Design Style Aesthetics
Design styles and their aesthetics
Aesthetic Design Styles \\ Design aesthetic guide
The various types of graphic design styles and their aesthetics
List of Aesthetic Styles in this guide
Aesthetics
Philosophy (beliefs) applied to art, which attempts to formulate criteria for the understanding of the aesthetic (rather than utilitarian) qualities of art. The term "aesthetics" refers to the principles governing the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in visual art. In academics, — aesthetics refers to the branch of philosophy that focuses on beauty and artistic taste.
Aesthetics is derived from the Greek word "aisthesis" meaning perception. First used in the 18th century by Alexander Baumgarten, a German philosopher.
Aesthetics asks questions like:
What is beauty?
What makes something beautiful?
ALSO KNOWN AS
æsthetics or esthetics
Abstract / geometric
Abstract Art
Abstract is a widely used and vague term to pretty much describe ANY type of art, painting, or sculpture that DOES NOT portray RECOGNIZABLE objects or scenes. Some people consider all pieces of art as abstract. Some people debate over how a piece of art/design is classified and whether it should be labeled as "expressionist" or "abstract". There is no clear consensus on the definition, types, or aesthetic significance of abstract art.
Visual Aesthetics • Abstract style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Non-representational:
Does not represent anything, art that is clearly non-identifiable
Form & color are emphasized at the expense of, or in the absence of, a representational image.
KEY COLORS
Any colors but more often the colors are extremely vibrant
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Also known as — non-objective art, non-figurative, non-representational or geometric abstraction, or concrete art.
Geometric (read more below)
A collage showing the design aesthetic of abstract art
Geometric Art
Geometric art is a style of art that is characterized by the use of geometric shapes, lines, and patterns as the primary elements of the design/composition. Geometric art often has a very precise, orderly, and structured appearance, as the shapes and lines used are carefully planned and executed. It can also have a very clean, modern, and minimalist aesthetic, as the focus is on the form and structure of the composition rather than on detailed or realistic representation.
Visual Aesthetics • GEOMETRIC style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Precise, orderly & structured
The overall look & feel is aesthetically minimal and simplistic, concentrating on the balance of mixing straight lines, shapes, curves, and edges.
(ex. circles, squares, triangles, and other basic shapes, as well as more complex geometric patterns and designs.)
KEY COLORS
Any colors
APPLICATIONS
Geometric art can be found in many different mediums, including painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture, and is often associated with modern and contemporary art movements.
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Most geometric patterns follow the aesthetic styles of Art Deco, Mid-Century and Contemporary designs.
HISTORY
Greek style of decoration, based on a branch of mathematics (Geometry) that focuses on the relationship between angles, lines, and points.
TIMEFRAME
DECADE ORIGIN: flourished from c.900—c.725 BCE
A collage showing the design aesthetic of geometric art
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially decorative arts.
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Art Nouveau Design Style Collage
Visual Aesthetics • Art Nouveau Style
ART NOUVEAU | THEMES // VALUES
Whimsical, romantic and highly technical
a sense of dynamism and movement through asymmetry and curving motifs)
Bold outlines and flat yet decorative, intricate hand-illustration style designs, letters, and fonts
Extensive use of arches & curved forms (lines/glass)
ART NOUVEAU | KEY MOTIFS
Asymmetrical shapes and Whiplash forms: — Elegant, long, sinuous, organic lines curved into an S shape, often incorporated into natural forms such as women's hair and floral plant stems
Use of modern materials (ex. iron pillars, sculpted and curved in naturalistic designs)
Use of Natural Forms
Women’s hair, feminine figures and personas (ex. dancers (Loïe Fuller & Isadora Duncan)
Flowers, trees, stems, plant-like embellishments (ex. cyclamen, iris, orchid, thistle, mistletoe, holly, waterlily)
Animals (ex. swans, peacocks, dragonflies, butterflies)
Tiaras, mythology, Grecian clothing
ART NOUVEAU | KEY COLORS
Warm shades of blue, silver, orange, gold, and pink
Natural colors and tonal palette
Vibrant colors such as greens, browns, yellows and gold
ART NOUVEAU | RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Arts and Crafts Movement, Art Deco, Vintage, Impressionism, Bohemian, Fantasy, Fairy Tale
Also — Art Academia, Romanticism, Romantic Academia, Ballet
ART NOUVEAU | IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
N/A
ART NOUVEAU | HISTORY
This style came as a reaction to the academic art, eclecticism, and historicism of 19th-century (1801–1901) architecture and decoration that favored fine art (paintings/sculptures) over applied art.
