How To Find Your Own Aesthetic
“How can I find my own aesthetic?” “How did you find your aesthetic?” are some of the most common questions I am asked. At first, I was a little confused what this question really meant , so let’s start with the most simple question - what does the word “aesthetic” mean?
What is an ‘aesthetic’?
The word aesthetic can be used as both a noun and an adjective. It is a philosophy dealing with the notions of beautiful. However in the Instagram world, the word ‘aesthetic’ is often used interchangeably with ‘personal style’, ‘visual style’, ‘theme’, ‘cohesive feel’ etc.
For me, ‘my aesthetic’ means my visual personal style. It is a cohesive collection of me and my loves.
Step 1 - Define yourself
First discover or re-discover who YOU are. Here’s some questions for thought. Reflect or write down your answers.
What do you like?
What do you dislike?
Describe your personality.
What do you love about yourself?
What does your ideal day look like?
List five unique things about yourself.
How do you want people feel around you?
List some words / quotes you love.
Step 2 - Inspirations
My aesthetic and who I am is largely influenced by a collection of inspiring materials and persons. Who are your inspirations? Consider:
Fictional characters
Personalities
Fashion movements
Art
Lifestyle habits & routines
Quotes
Step 3 - Mood board
Curating a mood board is my favourite way to see what I like and want clearly. I like to use Pinterest and make a private board for re-evaluating my ‘aesthetic’. Some ideas of what to pin:
Go through your ‘things you like’ list and pin accordingly.
Imagine your ideal lifestyle - how you want to spend your mornings, trips you want to take, hobbies you want to try etc
How does your ideal home / bedroom look?
What clothes and outfits are you drawn to?
Pin scenes from films and tv shows that inspire
Art & quotes that make you feel how you always want to feel
Images with colours that speak to your soul
And you are looking at the start of a visual representation of you!
Step 4 - Curate
Now, you are in touch with what you like & why and how you want to live your life! The key to a cohesive and strong aesthetic is being able to curate. To curate means to select, organise and present. We have selected our visual inspiration and now we organise.
Start unpinning things that don’t belong. This doesn’t mean your aesthetic limits you, but simply you are learning how to present your interests and loves in a way that is organised and cohesive. Try finding the same idea in a different image that does belong.
This process will help you truly understand your own aesthetic. Soon you’ll see consistent colours, consistent patterns, consistent content that you like.
Step 5 - Present
In real life: Now let this curation phase spill into all aspects of your life. Let it inspire you to achieve the bedroom you want, to donate the uninspiring clothes you own. You’ve just outlined what makes you happy and what makes you feel like your best self - so let that take over. It’s ok to want to reinvent yourself to the person you want to be - but don’t forget our first step ‘the definition of you’! Be your biggest inspiration.
Digitally: I thought I also better talk about your aesthetic on Instagram, as this is something I asked about a lot.
Photograph and edit images in a style that suits your aesthetic
Be yourself online. Remember your personality, what makes you unique. Also consider how you want people to feel when they look at your images & read your words. I really discovered the importance of this when I started to show more of my inner self online - that’s when I was happiest, my community was growing and I felt so much more confidence.
More tips!
Imitation: Copying is not good. But still we have all fallen victim to confusing inspiration with imitation. Listen to your gut feeling with what’s wrong and what’s right. A simple way to avoid imitation, is to let your inspiration sources be vast from movies to art to instagram bookmarks - don’t look to just one person. The process is about defining your aesthetic, not adopting one.
Don’t limit yourself: Having an aesthetic does not mean you can only like certain things or only act a certain way. You are the director in your own visual life. What brings it together your vast interests are the visual choices you make. How you curate all the aspects of your life in a cohesive way.
Avoid what is cool & on trend: Cool comes & goes. Focus on what you’ve always loved and what you will continue to love.
And forget about other’s opinions.
Discovering your personal aesthetic is an in-depth inward journey. Embrace trying new things, let your loves & preferences guide, and don’t be scared to let your style evolve. Remember, there’s no rush - your aesthetic will naturally unfold as you go through the above steps and you can continue to refine and celebrate what resonates with your soul. I hope this guide has helped you to go out there with confidence and surround yourself with inspiration to curate your own world and find your own unique aesthetic.
