The “normcore” of Comedian Daunte Cordova

The list of stylish comedians in San Diego is a short one. Foremost among them is Daunte Cordova, a stand-up comic who’s been outshining the competition for years.

Cordova describes his style as a derivation of “normcore,” a fashion aesthetic that’s deliberately boring. The end result is anything but. He has that “four decades put in a blender” look that’s hard to pull off. It takes strategy.

Daunte starts with a “statement piece,” something eye-catching, then supplements with more neutral clothing. He tries not to wear logos, both because he thinks it’s tacky and because he “can’t afford it.”

His most recently acquired eye-catcher is a high schooler’s color guard jacket with “Linda” embroidered on the front and “slag” embroidered on the back. He picked it up at La Loupe Vintage on Adams Avenue, one of his favorite spots.

Daunte is a regular at San Diego’s thrift stores. He prefers Salvation Army over Goodwill, as it’s cheaper. He visits the Salvation Army Family Store on El Cajon Boulevard weekly.

Daunte himself is a statement piece when seen alongside his peers. Most stand-ups look like they were dressed by a spiteful parent, though this doesn’t stop them from taking shots. Daunte says he faced withering mockery when he started dressing well. Now, he leans into it, posting videos of new outfits to his Instagram (@dauntizzle) and inviting everyone to roast him in the comments.

He’s not just a pretty outfit — Daunte is a talented comedian and a great producer. He recently wrapped up a long run at the helm of Whalecat, an showcase at the La Jolla Comedy Store. These days, he prefers performing more DIY shows at places like Lestat’s in Normal Heights and Tiger!Tiger! in North Park. Save the burns for when he’s offstage, please.