ART NOUVEAU | TIMEFRAME
Art Nouveau was most popular during the 1890s–1910s, flourishing in Western Europe and the USA
Art Nouveau inspired the Psychedelic Art of the 1960s.
ART NOUVEAU | ALSO KNOWN AS
New Art, Modernismo, Modern Style (Great Britain)
ART NOUVEAU | APPLICATIONS
Applied to a host of different forms — Fine art, applied art, and decorative art
Mostly used in architecture, illustration, posters, design, interior design, jewelry, glass design (stained glass/mosaics), furniture, home decor, and textiles.
Art Deco
Think of art deco as a combo of Art Nouveau with newer geometric forms that are symmetrical, sleek, streamlined, often simple or stylized forms by the use of man-made materials that are luxurious and pleasing to the eye.
HISTORY
widely used by architects and designers around the world;
the most fashionable international design movement in modern art from 1925–1940s.
A popular interior and graphic design style of the 1920s and '30s
The art deco style reflected modern technology.
Characterized by smooth lines, geometric shapes, streamlined forms, and bright, sometimes garish colors.
Initially, rose to prominence as a symbol of luxury, wealth, and sophistication in challenge to the austere influence of WWI.
Used costly materials like silver, crystal, ivory, jade, and lacquer
Post-Depression:
used cheaper/mass-produced materials like chrome, plastics, and other industrial items to cater to the growing middle-class taste for a design aesthetic style that was elegant, luxurious and functional.
ALSO KNOWN AS
Deco, Cubism Tamed
collage of art deco aesthetic design styles
Visual Aesthetics • Art Deco style
Art Deco designs are characterized by — trapezoidal, zigzagged, and triangular shapes, chevron patterns, stepped forms, sweeping curves and sunburst motifs
Art Deco Architecture — represented scientific progress, and the consequent rise of commerce, technology, and speed. This, together with its image as a modern, opulent style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Elegant, luxurious and functional
symbol of luxury, wealth, and sophistication
Bold geometric forms, bright colors, expensive materials
Patterns are bold, symmetrical, and geometric
KEY COLORS
Vibrant, rich, bold, and highly contrasting colors
Black, gold, metallic
Bright/deep yellows, reds, greens, blues, and pinks
Home decor style: Softer colors of that era include creams and beiges, many of which were used for home decor (living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms)
KEY MOTIFS
Bold curves, Strong, straight & smooth vertical lines
Aerodynamic forms, airbrushing, motion lines and the geometric treatment of patterns and surface
Sharp angles, sleek geometric shapes or stylized forms
Capitalized typefaces
Lavish ornamentation
Flat (in terms of depth)
Art Deco Materials Aesthetic
KEY MATERIALS // TEXTILES
Bakelite, plastics, chrome, steel, aluminum, and stained glass
Newer materials used: aluminum, stainless steel, plastics, lacquer, and inlays/inlaid wood
Continues the use of high-quality Art Nouveau materials
(ex. molded glass, horn, and ivory)
Introduced exotic textured items like zebra print, shark skin, and other animal print patterns
ART DECO | TIMEFRAME
1920s-1930s:
Spanned the "Roaring Twenties", the Great Depression of the early 1930s, and the years leading up to the WW2 (1939)
The late 1930s—early 1940s: Declined in popularity when was perceived as too gaudy and ostentatious (splashy) for wartime austerity (quickly fell out of fashion after)
The 1960s: Gained the first resurgence of interest in Art Deco style (coinciding with the movement's effect on Pop Art)
The 1980s: Gained a resurgence of popularity again in line with growing interest in graphic design
ART DECO | RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Art Nouveau, Nautical, Preppy, Vintage, Cubism, Constructivism, and Futurism
Also — Art Academia, Decopunk, Dieselpunk, Flapper, Parisian Fauvism, Aztec and Egyptian art
Similar to the earlier Arts & Crafts Movement AND the curvilinear design style of Art Nouveau.
