The “That Girl” Aesthetic
Introduction
Recently, I was stuck in a huge rut: constantly having to lie down, unable to get up, and being furious because I just could not get back to work. Then, I remembered that if I made my favorite drink, an iced matcha latte (recipe linked below), I would be back to my old self in no time! But then, the worst possible thing happened: we were out of milk. I instantly had a meltdown and realized that I had pushed myself to the limit and become burnt out. So, this is a personal analysis of my generation's obsession with "Aesthetics" and its pros and cons, as well as how this relates to my short journey of self-acceptance.
Pros
Guess what's cool again? You would be surprised to learn that the answer is books! This is all thanks to "BookTok," a particular feed one can get on the app TikTok where creators with sought-after lifestyles recommend books, which, surprisingly, is making literature trendy again. Now, I do not own this app and am not on social media very often, but because of this, I can tell you just how far this new reputation has traveled. Therefore, it is now associated with wearing comfortable sweaters, drinking delicious matcha (where my obsession came from), and being the epitome of education. With healthy activities now being the new "cool," one can see that participating in the world of aesthetics can be very fun.
In addition, my friends and I will give each other compliments and words of praise that fit this "aesthetic" after completing a difficult task or doing something very well. One of the most common terms is "girlboss," meaning a woman with strong and confident energy, which sounds silly because it is! As you can see, participating in these mindsets can just be dumb fun, but hopefully, you've also noticed a significant emphasis on female empowerment in this trend.
My friends and I enjoy being a part of such a fun, familiar, and safe community of all types of women who want to work to become better, healthier people. You see, the difference between the "Girlboss" and "That Girl" aesthetics is that one focuses on constant work, whereas the latter is more focused on health and wellness. Still, they are very similar and, I would argue, almost the same.
Cons
The con of all cons is that the high standards of the "That Girl" aesthetic are completely unattainable. What makes this trend so impossible for women to perfect is the fact that it is incredibly laboring, both with one's literal work and in the form of pressure to be the most optimized version of yourself. For example, it makes the participant's health the main priority by urging them to consistently participate in activities such as doing yoga and making smoothie bowls all before the sun rises, causing shame and a decrease in self-worth when something productive isn't happening at all times.
For instance, I believe one of the main factors that led to my matcha-induced mental breakdown was the aesthetic's completely nonexistent relationship with rest. As I am human, there have been times when perhaps an unexpected situation changed my plans, or I plainly felt tired after a long week. So, when my body just couldn't do anymore, I kept unhealthily pushing myself to avoid the embarrassment of feeling like I wasn't doing enough. However, this experience was exactly what helped me escape my habit of being frustrated more than resting, even when I had accepted that I needed a break.
Conclusion
In the end, the final conclusion I have come to for myself and recommend to others is that many factors of these aesthetics are enjoyable to participate in, but you cannot live a lie. It is essential to understand that these perfect lifestyle ideals are internet trends just like anything else and cannot be taken entirely seriously, or the participant's health could be harmed. Therefore, I would not tell a girl like me to miss out on the fun entirely by bypassing the chance to take inspiration from incredible women, but still allow oneself to be human and care for your body and future with genuine empathy, not because you feel like you must.
Matcha Recipe