Horse Girl Aesthetic? Yee, Naw For Me

I like to think of aesthetics as the buzzword that won’t die.

But for those who may have been off social media for the past few years or are scared to come out from under a rock post-election, let me recap.

Aesthetic is not a new term; in fact, it was added to the English language in the 1800s. Aesthetic is defined as “concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty,” per the Oxford Dictionary. These days, the word “aesthetic” fits a broad umbrella of topics, including style, fashion, decor and more.

Trend cycles used to start on the runway before eventually filtering down to us consumers. Then, the pandemic hit, and aesthetics quickly took off and started dominating our social scrolls. I think athleisure and sweats might have kicked this phenomenon into high gear. Check out the massive bump in Google searches for “aesthetic” in 2020 alone:

Today, viral aesthetics can blow up overnight and fall out of favor just as quickly. Earlier this year, the Mob Wife aesthetic was everywhere, featuring all black, fur, French manicures, and full makeup. Even The Godfather Director Francis Ford Coppola had something to say about it within a week of it being on the social scene:

And then this summer, there was the Hot Rodent Boyfriend aesthetic, which still makes me laugh – although, I do love me some Timmy C!

2023 was the year of the aesthetic breakout -- some of the most popular ones included? Balletcore, Barbiecore, and the Nancy Meyers aesthetic. But how could we forget Tomato Girl Summer, Quiet Luxury, Mermaidcore and my personal favorite for the name alone, Blokette (missed it? Inspired by British men and soccer fans, especially during the World Cup = bloke + coquette. Due to the number of sambas still hitting the NYC pavement this fall, it’s still going strong!).

Even before these aesthetics hit the scene and dominated our feeds in 2023, there was the frazzled Englishwoman in 2022, and 2020 had cottagecore and Y2K (which I think is still alive and well!). And going further back to 2019, please tell me you remember VSCO girls.

So, what do all of these aesthetics have in common? Since their inception, aesthetics have helped consumers feel a sense of connection and community with those who share their visual affinity. These days, aesthetics also tend to start on TikTok and then branch out into fashion, beauty, media, branding and celeb culture.

As we see an end in sight for 2024, I thought it would be fun to share the aesthetics that I believe will help us close out the year:

• According to many, it’s time to embrace Horse Girl Aesthetic. From the stables to fashion week, looks inspired by a love for horseback riding are popping up everywhere. Nuuly even has a whole section devoted to the aesthetic.

• Prep-school classics are making a strong comeback this fall. Perfect for those who loved Gossip Girl and Rory’s uniforms from Chilton in Gilmore Girls, Uniform Prep Aesthetic features clean lines and sharp tailoring, blending traditional academia with modern touches.
• 2024 is the 30th anniversary of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” anthem and Mariah is, of course, doing publicity tied to its re-release with new cover art, in which she’s wearing a figure-hugging red outfit and a long gown with feathers. It makes me wonder, will “Sexy Santa” and over-the-top glam a la Mariah be this year’s holiday aesthetic? It certainly seems like a natural extension of this summer’s coquette aesthetic we saw everywhere.

While these sound great, I’ll stick to my own personal Johnny Was Aesthetic, which my friend and Allison Worldwide Creative Strategy MD Emily Sawyer defines as "luxe boho for the empty-nester corporate mama."

Stay fierce,

Lisa