The Revolving Door of Aesthetics
By Katalina Elise
Photo by Danny Andersen
From the early 2013 divide of grunge vs. hipsters to the stylistic visuals of TikTok subcultures, aesthetics have been used for people to present themselves with or against niche parts of lifestyle culture in a way that lets them decorate the very fabric of their lives.
Bedrooms, outfits, hairstyles, eyeshadow looks, objects; nothing is spared in being placed within an aesthetic category. But what’s changed in recent years isn’t that there are more aesthetics to choose from.
It’s that there’s less of a divide between them.
Gone are the days when people were pressured to solely identify with one aesthetic and let it consume every part of their life. Now, people can pick and choose from whatever aesthetic circle they want without fully committing to just one.
Part of my closet is cottagecore-inspired outfits that consist of flowy blouses, gingham patterns, and sundresses, while the other part speaks to the light academia aesthetic of oversized plaid blazers and men’s button-up shirts. Then there’s the dark green sweater that always manages to remind me of the Slytherin house from Harry Potter (even though I’ve never actually read any of the books and only halfway watched the movies).
Because that’s the thing when it comes to aesthetics, you don’t have to know a lot about it before you dive into it. There’s no admittance entry quiz to see how much you know or how much you don’t.
All it takes is to randomly be scrolling through your phone or taking a drive in a new part of town and seeing something so remarkably different and new that it makes you think, “Huh, that looks pretty cool.” And before you know it, you’re searching up where to buy certain clothes to recreate a look inspired by that motif that caught your eye, or you’re looking around your bedroom trying to figure out if you should rearrange it or buy new decor that better fits your new style—or do both.
Unsure of how to start down the aesthetic rabbit hole and merge your new aesthetic into your already curated life? Pinterest.
While YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram are all great sources of inspiration, it’s Pinterest that allows you to make your own multitudes of mood boards that helps you make your inspiration that much more closer to reality. No matter what type of aesthetic you’re chasing, it takes less than a minute to type into the Pinterest search bar just precisely what you’re looking for and when it comes to making aesthetically pleasing boards, Pinterest does not disappoint in helping you get what you’re searching for.
Even if you don’t know what you’re looking for, just keeping your eyes open for your next lifestyle rebrand or making the choice to try out something you’ve always wanted to try is a transformational way to change up your routine and your habits, especially if you’re prone to get bored in the time of quarantine.