Unlike Art Nouveau (its earlier counterpart), Art Deco had NO philosophical basis — it was purely decorative
Art Deco is in contrast to avant-garde
ART DECO | INFLUENCES:
Design styles were inspired and influenced by several of the major art styles of the early 20th century. These formative influences include:
Cubism inspired the geometric forms (Art Deco has been called "Cubism Tamed")
Constructivism & Futurism — inspired machine-style forms
Art Nouveau — unifying, Its highly intense colors stemmed from Parisian Fauvism
also influenced by Aztec & Egyptian art, as well as classical antiquity.
ART DECO | IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
Movies: The Great Gatsby, Betty Boop, Bioshock, Metropolis, Skullgirls
Design style appeared in a number of jewelry and fashion ads
Art Deco Font Styles
ART DECO | APPLICATIONS
Applied to all different types of art forms, including crafts & fine arts, applied art, and decorative art
decorative art (interior design/home decor, furniture, textiles, fashion, jewelry, and industrial design)
applied art (architecture)
visual arts — paintings/graphics, illustration, and design
Avant-Garde
Avant-garde: Artists whose work is ahead of that of most of their contemporaries; unconventional, experimental, innovative. Also descriptive of the work produced by such artists.
In fine art, the term "Avant-Garde" (from the French for 'vanguard') is traditionally used to describe any artist, group or style, which is considered to be significantly ahead of the majority in its technique, subject matter, or application. Involves exploring new artistic methods, or experimenting with new techniques, in order to produce better art. The emphasis here is on design, rather than accident, since it seems doubtful that a painter or sculptor can be accidentally avant-garde.
Avant-garde is an idea that refers to innovative or experimental concepts or works, or the group of people producing them. Pushing boundaries with his development of Cubism, Pablo Picasso was part of the early 20th-century art world’s avant-garde.
In French, avant-garde means the “vanguard” or the “advance guard” — basically the people and ideas that are ahead of their time. Usually it refers to a movement in the arts, like Dadaism, or in politics, like anarchism. Avant-garde can also be used as an adjective to describe something that’s cutting-edge.
Visual Aesthetics • Avant Garde style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Art in a usual manner, designed to garner attention
Experimental and innovative designs
Strong Personality
Usually very modern but can take on aspects of vintage
Divergence from norms, experimentation
Any colors
KEY MOTIFS
Often produced with unusual shapes and sometimes unusual fabrications
Unusual shapes and color combinations, high fashion structure
TIMEFRAME
Decade Origin: 19th century
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
Minimalist / Minimalism
Minimalist art refers to modern art that rejects texture, subject, and atmosphere while also reducing colors/forms to the simplest styles.
MINIMALIST | HISTORY
Emerging in a coherent form in New York, during the 1960s, Minimal art, popularly known as Minimalism, was a major movement of postmodernist art, precisely a style of abstract painting/sculpture characterized by extreme simplicity of form: in effect, a type of visual art reduced to the essentials of geometric abstraction. Widely exhibited in the best galleries of contemporary art in America.
MINIMALIST | ALSO KNOWN AS
Minimalism is also sometimes referred to as ABC art, Cool art, Literalist art, Object art, and Primary Structure art
Associated with conceptualism
Very often an austere, cerebral type of art, Minimalism is sometimes associated with Conceptualism — via the avant-garde composer, John Cage (1912-92), and occasionally with Land art.
MINIMALIST | TIMEFRAME
1960s — Emerged from New York
Visual Aesthetics • Minimalist style
Minimalist style contains objects and fashion that does little more than serve their function, all adornment is shunned
Simple patterns may also appear; anything that is complex will not. Colors also tend to be very muted.
