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| {{About|visual art styles on the internet|the branch of philosophy|Aesthetics}} | {{About|visual art styles on the internet|the branch of philosophy|Aesthetics}} | ||
| An '''internet aesthetic''', also simply referred to as an aesthetic, is a ], sometimes accompanied by a ], that usually originates from the ] or is popularized thereof. Throughout the ], online aesthetics gained increasing popularity, specifically on platforms such as ], ] and ]. | An '''internet aesthetic''', also simply referred to as an aesthetic and sometimes as a subculture, is a ], sometimes accompanied by a ], that usually originates from the ] or is popularized thereof. Throughout the ], online aesthetics gained increasing popularity, specifically on platforms such as ], ], ] and ]. | ||
| {{multiple image | {{multiple image | ||
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| == Definition == | == Definition == | ||
| Internet aesthetics are characterized and identifiable by their visual style. Sarah Spellings from '']'' stated, < |
Internet aesthetics are characterized and identifiable by their visual style. Sarah Spellings from '']'' stated, <blockquote>''Overtime, “aesthetic” has evolved from an academic word and something utilized by artists and auteurs to something to categorize our own identities by. It can mean both personal style and a vague stand-in for beauty.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spellings |first=Sarah |date=2021-05-25 |title=Do I Have an Aesthetic? |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/do-i-have-an-aesthetic |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}</ref>'' </blockquote> | ||
| Kaitlin Tiffany from '']'' stated:<blockquote>''At this point, the word aesthetic is totally divorced from its academic origins. While Tumblr users mainstreamed it years ago, many teenagers use aesthetic as an all-purpose adjective—“that’s so aesthetic” as a shorthand for “that’s so aesthetically pleasing to me.” But in broader internet parlance, it now means a collection of signifiers or, more precisely, a “vibe.”<ref name=":1" />''</blockquote>Many names for aesthetics use suffixes, such as -core.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Glossary of '-core' Style Aesthetics |url=https://ca.style.yahoo.com/glossary-core-style-aesthetics-120000108.html |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=ca.style.yahoo.com |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ruane |first=Emily |title=From Cottagecore To Goblincore — What’s Your TikTok Fashion Aesthetic? |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/03/10353481/core-aesthetic-fashion-trends-tiktok |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en}}</ref> | |||
| == History == | == History == | ||
| Many news outlets have reported on the <nowiki>''2014 Tumblr Girl'' or similarly, which was, at the time of it'</nowiki>s original popularity, usually described as being ], and including artists/bands such as ], ], ], and more.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Nast |first=Condé |date=2022-01-02 |title=The 2014 Tumblr Girl Is Back |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/2014-tumblr-girl-aesthetic |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gargione |first=Frank |date=2013-02-08 |title=Frank Asks: Why Is It the '90s All Over Again? |url=https://www.racked.com/2013/2/8/7688555/the-20year-nostalgia-cycle-why-its-the-90s-all-over-again |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Racked |language=en}}</ref> In the early 2020s, the aesthetic was reported as to having a <nowiki>''resurrection''</nowiki>, specifically by users on TikTok.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jennings |first=Rebecca |date=2020-05-07 |title=Stuck in 2020, pretending it’s 2014 |url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/5/7/21247938/tumblr-aesthetic-2014-nostalgia-tiktok-indie-pop |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Vox |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Navlakha |first=Meera |date=2021-10-26 |title=TikTok is reviving the 2014 Tumblr-era aesthetic |url=https://mashable.com/article/tiktok-reviving-tumblr-aesthetic |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Mashable |language=en}}</ref> | Many news outlets have reported on the <nowiki>''2014 Tumblr Girl'' or similarly, which was, at the time of it'</nowiki>s original popularity, usually described as being ], and including artists/bands such as ], ], ], and more.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Nast |first=Condé |date=2022-01-02 |title=The 2014 Tumblr Girl Is Back |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/2014-tumblr-girl-aesthetic |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gargione |first=Frank |date=2013-02-08 |title=Frank Asks: Why Is It the '90s All Over Again? |url=https://www.racked.com/2013/2/8/7688555/the-20year-nostalgia-cycle-why-its-the-90s-all-over-again |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Racked |language=en}}</ref> In the early 2020s, the aesthetic was reported as to having a <nowiki>''resurrection''</nowiki>, specifically by users on TikTok.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jennings |first=Rebecca |date=2020-05-07 |title=Stuck in 2020, pretending it’s 2014 |url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/5/7/21247938/tumblr-aesthetic-2014-nostalgia-tiktok-indie-pop |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Vox |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Navlakha |first=Meera |date=2021-10-26 |title=TikTok is reviving the 2014 Tumblr-era aesthetic |url=https://mashable.com/article/tiktok-reviving-tumblr-aesthetic |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Mashable |language=en}}</ref> | ||
