From grunge and cottage-core to dark feminine and coquette, Gen Z is obsessed with having an Aesthetic. Expression is often limited to highly curated images that fall within a specific category. At various points in time, I’ve identified with several of them and aspired to many more. I found myself constricted to the “E-girl” subculture, then the hyper minimalist constraints of the Clean Girl Aesthetic, all while wishing to be creative like the Indie kids. Most of my generation has fallen prey to the unrelenting perpetuation of personal Aesthetics. It’s not difficult to imagine how, with the constant presence of TikTok and Instagram in our lives. Though how is rarely as intriguing as why.

The obsession with Aesthetics is comparable to previous generations’ obsessions with low-rise jeans and bell bottoms, although these things have now been enveloped in categories of their own. But why has Gen Z grown so attached to these categories? And what are we doing with them? There are a few theories, the first being the most common. Blame social media. Its instagrams fault, or tiktoks. After all, we grew up with social media and constant exposure to curated images, having the effervescent illusions of perfect lives and idealistic feeds shoved down our throats. But that’s almost too easy. I mean sure, part of it is due to social media, and it’s easy to blame how accessible everything is, but that can’t be the sole cause.

The second theory is very nearly frightening. We see the world exclusively through the lens of filters and editing tools, instead of how it truly is. We’ve become not only attached, but dependent on this false perception of the world, not because of government intervention or overt capitalist propaganda, but because of something far less sinister. Something lamer, even. Viewing the world through a filter sounds like the makings of a great artist, but this hasn’t manifested in bursts of traditional creativity. Instead, it has created an infatuation with the recreation of the filter, an obsession with the Aesthetic.

The third theory is my personal favorite. An Aesthetic is a prepackaged identity. It allows one to confine themselves, instead of embracing the ability to find oneself. After all, we’re all young, we want to feel like we are part of a community. One that shares our interests and values and can bond over our shared affection, for what is for all intents and purposes, an art form. We’ve leaned into these categories as a way to guide our self-expression, a way to present ourselves to the world. In a world dedicated to curation, the pressure to keep up is suffocating. But the safe comfort of a self-assigned box relieves that pressure, even if it is temporary.

I can understand the attraction to Aesthetics. I mean who doesn’t love those accounts on Instagram or Pinterest dedicated to just cottage-core, or kid-core. Having a genre is natural. My concern lies with one of my earlier statements. The attachment to ones Aesthetic may limit creative expression. While some find it freeing, others, like me, will grow to find it stifling. I think there is beauty in leaning into perspective, viewing the world through a unique lens. But if you cannot see the world without the filter, it will begin to fade. And if you cannot let the world see you as you are, it will do the same.