If your scrunchies have gone missing and you can't find your lip balm, chances are you've been hit by a VSCO girl. Here's how to identify them in the wild.

On the surface, a VSCO girl is a cool teenager who ascribes to a certain look that reflects her conservationist attitude and pseudo-relaxed outlook on fashion. Dig a little deeper, though, and you'll find a very strict dress code that they MUST adhere to.

Identifier 1: Scrunchies, and lots of them

No messy bun is complete without a scrunchie, and there's nothing a VSCO girl loves more than a good impromptu updo. 

Identifier 2: Hydro Flask water bottle or metal straws

Usually covered in stickers, the beverage holder of choice MUST be a branded Hydro Flask. No other water bottle will do. Period. A huge part of the VSCO girl mentality is (yay) being "green," so they proudly brandish metal straws everywhere they go. Save the turtles, y'all!

Identifier 3: Enormous shirts and tiny shorts

The shirt should be pastel, but must be big enough to fit two people together if necessary, and have that soft, worn-in look. If you have to squint to see the bottom of the shorts peeking out from under a giant t-shirt, they're short enough.

Identifier 4: Distinctive Jewelry

Don't worry about the cost; VSCO girls favor shell necklaces and handmade friendship bracelets. Remember those?

Identifier 5: Kånken Backpack

Nothing less than this $80 Swedish backpack will do for toting a VSCO girl's essentials. Once again, don't even THINK about substituting with an off-brand. As if!

Identifier 6: Lip balm

You've got a bit of a break with this one. Carmex and Burt's Bees are the brands of choice, so stock up if you suspect you have a VSCO girl in your house.

Identifier 7: Comfy shoes

Believe it or not, VSCO girls love them some old-lady footwear. Crocs and Birkenstocks are at the top of the list as the finishing touch to the "I-just-got-out-of-bed" look. 

For a hilarious how-to tutorial on how to transform yourself, check out this video by Miranda Sings:

In my day, the VSCO girl uniform equivalent was penny loafers from G.H. Bass worn with scrunched down white socks, DIY jorts, and a string of pearls worn with everything from your boyfriend's t-shirt to your fall flannel. All in all, the VSCO girl look is harmless and even a bit enviable. With an emphasis on comfort and eco-friendly options, what's not to love?

I was a little sad to see so many people making fun of them online and all of the Halloween costumes that mocked them. The upside of all of this is that the real VSCO girls are comfortable enough with themselves to dress this way and openly save the turtles, one straw at a time.

Do you have a VSCO girl in your life? How accurate are these identifiers? Let us know in the comments—sksksksksksksks!