do it for the ~*aesthetic*~

So question: All over TikTok there's this idea of "aesthetics," like cottagecore or Dark Academia. Are these just watered down subcultures? 

Like I LOVE Dark Academia as a style template and am trying to find pieces to add to my wardrobe that give it a more Dark Academic vibe. I've always loved trousers and blazers and stuff and this kind of makes it a character. It also feels very goth-adjacent.

But ... is there more to it than just fashion?

I guess what I'm wondering is this: At what point is something a subculture, and at what point is it just aesthetics?