Aesthetic (noun): branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste as well as with the appreciation of beauty.
As of late, it matters not if you’re an avid Tiktoker or an avid scroller–as long as you have been exposed to the dynamic, trendsetting, and utterly time-warp-inducing platform of Tiktok, you have likely found yourself immersed in creators’ individual aesthetics. Whether that may be cottage core, dark academia, or decade fashion, aesthetics are captivating.
Why are certain aesthetics so mesmerizing and why do some resonate with us but not others? Is it a question of beauty? Are the aesthetics we find appealing supplementary to our already existing styles? Are they productive introductions as to how we could further develop our own appreciations of art? Or are they unnecessarily classifying styles and art forms and creating limited categories of expression? Should we scrap the curated sets of colors, textures, filters, outfits, and backdrops and opt for free exploration of the kind of art that inspires us? Moves us? Excites us?
After all, aesthetics often resonate with us because of the mood they invoke–the memories and associations that we hold close are called back into our headspace and, as a result, our curiosity motivates us toward similar content. If appreciation of art and exercise of our own beholdings of beauty are the goals, carefully defined aesthetics and spontaneous artistic choices are both valuable. Whether you are inclined to search for pre-existing Pantone paint strips or wish to assemble your own arrays, Gogh picture your own aesthetic!