your best, but for a basic girl, this is a major priority in her life.
- A basic girl is likely to have all kinds of skin creams, hair wands, lotions, and eyeliners covering her bathroom countertop.

12

She was in a sorority.

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Being basic comes from the urge to fit in, which is why some people join sororities. If she joined a sorority in college and she spent her undergraduate years attending theme parties with frat bros and talking about “sisterhood,” it’s a sign that she might be basic. Bonus points if she attended a big state school and talks about all the keggers she went to.
- It’s less likely a girl is basic if she was in a religious, service-based, or academic-oriented sorority.

13

She has typical tattoos, if any.

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If she’s got an infinity symbol or butterfly tattoo, she might be basic. Hearts, dreamcatchers, feathers, and inspirational quotes are all popular among basic girls as well. A basic girl is rarely going to be covered head to toe in tattoos. If she has any tats, she’s just going to have a handful of them.^{[10]
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- Tribal tattoos and flowers are also popular options among basic gals.

14

She would be at home as a character in Mean Girls.

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If she’d fit in with the popular crowd from Mean Girls, she’s basic. If you’ve never seen the movie Mean Girls, it’s about a catty group of teenage girls who worry about being popular. Basically, if you could imagine a girl being a secondary character in this movie, the odds are very good that she’s at least a little basic.^{[11]
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- If you’re unfamiliar with Mean Girls, you could also do this test with Sex and the City.

15

She’s apolitical.

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The stereotypical basic girl doesn’t take any strong political stances. A basic girl is unlikely to take up any social causes or post about local elections online. She’s also unlikely to follow current events or know what’s going on geopolitically.^{[12]
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- This isn’t to say that a basic gal doesn’t have empathy or care about what’s going on in the world, just that she’s more focused on what’s in front of her.

16

She doesn’t know she’s "basic".

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If she jokes about being basic and owns it, she can’t really be basic. Being basic is kind of like being uncool. If you crack jokes about being a dork and having a lame wardrobe, it can kind of make you cool so long as you’re confident with who you are. If a girl revels in her pumpkin spice and Taylor Swift tunes, she knows that’s basic behavior, and she still doesn’t care what people think, she’s actually not all that basic.^{[13]
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- Wondering how to accept being basic? See what fellow wikiHow readers have to say about it on the wikiHow forum post, "I didn't realize how basic I am...".
- If a girl has started to reclaim “basic b*tch” and use the insult as a term of endearment, it’s a surefire sign she’s not really basic.

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Question

What should I do if my girlfriend is basic?

Nico

Top Answerer

You shouldn't really "do" anything. If she's just being herself, doing what she likes, and she's considered to be "basic," break up with her if you don't like the way she is. If you decide to stay with her, accept who she is. Don't try to change a woman or confront her because she's "basic". Remember, being basic is just an internet insult used on girls who like fancy coffee, wear Forever 21 clothing, and listen to to the newest music. Even if your girlfriend is basic, treat her with respect.

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Tips

It's hurtful to call someone "basic" or "a basic b***h" simply because they do specific things or like certain stuff, so remember this.

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Simply because someone does one, more, or multiple of the things listed here, doesn't mean you should insult them or call them "basic". Everybody is different and has unique interests, but they should be treated equally, and not as an internet insult.

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Don't trash talk someone who is "basic" or gossip about them. This is hurtful and unkind. A "basic" person is still a person.

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