Personal Aesthetic – Alternative Minimalism

When I reflect on my personal aesthetic a multitude of things come to mind. I think this is quite common. Most of us are some amalgamation of many aesthetics. Throughout my life I have experimented with different fashion styles and living space aesthetics. Ultimately however, three main themes come to mind. Minimalism, the general alternative aesthetic umbrella and of course as an engineer sci-fi.

Minimalism 

Minimalism as an aesthetic features simple designs and a lack of clutter. It emphasizes simple living and a lack of consumerism. This movement has increased in popularity over the years with the increase of consumerism and overall promotes a simple lifestyle. The ways I live within this aesthetic I think are most prominent in my fashion. I have multiple pairs of the same pants and black shirts that I rotate through throughout the week. My friends often joke lightheartedly that I dress like a cartoon character as in I wear the same outfit basically everyday. If you open my dresser its all black shirts and honestly it means I never have to worry about colors bleeding when I do my laundry. My living space is also quite minimalist. Everything in my apartment has a use and I only replace things when something breaks beyond repair. I care about the environment quite a bit so I try to minimize how much I buy and thrift when possible.

Alternative

The alternative aesthetic is extremely broad. Each subgenre of alternative is different but some subgenres I take inspiration from are punk, metalcore and rock .The reason I categorize myself in these aesthetics is mostly due to the music I listen to. I listen to a lot of alternative rock, metalcore and techno. I like bands like Spiritbox, In this moment, Linkin park, Rammstein and Daft Punk to name a few. When it comes to my self expression I wear a lot of black and dark colors as mentioned previously and I also have an arm and a leg sleeve. The artwork is greyscale American traditional with a bit of neotradiontal and blackwork. This tattoo style is often associated with alternative fashion and bands.

Sci-Fi

Finally, the third aesthetic I take most inspiration from is sci-fi. The sci-fi aesthetic features futuristic concepts, electronics and technology. Some of my favorites movies are Interstellar, Arrival, Tron and Bladerunner. All these movies are iconic in the sci-fi genre. This genre often features space exploration, aliens, computers and robots. Neon colors and fictionalized science and technology in its plot, setting, or theme. 

For my main project for this class I plan to draw from at least one of these aesthetics. I’m not sure yet what I would like to make but I’m leaning towards making an art piece for my room or something wearable. Overall I hope to make something with function that will make a nice contribution to my living space. I have been looking for more inspiration so feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments!

Image Sources:

1.https://i.digsdigs.com/2019/08/a-pretty-bedroom-with-a-black-bed-and-black-bedding-on-the-floor-a-makeshift-closet-a-table-and-some-artwork-and-pet-beds.jpg

2,https://skeletongoods.com/cdn/shop/products/IMG_3674copy_720x_61c7672f-5408-4b1a-8d34-df4f2de2df70.jpg?v=1709066359&width=1445

3.https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSlWAucliYlEUjKAdEkWmBSYYtpUnkuAR9ndg&s

4.https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTVhS_0wwwfxscf8ytLzxGy3Y-Ayc6is3lIKw&s