Online aesthetics have been around for a while. From pastel to neon, cottagecore to fairycore, and even the emos and scene aesthetic, internet users find inspiration in things they find pleasing or what they believe could fit their personalities. And in 2023, another is about to enter the encyclopedia of online aesthetics. Let me introduce you to ‘crikeycore’ an aesthetic inspired by Australia thanks to Tumblr.
The term was first coined by Tumblr user magicalnursekomugi, who shared a photo of fairy bread (a piece of toast with hundreds and thousands, or rainbow sprinkles) next to a glass of milk. He claimed that the photo reminded him of the TV show Bluey, and described it as “crikeycore.” The label is based on the word “crikey” the famous catchphrase of Steve Irwin, and “core,” meaning the essential part of anything, according to dictionary.com.
Magicalnursekomugi spoke to We Got This Covered about the term and according to him, it was just the first thing that came up in his head as the final punchline for the post.
“I have no clue. I made that post at night and was thinking of a final punchline, but the only thing i could come up with is “crikeycore”.
What’s interesting is that OP isn’t Australian. He’s confirmed in a recent Tumblr post that he’s American and has never tasted fairy bread or played pass the parcel. He told We Got This Covered that he doesn’t know what else could be added to the aesthetic so he’s leaving it up to the people.
“I don’t know. It’s not really up to me. It was a silly post I made, I feel like the “aesthetic” happening is people who think its funny and wanting to expand on the joke.”
Regardless, the term blew up on social media, receiving nearly 30,000 notes on Tumblr, and shocked Australians who just learned that their country has its own aesthetic.
This was bound to happen eventually since Netflix Heartbreak High was a success on the streaming platform, the recent spike in popularity for the show, Bluey, the ongoing love and respect for the Irwin family, and The Wiggles still being relevant to this day.
Since the Australian aesthetic is now a thing, other users on the internet want to expand the crikeycore definition. How does one dress in this aesthetic? What is the color pallet? Do you need to pronounce the word no as “naur?”
Fortunately, ideas are being thrown out left and right. Some suggested some sort of beige look with a tie for the men. Others suggested wearing a cork hat. Others believe just the food itself is enough to be part of the aesthetic.
Will crikeycore cement itself to join the other popular online aesthetics? Maybe. It would be funny to see how people would decorate their rooms using an Australian aesthetic or wear clothes inspired by Australian pop culture. Magicalnursekomugi told We Got This Covered that he hopes “crikeycore” remains as a Tumblr joke but finds it funny that other people are discovering it outside of the website.
“God I hope it stays a Tumblr inside joke. I don’t use Twitter, so I had no idea. Honestly it’s kind of funny how far the joke has gotten, the post truly has breached containment if its on Twitter.”
Perhaps “crikeycore” is an extension of Australiana nostalgia, where people on social media, especially on TikTok and Reddit, would reminisce about growing up in the land down under. And with Australian-made programs reaching Western audiences, it’s no surprise why they’d think that the Australian culture and aesthetic might be appealing.