| ''Aesthetics |
''Aesthetics Wiki'', a wiki hosted on ], has frequently been cited for its large database of online aesthetics.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Tiffany |first=Kaitlyn |date=2021-02-05 |title=Cottagecore Was Just the Beginning |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2021/02/aesthetics-wiki-cottagecore-tumblr-tiktok/617923/ |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Year in Aesthetics, From Dark Academia to McBling |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7vbma/the-year-in-aesthetics-from-dark-academia-to-mcbling |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=] |language=en}}</ref> According to ''The Atlantic'', the wiki gained a 9,974% increase in traffic during 2020.<ref name=":1" /> | ||
| == Notable examples == | == Notable examples == | ||
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| === Dark Academia === | === Dark Academia === | ||
| ] is an aesthetic that focuses on higher education, specifically during the 19th century and early 20th century,<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Bateman |first=Kristen |date=2020-06-30 |title=Academia Lives — on TikTok |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/30/style/dark-academia-tiktok.html |access-date=2022-08-08 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and ], along with a dark color palette. It also reportedly <nowiki>''emphasizes inclusivity and gender fluidity'' and ''</nowiki>has a dedicated ] following<nowiki>''</nowiki>.<ref name=":4" /> According to ''The INSIDER'', the aesthetic dates back to 2014 on Tumblr, later getting popularized in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically on TikTok and Instagram.<ref>{{Cite web |last=newspaper |date=2020-11-05 |title=The Rise of Dark Academia |url=https://www.vinsider.ca/voices/the-rise-of-dark-academia/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=The INSIDER |language=en}}</ref> Kristen Bateman from ] states, <nowiki>''Though it’s unclear how and where, exactly, Dark Academia began, many users discovered it on Tumblr''</nowiki>.<ref name=":4" /> | |||
| ] is an aesthetic that focuses on higher education and gothic architecture, along with a dark color palette. Similarly, Light Academia focuses on the same themes, but with lighter colors. | |||
| === Cottagecore === | === Cottagecore === | ||
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| Some online aesthetics have gained criticism. In May 2021, some users on TikTok started the satirical aesthetic <nowiki>''Americancore''</nowiki> to mock those who refer to East Asian culture as aesthetics, specifically the terms Japancore and Kawaiicore. The trend specifically targeted those who went to Asian grocery stores to film videos, with users of the trend instead going to ], an American supermarket chain, to mock those videos.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=TikTok’s ‘Americancore’ Trend Shows Americans How the Rest of the World Feels |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/93ya7z/tiktoks-americancore-trend-shows-americans-how-the-rest-of-the-world-feels |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.vice.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Nast |first=Condé |date=2021-09-28 |title=America as an Internet Aesthetic |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/america-as-an-internet-aesthetic |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=The New Yorker |language=en-US}}</ref> A freelance culture critic on'']'' stated, <nowiki>''These videos, for many people, form a narrative that shapes what outsiders think a particular culture is like, and they’re not meant for Asian people at all in this case because they’re almost treated like museum exhibits''</nowiki>.<ref name=":2" /> Kyle Chayka from '']'' stated <nowiki>''</nowiki>in attempting to make fun of ignorant white shoppers, some argued, the term ends up mocking the experience of those for whom white American culture really ''is'' thrillingly foreign<nowiki>'', also stating ''as another meme goes, can’t we just let people enjoy things?''</nowiki>.<ref name=":3" /> | Some online aesthetics have gained criticism. In May 2021, some users on TikTok started the satirical aesthetic <nowiki>''Americancore''</nowiki> to mock those who refer to East Asian culture as aesthetics, specifically the terms Japancore and Kawaiicore. The trend specifically targeted those who went to Asian grocery stores to film videos, with users of the trend instead going to ], an American supermarket chain, to mock those videos.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=TikTok’s ‘Americancore’ Trend Shows Americans How the Rest of the World Feels |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/93ya7z/tiktoks-americancore-trend-shows-americans-how-the-rest-of-the-world-feels |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.vice.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Nast |first=Condé |date=2021-09-28 |title=America as an Internet Aesthetic |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/america-as-an-internet-aesthetic |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=The New Yorker |language=en-US}}</ref> A freelance culture critic on'']'' stated, <nowiki>''These videos, for many people, form a narrative that shapes what outsiders think a particular culture is like, and they’re not meant for Asian people at all in this case because they’re almost treated like museum exhibits''</nowiki>.<ref name=":2" /> Kyle Chayka from '']'' stated <nowiki>''</nowiki>in attempting to make fun of ignorant white shoppers, some argued, the term ends up mocking the experience of those for whom white American culture really ''is'' thrillingly foreign<nowiki>'', also stating ''as another meme goes, can’t we just let people enjoy things?''</nowiki>.<ref name=":3" /> | ||
