Have we taken ‘being aesthetic’ too far?
Contributor Georgia Sullivan examines the value we place on aesthetics and whether we’ve been trained to develop a more refined ‘taste’ or have simply given in to overconsumption.
At 15, my friend group delved deep into the world of YouTube influencers and the aesthetics they displayed in perfectly curated Instagram photoshoots. Our social lives became living for the next photo. We were in awe of Instagram influencers like Aspyn Ovard, who conveyed an earthy-toned bohemian lifestyle across her feed. We were inspired by twins Niki and Gabi Demartino, who participated in fashion trends and photoshoots to fill their Instagram feeds. In terms of aesthetics, Niki rocked neon-coloured hair and an edgy tie-dye style, whereas Gabi would wear diamonds, pearls and pastels as symbols of her classic, timeless lifestyle.
Have we taken it too far? What are the consequences of aesthetic Instagram feeds? Dr Jane Leonard is a GP-trained cosmetic doctor who expresses her concerns over the growing popularity of Botox and fillers, which attract clients who are younger than ever to her clinic [4]. These procedures are sought after by individuals to align with the ‘clean girl’ or ‘Insta baddie’ aesthetic. Dr Leonard argues that social media presents a high frequency of curated portrayals of a brand or person and encourages people to live up to these unrealistic lifestyles, commenting, ‘Aesthetics is [perfect because it] shows things that look pretty and then [this is] where you go and get it.’ [4].
Dr Leonard has recently noticed a concerning change in people’s approach to getting cosmetic treatments. Potential clients now provide inspiration photos of themselves with a filter that may alter a specific facial feature, and Dr Leonard finds herself explaining the nose they see cannot be translated into real life [4]. Is frequent social media use training our brains to forget what real people look like? I remember my friend’s recent longing for her chocolate-brown hair to appear exactly like she had seen all over Instagram, and her cosmetologist mother said, ‘Honey, that is your hair colour; it’s just different lighting.’
Now I must admit, I will feel slightly overwhelmed by owning mismatched plates and not wanting to use a functional blanket because it’s the ‘wrong colour’. Is it because we watch influencers who receive thousands of dollars for each video they make, that fits an aesthetic to influence us, when it’s only a snapshot of their life? Then, as we are inspired by upcoming trends, we feel a deep desire to change our aesthetic and remove every part of the old one to build a new one. Where does that old stuff go?
To counter unnecessary waste, you should consider how you operate within a space. So when furnishing your student apartment or home bedroom, take advice from Alexandra Hull (an exterior home design consultant), whose career involves building function-focused houses and choosing materials that could last for another 100 years, rather than materials bought only to fit a throw-away trend. She argues the materials and things we use to build our homes shouldn’t have such a short lifespan [5].
Noorin Khamisani, a Senior Lecturer in Textiles and Fashion, sees this in the decreasing ownership of the clothes we wear: ‘Fast fashion has…changed our relationship with clothing. So not only are we buying more, but we’re using less.’[5]
Most of today’s fashion is constructed of plastic and synthetic materials–polyester, nylon, polyamide, and acrylic. Our cute activewear sets are often saturated with synthetic materials, and each time they are washed, the microfibres within the material leak into the washing machine and are released into our waterways and poison our ocean creatures [6]. We have become so disconnected from how things are made before they reach us.
This has caused some Instagram users to promote underconsumption and counter the impacts of extreme aesthetic lifestyles. Instagram content creator, Chessie Domrongchai has taken part in this movement by removing labels from purchased beauty and cleaning products to make her spaces more functional: “Taking away the manufactured identity of my products allowed me to see them for only their function.” [7]
By removing labels from the products she owns, she de-centres her relationship to the aesthetic built into the packaging, which encourages her to completely use up the products she already owns to reduce waste.
by Georgia Sullivan
References:
[1] Aspyn Ovard [@aspynovard]. (2019 July 1 – July 17). 31 weeks pregnant this week 💕 We are back home and finishing the nursery soon! 🥰 I also have a… [Screenshot of Photographs]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/aspynovard
[2] Aspyn Ovard [@aspynovard]. (2020, February 26 – April 8). So excited about the new PRESET BUNDLE pack I am a part of this week!!! Myself and almost 30 others… [Screenshot of Photographs]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/aspynovard
[3] Niki and Gabi. (2020 May 21). Who Wore the SPRING 2020 TRENDS Better? Sister vs Sister. [Video]. YouTube. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mDH1dogVA2k&ra=m
[4] Phang, H. (Host). (2024, April 19). Ep#10: What Influence Does Social Media Have on Mental Health and Aesthetics Trends w/ Dr Jane Leonard? [Audio podcast episode]. In Restorative Force. Flow State. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/restorative-force-with-hannah-phang/id1734989961?i=1000652941713
[5] Joustra, G. (Host). (2023, August 11). Alexandra Hull: How to Upcycle Your Home & Reduce the Burden on Natural Resources | Room by Room #32. [Audio podcast episode]. In Room by Room: The Home Organization Science Insights Podcast. Life Management Science Labs. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/room-by-room-the-home-organization-science-insights/id1648509192?i=1000624117857
[6] Worsey, J. (Host). (2023, June 1). Why enzymes are the latest fashion in the fight against plastic waste in our clothes ft Dr Victoria Bemmer and Noorin Khamisani. [Audio podcast episode]. In Life Solved. Acast. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/life-solved/id1523475452?i=1000615218843
[7] Chessie Domrongchai [@chessiedomrongchai]. (2026, April 10). reflecting on how much this changed my life [Video]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/chessiedomronghai?igsh=aGE4NTJqcXk4MTJj
Comments