Kidcore is an aesthetic that centers around bright colors, nostalgia for icons from the 90s, and kid themes. While its origins can be traced back to the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s, it appears the aesthetic is a nostalgia-based creation of the 2010s. J-fashion styles, namely Decora, influenced this aesthetic, although Kidcore is less over the top and focuses more on childhood nostalgia and bright colors (Decora is often bright but can be any color scheme). Kidcore differs from Babycore as it is more focused on bright colors, cartoons, nostalgia, toys and accessories, as opposed to soft pastels, stuffies, soft kawaii fashion, and baby items. Both are associated with reclaiming a sense of childhood wonderment. Fairy Kei fashion is sometimes mistakenly called Pastel Kidcore, since it also features retro, nostalgic inspired motifs, but they are in fact different things and Kidcore centers around being bright and not pastel.
