AT THE CO
People dive deep into internet aesthetics and finding new ways to express themselves
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here’s no doubt that we’re living in a time of unprecedented doubt. 2020 has left us with more questions than answers, not only about the world we live in, but about who we are. How do we find ourselves in the midst of chaos? In the midst of a world that’s trying to find itself? For some, it’s through intensely specific aesthetics that allow them to express their identity and interests through their physical appearance. Popularized in the last year, “core” aesthetics are dominating the internet. They exist in the name of self-expression, attempting to answer the questions we can’t stop asking. The -core suffix is derived from the French word “coeur”, meaning heart. Similar to their lingual origin, core aesthetics reflect the essence of distinctive styles and ideals. Although they’re often expressed through fashion, they can represent various principles like political positions and music taste. Core aesthetics have been around for decades, with early examples being alternative styles like punk and goth. Recently, they’ve been popularized by social media platforms Tumblr and Tik Tok. There’s no culture incubator quite like the internet. It provides constant exposure to new music, fashion, and ideals, all fuel for developing aesthetics. And for young people, access to different cultural perspectives is essential to fostering personal identity and style. Like a lot of current trends within
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BY PIPER DAFFORN fashion, many aesthetics are rooted in nostalgia, like Barbiecore. Barbiecore is characterized by late 1990’s/early 2000’s culture and fashion, with emphasis on pastel colors (especially pink), glittery makeup, mini bags, low-rise jeans, and baby tees. It encapsulates feminine glamour and draws inspiration from figures like Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani. Along with embracing femininity, Barbiecore is reminiscent of a time when many of its enthusiasts were children, a time when we played with dolls and yearned for flip phones. Everyone tends to romanticize the past, but that urge grows even stronger in times of unrest. We long for when life was pure and uncomplicated; when we weren’t mentally occupied by politics or a global pandemic. Besides embracing the familiar and comfortable, core aesthetics also stray towards unconventional interests. A cousin to the ever-popular Cottagecore, Goblincore is an aesthetic that celebrates parts of nature that many would perceive as dirty or unsettling, like frogs, snails, and mushrooms. While aesthetics like Barbiecore lean towards pretty, angelic imagery, Goblincore rejects the notion that things have to be traditionally beautiful to be aesthetically pleasing. The fashion consists of comfortable clothing, often thrifted and with several clashing colors and patterns.In Goblincore, fashion isn’t glamorous, it’s functional and sustainable. Anoth-