| The ''Clean Girl'' aesthetic has been criticized for allegedly reinforcing <nowiki>''</nowiki>exclusionary Euro-centric beauty standards<nowiki>''</nowiki><ref>{{Cite web |last=Randall |first=Tiana |date=2022-07-12 |title=The problem with TikTok's 'clean girl' aesthetic |url=https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/epzna7/tiktok-clean-girl-aesthetic |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=i-D |language=en}}</ref> and <nowiki>''</nowiki> thin, ] ] front-and-center as the preeminent aspirational figure on TikTok.<nowiki>''</nowiki><ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=A. O. L. |title=Here’s Why The ‘Clean Girl Aesthetic’ on TikTok Is Problematic |url=https://www.aol.com/entertainment/why-clean-girl-aesthetic-tiktok-130000296.html |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=www.aol.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TikTok's Clean Girl Aesthetic is Everywhere, But Is It Inclusive? |url=https://www.bustle.com/style/clean-girl-aesthetic-beauty-tiktok-trend-inclusivity |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=Bustle |language=en}}</ref> | The ''Clean Girl'' aesthetic has been criticized for allegedly reinforcing <nowiki>''</nowiki>exclusionary ] beauty standards<nowiki>''</nowiki><ref>{{Cite web |last=Randall |first=Tiana |date=2022-07-12 |title=The problem with TikTok's 'clean girl' aesthetic |url=https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/epzna7/tiktok-clean-girl-aesthetic |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=i-D |language=en}}</ref> and <nowiki>''</nowiki> thin, ] ] front-and-center as the preeminent aspirational figure on TikTok.<nowiki>''</nowiki><ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=A. O. L. |title=Here’s Why The ‘Clean Girl Aesthetic’ on TikTok Is Problematic |url=https://www.aol.com/entertainment/why-clean-girl-aesthetic-tiktok-130000296.html |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=www.aol.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TikTok's Clean Girl Aesthetic is Everywhere, But Is It Inclusive? |url=https://www.bustle.com/style/clean-girl-aesthetic-beauty-tiktok-trend-inclusivity |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=Bustle |language=en}}</ref> Dark Academia has also been called Euro-centric, with Aseel Sahib from ''Bossy'' stating, <nowiki>''like many other aesthetics, Dark Academia lacks representation and is inherently Eurocentric''</nowiki>.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bossy |date=2021-11-01 |title=The Secret History of Eurocentrism in Aesthetics |url=https://bossymag.com/2021/11/01/the-secret-history-of-eurocentrism-in-aesthetics/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=Bossy |language=en-US}}</ref> Amal Abdi from '']'' stated, <nowiki>''Like cottagecore, though, dark academia has been criticised for its elitism and Eurocentrism, which is to be expected when an entire subculture dedicates itself to the historically white aesthetic of the Western literary canon'' along with adding that the aesthetic ''has come under fire for romanticising mental health issues, too'', yet also stating that ''dark academia is liberating for its users through its space for creativity.''</nowiki><ref>{{Cite web |last=Abdi |first=Amal |title=Meet Dark Academia, The Bookish Fashion Trend That's All Over TikTok |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-ca/dark-academia-aesthetic-tiktok-trend |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en-CA}}</ref> | ||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 18:11, 8 August 2022
This page is about visual art styles on the internet. For the branch of philosophy, see Aesthetics.An internet aesthetic, also simply referred to as an aesthetic and sometimes as a subculture, is a visual art style, sometimes accompanied by a music genre, that usually originates from the internet or is popularized thereof. Throughout the 2010s, online aesthetics gained increasing popularity, specifically on platforms such as Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok.
Vaporwave, popularized during the early 2010s.
Gothic architecture, relevant in Dark academia.
Definition
Internet aesthetics are characterized and identifiable by their visual style. Sarah Spellings from Vogue stated,
Overtime, “aesthetic” has evolved from an academic word and something utilized by artists and auteurs to something to categorize our own identities by. It can mean both personal style and a vague stand-in for beauty.
Kaitlin Tiffany from The Atlantic stated:
At this point, the word aesthetic is totally divorced from its academic origins. While Tumblr users mainstreamed it years ago, many teenagers use aesthetic as an all-purpose adjective—“that’s so aesthetic” as a shorthand for “that’s so aesthetically pleasing to me.” But in broader internet parlance, it now means a collection of signifiers or, more precisely, a “vibe.”
Many names for aesthetics use suffixes, such as -core.
History
Many news outlets have reported on the ''2014 Tumblr Girl'' or similarly, which was, at the time of it's original popularity, usually described as being soft-grunge, and including artists/bands such as Lana Del Ray, The 1975, Arctic Monkeys, and more. In the early 2020s, the aesthetic was reported as to having a ''resurrection'', specifically by users on TikTok.
