do it for the ~*aesthetic*~

[vintagewitch]

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?

Comments

[james]

My understanding is that "aesthetic" is when it's mostly decoration, like house or body. And subculture is when you also *do* things, like the music you listen to or foods you eat or whatever.

I imagine they overlap, and there is probably no way to really tell when someone goes from one to the other (like how much behavior is necessary to be part of the subculture, who knows?)

And you can be part of the subculture without having the visual decoration parts, if you behave certain ways but don't dress the part.