Aesthetic

In the context of social media, 'aesthetic' is used to describe the carefully staged visual and thematic style that defines a user's profile, feed, or content. This often consists of color schemes, filters, tones, compositions, and even typography, to say nothing of the kind of subject matter one might choose to create a seemingly cohesive or even omnipresent type of natural, creative expression, or to appeal to the notion of a 'personal brand' that resonates with one's target audience. It is both a broad and a very intentional concept.

The creators, influencers, and brands that use it do so quite self-consciously to evoke particular emotions, associate with specific demographics, or kick up the lifestyle vibe that might go with the visual aspect of someone’s digital quotidian. In any case, 'aesthetic' has become something of a shibboleth on platforms like Instagram, with many users hoping for a kind of 'muted pastel' minimalism, or else something at the other end of the tonal spectrum, with 'bold neons' signifying an embrace of the retro side of the street. Indeed, we are only occasionally surprised by the common knowledge that certain Instagram aesthetic accounts are using Photoshop far more than any upwardly mobile millennials or nostalgically inclined Gen X-ers might have imagined.