Aesthetics Wiki, a wiki hosted on Fandom, has frequently been cited for its large database of online aesthetics. According to The Atlantic, the wiki gained a 9,974% increase in traffic during 2020.
Notable examples
Vaporwave
Dark Academia
Dark Academia is an aesthetic that focuses on higher education, specifically during the 19th century and early 20th century, and gothic architecture, along with a dark color palette. It also reportedly ''emphasizes inclusivity and gender fluidity'' and ''has a dedicated LGBTQ+ following''. According to The INSIDER, the aesthetic dates back to 2014 on Tumblr, later getting popularized in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically on TikTok and Instagram. Kristen Bateman from The New York Times states, ''Though it’s unclear how and where, exactly, Dark Academia began, many users discovered it on Tumblr''.
Cottagecore
E-Kid
The E-Kid, E-Girl and E-Boy aesthetic r
Indie Kid
Popularized during 2020,
Fairy Grunge
According to Teen Vogue, Fairy Grunge focuses on neutral, earthy colors, dark color palettes, and ''flowy peasant skirts, lace, ripped tights, ribbon, knitted sweaters, leg warmers, and corsets'', and some may also wear strap-on wings and pointed ears. The clothes are typically thrifted.
Weirdcore
Clean Girl
Criticism
Some online aesthetics have gained criticism. In May 2021, some users on TikTok started the satirical aesthetic ''Americancore'' to mock those who refer to East Asian culture as aesthetics, specifically the terms Japancore and Kawaiicore. The trend specifically targeted those who went to Asian grocery stores to film videos, with users of the trend instead going to Wal-Mart, an American supermarket chain, to mock those videos. A freelance culture critic onVice stated, ''These videos, for many people, form a narrative that shapes what outsiders think a particular culture is like, and they’re not meant for Asian people at all in this case because they’re almost treated like museum exhibits''. Kyle Chayka from The New Yorker stated ''in attempting to make fun of ignorant white shoppers, some argued, the term ends up mocking the experience of those for whom white American culture really is thrillingly foreign'', also stating ''as another meme goes, can’t we just let people enjoy things?''.
The Clean Girl aesthetic has been criticized for allegedly reinforcing ''exclusionary Euro-centric beauty standards'' and '' thin, wealthy white women front-and-center as the preeminent aspirational figure on TikTok.'' Dark Academia has also been called Euro-centric, with Aseel Sahib from Bossy stating, ''like many other aesthetics, Dark Academia lacks representation and is inherently Eurocentric''. Amal Abdi from Refinery29 stated, ''Like cottagecore, though, dark academia has been criticised for its elitism and Eurocentrism, which is to be expected when an entire subculture dedicates itself to the historically white aesthetic of the Western literary canon'' along with adding that the aesthetic ''has come under fire for romanticising mental health issues, too'', yet also stating that ''dark academia is liberating for its users through its space for creativity.''
See also
References
- Spellings, Sarah (2021-05-25). "Do I Have an Aesthetic?". Vogue. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- ^ Tiffany, Kaitlyn (2021-02-05). "Cottagecore Was Just the Beginning". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- "A Glossary of '-core' Style Aesthetics". ca.style.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- Ruane, Emily. "From Cottagecore To Goblincore — What's Your TikTok Fashion Aesthetic?". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- ^ Nast, Condé (2022-01-02). "The 2014 Tumblr Girl Is Back". Vogue. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- Gargione, Frank (2013-02-08). "Frank Asks: Why Is It the '90s All Over Again?". Racked. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- Jennings, Rebecca (2020-05-07). "Stuck in 2020, pretending it's 2014". Vox. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- Navlakha, Meera (2021-10-26). "TikTok is reviving the 2014 Tumblr-era aesthetic". Mashable. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- "The Year in Aesthetics, From Dark Academia to McBling". Vice. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- ^ Bateman, Kristen (2020-06-30). "Academia Lives — on TikTok". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
- newspaper (2020-11-05). "The Rise of Dark Academia". The INSIDER. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
- Nast, Condé (2022-02-28). "TikTok's Viral Fairy Grunge Trend Is Inspired by "Twilight"". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- ^ "TikTok's 'Americancore' Trend Shows Americans How the Rest of the World Feels". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- ^ Nast, Condé (2021-09-28). "America as an Internet Aesthetic". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- Randall, Tiana (2022-07-12). "The problem with TikTok's 'clean girl' aesthetic". i-D. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
- Staff, A. O. L. "Here's Why The 'Clean Girl Aesthetic' on TikTok Is Problematic". www.aol.com. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
- "TikTok's Clean Girl Aesthetic is Everywhere, But Is It Inclusive?". Bustle. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
- Bossy (2021-11-01). "The Secret History of Eurocentrism in Aesthetics". Bossy. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
- Abdi, Amal. "Meet Dark Academia, The Bookish Fashion Trend That's All Over TikTok". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2022-08-08.