Coastal Rustic and Modern Tech Inspirations

My personal aesthetic has drastically changed over time but I feel like I have settled on athleisure meets modern technology. I lean more towards athleisure, however, you will usually find me with my apple AirPods and carrying a tablet which gives sleek modern technology.

Deciding on my personal aesthetic was tricky.  I have personal styles in clothes which probably range from athleisure to World War II which I think is an interesting dichotomy of clothing styles.  Recently I have been kicking around a hot take about men’s clothing which is that men’s style basically stopped post WW2, minus very small changes. When I think of what good looking men’s clothes are, I think of white shoes, jeans/dress pants, a lightweight jacket, and suit variations.  All of these items are based on early 1900s army dress uniforms and were likely used as inspiration for the upcoming fashion trends.  The photo below shows a bomber lightweight jacket often found in men’s clothing styles that was inspired by the U.S. Army B-2 bomber jackets.  

Additionally, it feels like men’s styles lose momentum almost before they begin.  I am a kid of the 90s and remember the big logo/tight Abercrombie clothes.. Some trends were meant to die.  

In terms of non-clothing aesthetic, I have been lovingly yet forcibly adopted into the cottagecore aesthetic. Plants, books, and recipe books dominate the house with an iron fist. However, I have been a lifetime athlete, ranging from sports between baseball, basketball, rock climbing, and skiing, therefore, I find my aesthetic independence by incorporating sports/outdoor art. If I were to pick an end goal for an aesthetic, it would be dark academia meets athleisure. 

The other aesthetic that I am always drawn to is Rustic coastal aesthetic.  I grew up in Maine which is a state divided between its farming, heavily remote, cold, deep woods and the smaller, wealthy, coastal areas. In between the two lifestyles lives a rustic coastal aesthetic homes of recycled fishing gear, beautiful old porches, wood floors, gas stoves, and nice views of the water.  Houses along the coast had this aesthetic in spades but my favorite incorporation was the small cabins along lakes in areas I lived near.  

All things considered, I would really like to branch outside those aesthetics and try something new. the reason being I moved away from Maine to colorado  to get away from the rigid lifestyles and attitudes therefore it makes sense to leave the old ways behind and establish another aesthetic choice.   A recent post used steampunk and metal making which is of interest to me.  Additionally, I did some previous class work in dark academia which is similarly outside of the box, therefore I might revisit that idea.  

In terms of final project ideas, my on campus job has the need for a podium for a small graduation ceremony with a military aesthetic so I might make something along those lines. 

Photo Credit:

(1) 2019, Phil Barker, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/pair-of-apple-airpods-pro-wireless-headphones-and-charging-news-photo/1211718384?adppopup=true

(2) 2023, Edward Berthelot, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/guest-wears-a-gray-t-shirt-a-pale-gray-wool-pullover-a-news-photo/1485754375?adppopup=true

(3) 2012, John Greim, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/small-waterfront-cabin-in-a-remote-secluded-location-news-photo/460922699?adppopup=true