Naarmcore

Naarm is the Indigenous name (in two languages spoken by groups who are part of the Kulin nation) for the area around Melbourne, and so it has been adopted generally as an alternative name for Melbourne.  Most Indigenous people are pleased with the dual naming that is springing up around the country, regarding it as a restoration of the names that have significance for them.

Naarmcore, however, is possibly a step too far.  It is a parallel formation to normcore, a fashion statement of 2013 which was achieved by dressing in clothing that was as bland and conventional and normal as possible.  Naarmcore combines this -core ending with Naarm because this new fashion style has evolved in Melbourne among Indigenous people. The essence of Naarmcore is a kind of anti-fashion.  You put together items that would be regarded as definitely not stylish such as thick sandshoes with baggy trousers and a simple coloured T-shirt. If it has an Indigenous slogan on it, all the better.  Some Indigenous people are troubled by having Naarm incorporated into a whitefella English way of coining a name for a fashion.