Underconsumption core
Etymology
A TikTok trend of 2024, built from underconsumption plus the suffix -core (from "normcore" via "hardcore"), which labels internet aesthetics. It arose explicitly as a reaction to overconsumption and the relentless buying promoted by influencers.
noun · /UN-der-kun-sump-shun kor/
An aesthetic and ethic of buying less and using up what you already own, rather than constantly acquiring more.
What it names
It names the reframing of frugality and restraint as something aspirational — finishing the shampoo bottle, wearing clothes for years, owning one of a thing. It emerged as a direct pushback against the endless hauls and product recommendations that dominate consumer social media.
Example
Her whole feed is underconsumption core now — a five-year-old phone, a capsule wardrobe, and zero hauls.
Related idea
Overlaps with loud budgeting in rejecting overspending, but underconsumption core is an aesthetic of using less, while loud budgeting is openly announcing you won’t spend.