Summer is finally to a close, and so are the summer trends and aesthetics. This summer, we saw the rise of the ‘Tomato Girl’ micro aesthetic. The idea of the Tomato Girl is one that lusts on the romanticized idea of an idyllic European summer, often found embracing a soft, nonchalant lifestyle, lounging in Mediterranean breeze while enjoying a bowl of freshly home-made pasta, or eating a fresh tomato salad, or savoring a scoop of gelato in front of rustic patios or terrace.
Taking cue from its name, you can tell that her wardrobe consists of different tones of red, but this aesthetic is not limited to the color red. She can don breezy pieces with subtle floral/gingham motifs and ruffled hemlines, or milkmaid dresses, off-shoulder/frilly blouses with slip skirts or linen trousers, straw baskets, head scarves, a pair of espadrilles or short-heeled sandals.
Mostly, this aesthetic can be defined as one that gravitates toward vintage silhouettes. Beauty wise, she pulls off the art of minimal effortless make-up with a dewy finish, cheeks flushed with red blush, lips reddened with soft lippies, and hair dried naturally under the sun.
Style references can be found dating back to the 50s and through the 70s - for instance, Supermodel Christy Turlingto in a magazine shoot. Contemporarily, in May this year, Hailey Rhode Bieber wore a red-striped Ami Paris sailor top styled with a micro denim short, and accessorized with a Miu Miu belt and Saint Laurent sunglasses, thus capturing the ethos of the Tomato girl aesthetic.
Today, Tik Tok and Instagram have become a breeding ground for such micro aesthetics, in the form of girl “- core”, to such an extent that they now qualify as worldwide cultural phenomena. The rise of the girl core has normalized the objectification of sensorial experiences, one that connects humans with the imagined object of desire. Fashion has also offered an escapist bent to different persons.
In retrospect, the so-called Tomato Girl is not about dressing up for the life that one ‘has’, but for the life that one ‘seeks’. The same can be said for the many iterations of girl - core that have developed before the tomato girl, such as the Vanilla girl, the Coquette girl, the Clean girl, etc.
In fashion, one can determine the aesthetic worth of the phenomenon based on the properties of the objects that embody the said aesthetic - it could be in terms of colors, proportions, shapes, textures, etc. In the process of aestheticization, the spectators become active participants and indulge in the perpetuation of the experience, which is manifested as an extension of one’s imagination.
The audiences seek the pleasure of sensorial gratification by immersing themselves in the interpretative projects, one that is driven by their stimuli - in awe of the beauty and presentation. It could be on account of - nostalgia and its accompanied emotional undertones, or sometimes - cognition.
Cognition induced aestheticising could stem from religious sentiments, or historical proclivity, more often than not, coupled with imagination - for instance, Harry Potter films and Dark Academia have an aesthetic connection. This disposition or acquired ‘habitus’ is passed on by such communities - dressing in a certain way and imbibing the habits of the canon.
In form and practice, fashion ‘subcultures’ are different from ‘micro aesthetics’. When we look at a subculture, we see certain strong features - organized performativity based on certain principles or social meaning, definite boundaries, certain cultural influences (say, music, era, art, etc). Because of its distinctive characteristics, subculture is extended to fashion as well.
To name a few - the Goth, the Bohemian, the Punk, the Mods, the E-people, the Beatnik, the Grunge, and so on. Most of them have long standing historical roots and are constantly evolving whilst embodying a homogeneous spirit - in taste, in emotion, in expression. For instance - the fashion of the Bohemian subculture, dating back to late 60s and through the 70s, is characterized by earthy and relaxed elements.
It is born out of a larger set of culture (hippie culture) that indulges in free expression, creative and liberated thinking, and nomadic/wandering lifestyle. Style references can be taken from Stevie Nicks and Donna Summer, to name a few.
In contrast, such subcultural tendencies are unattainable in ‘micro aesthetics’ like the girl core, simply because it is fleeting, fluid in nature, and heavily unyielding in initiating a revolutionary course.
The purpose of such a micro trend seems to be one that is characterized by high individualism in an ever-evolving landscape of social media. Audiences today would prefer proclivity to micro aesthetics owing to the fact that it provides them varying options: one can pick any aesthetic that suits one’s sensibilities and outlook, and also swiftly change it when any second thoughts occur.
Moreover, some micro trends may be far more accessible than the other, allowing audiences to cherry-pick any to their liking. For instance - the Quiet Luxury aesthetic, personified by Sophia Richie in April (on account of her highly glamorized Chanel wedding outfits), is unaffordable to many, but the Tomato Girl aesthetic is an alternative. Both have stylistic variations but still immerse audiences into the aestheticising experience.
While subcultures do promote individualistic expression, it is limiting - one is largely bound to adhere to the boundaries of the norms prescribed by the subculture.
But it would be wrong to subscribe to the notion that subcultures are restrictive. Such boundaries of the subculture can vary in scale or form from time to time. We see the rise of many subcultures arising within or outside subcultures (paradoxical) - the Cybergoth versus the Goth, the Steampunk versus the Punk, and so on.
Has micro aesthetics and trends infiltrated the fashion industry? Undoubtedly so. But what is the nature in which it affects the scale of consumerist propensity in a fast-evolving society?
That’s a discussion for another time.
Article by: Arshia Ningthoujam
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