As students have grown older, many are seeking to discover their own sense of identity. Learning to discover one’s style and niche may be important through the expression of fashion. Many styles can range from grunge and goth to cottagecore and coquette. As social media has grown its presence bigger nowadays, there are many short-form videos showcasing different clothing aesthetics, which have become all the rage from adolescents to influencers alike.
Clothing trends have been separated into different groups, also called aesthetics, with dedicated followers styling themselves in that manner. A variety of factors go into the decision process of choosing an aesthetic, including color scheme, the types of clothing pieces used, and materials.
“I follow a 90s or early 2000s skater style because I love how the clothes personally look and fit on my body,” said sophomore Andrew Doolittle. “[It’s defined as having] a lot of baggy clothes with alternative designs and dark colors.”
But for others, choosing just one aesthetic is a little more difficult.
“I don’t stick with one [aesthetic]; I fluctuate between [styles],” said freshman Ellie Kim. “ I usually [go for] coquette, like dresses or bows, but there are times where I like the Y2K look too — the plaid dresses, skirts and wrap tops … For me, [choosing an aesthetic is] seeing [if] that look would look good [on me] and how much I like it.”
Having an aesthetic means the overall look of one’s outfit doesn’t often differ outside of the parameters of their style. One advantage of these niches is that this manner of self-expression can help followers form bonds with others.
“If you see someone with a similar style as you, you’re [often] like, ‘oh, that looks so cool’ or ‘I want those pants or that shirt,’” said freshman Amara Noelle Garcia. “You can end up being friends with them just based off of complimenting each other and asking where [they] got their clothes from.”
In addition, aesthetics can help shape one’s personal style and help them learn about themselves and their fashion preferences.
“It’s cool for people to follow [aesthetics] because it gives them a sense of consistency,” said junior Mai Brisset. “Right now, because we’re all young and trying to figure out what direction [of fashion] we want to go. Aesthetics help [us figure it out], even if it’s temporary, [they’ll] give us a sense of direction.”
Moreover, aesthetics can be a confidence booster.
“I believe [aesthetics] can [affect your mindset], but more in a positive, self confidence way,” said sophomore Catherine Tsao. “Most aesthetics you choose because you feel more comfortable in them, so when you’re wearing them, you feel at home and less out of your comfort zone, giving you a sense of confidence.”
However, committing to an aesthetic does have its drawbacks.
“If you constantly dress cute, coming to school in something you don’t feel comfortable in takes away from your confidence,” said senior and secretary of Fashion Fanatics club Audrey Yanez. “ You don’t feel as comfortable because you think that people are going to say ‘oh, you look tired today.’”
Some prefer not to have an aesthetic or prefer to explore a broader variety of fashion. However, others feel that an ideal setting would be seeing everyone’s individuality showcased through their specialized style.
“It’d be super cool for everybody to find their own aesthetic because then you can compare and integrate into different aesthetics too,” Garcia said. “Everybody’s style is unique in their own way and nobody should be ashamed to show their style because it’s so nice to see different aesthetics, especially at school or [in public].”
