In today’s society, every subculture is seeming to come with its own label, usually recognised by its -core suffix. From the rural aesthetic of cottagecore, to the flamboyant Barbiecore, these aesthetics are about lifestyle. They incorporate visual and artistic elements that help to express a certain mood or even identity.
However, the question is, why has this -core suffix become the go-to way to define subcultures. The word ‘aesthetic’ differs from the new ‘core’ aesthetic. Historically, aesthetics deal with the nature and appreciation of beauty and art, whereas ‘core’ aesthetics latch onto trends and change quickly.
Gen Z have played a huge part in the growth of ‘core’ aesthetics. Their desire for expression and self-identity has fuelled the trend. For a long time, subcultures have acted in a way to help people fit in.
Since the 1970s, ‘subculture’ has served as a key conceptual frame for sociologists' and cultural theorists’ accounts of youth culture. However, more recently, niche aesthetics have derived from the word ‘hardcore’. Subcultures have always acted as a way for like-minded people to get together and share their interests.
Subsequently, fandoms are created from the trends that arise. This article is going to explore the root of ‘core’ aesthetics, why they happen, and what they reveal about trying to categorise style and trends on the internet. Core aesthetics emerge from subcultures and often reflect societal shifts.
There is usually a cycle of how they come around. For example, a trend goes viral on TikTok then journalists write about this trend until it becomes a buzzword that everyone is using. Eventually, the trend dies out, and the majority of people will think it is ‘cringe’.
Usually, one aesthetic will become mainstream, and then derivatives will form. For example, cottagecore became popular during the pandemic, as people were longing for simplicity. Consequently, farmcore became popular, creating an endless cycle which reflects the desire everyone has for self-expression.
Gen Z is responsible for how quickly these change and grow, the generation grew up using social media, and platforms such as TikTok or Instagram allow users to disseminate trends which enables the subcultures to change pretty much overnight. The rapid trend cycle is caused by the algorithm-driven nature of social media. Whilst ‘core’ aesthetics have gained lots of popularity, and are usually trending, I don’t believe that they will last.
The excitement of these trends will fade, and people will get bored eventually. I also believe that these ‘core’ aesthetics will start to face a backlash, where people go against the constant need to label everything. People might start to reject them altogether, which will cause a shift from categorisation, and people may return to more natural forms of self-identity and expression.