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Minimal design
Lack of clutter: Visuals tend to be very simple and without unnecessary details.
Follows the mantra “less is more”, this is modern with the most simple terms.
KEY COLORS
Any colors but mostly solid colors
Typically utilizing cool hues or white, neutrals, and muted colors
(ex. either all bright/white or all dark/black)
Colors are usually very consistent throughout the work
KEY MOTIFS
Uses natural materials, stainless steel, straight lines, smooth textures, and functionality
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
Minimalist paintings and sculptures are:
generally composed of precise, hard-edged, geometric forms, with rigid planes of color pigment
Usually to consist of non-hierarchical, geometrically regular compositions, often arranged in a grid format and made from industrial materials
Whatever the precise details, the idea of this kind of non-objective art is to purge the work of any external references or gestures, such as the emotionalism of Abstract Expressionism.
Minimalist architecture
exemplified by the “Less is More” (the signature style of architect Mies van der Rohe)
Refers to building design styles that are reduced to the absolute bare minimum of elements
typically uses basic geometric shapes, harmonious colors, natural textures, open-plan spatial arrangements, neat and straight components, clean finishes, flat or nearly flat roofs, large windows, and satisfying negative spaces.
RELATED AESTHETICS
Contemporary Art
Chic Modernist, Comfy/Cozy, Purism, Suprematism, White
Also — Corporate Memphis, Cyber Minimalism, and De Stijl
Subgenres
Indie Minimalism
Indie Minimalism is an independent aesthetic that's based on minimalist design, individualism, urban life, music, and the arts. Blending the elements of the Indie aesthetic with the otherwise Minimalist aesthetics.
KEY VALUES
Independence, individualism, less-is-more philosophy
KEY MOTIFS (THEMES)
Minimalist design, individualism, urban life, Big cities, grids, digital cameras, oversize sweaters/hoodies, bright yellow, orange, and pink accents
KEY COLORS
White, gray, black, cream, light blue, bright accents
The color palette is usually based on white, black, navy, and light gray or blue, with one or two bright accents
Also, the minimalist side is heavily influenced by the bright colors and clean lines of Bauhaus and Modernist design.
RELATED AESTHETICS
De Stijl, Indie
Modern Art
Refers to a specific design movement that arose in the early 20th century, and dates back to post-WW2. Common elements of this design style include irregular geometric shapes and lines, vibrant colors, and unique layouts. Font styles used with this aesthetic are usually basic sans-serif fonts.
MODERN ART | ALSO KNOWN AS
late modernism - “modernist" and "postmodernist" works are both seen as phases
Visual Aesthetics • Modern style
KEY MOTIFS / THEMES
irregular geometric shapes and lines
unique layouts and collages
Use of newer materials and assemblages
Key Colors
Vibrant colors, vibrant palettes
Although there is no single defining feature of "Modern Art", there are a few important common characteristics, such as:
New Types of Art:
Modern artists were the first to develop collage art, assorted forms of assemblage, a variety of kinetic art (including mobiles), several genres of photography, animation (drawing plus photography), land art or earthworks, and performance art.
Use of New Materials:
Modern painters affixed objects to their canvases, (ex. fragments of newspaper and other items). Sculptors used "found objects", like the "readymades" of Marcel Duchamp, from which they created works of Junk art.
Assemblages were created out of the most ordinary everyday items, like cars, clocks, suitcases, wooden boxes, and other items.
Expressive Use of Color:
Modern Art Movements: (ex. Fauvism, Expressionism, and Color Field painting styles) were the first to exploit color in a major way.
New Techniques:
Chromolithography (invented by poster artist Jules Cheret); Automatic drawing (developed by surrealist painters, as was Frottage & Decalcomania) Gesturalist painters invented Action Painting; Pop artists introduced "Benday dots", and silkscreen printing into fine art.
Other modern arts & movements that introduced new painting techniques (ex. Neo-Impressionism, the Macchiaioli, Synthetism, Cloisonnism, Gesturalism, Tachisme, Kinetic Art, Neo-Dada and Op-Art.)
MODERN ART | HISTORY
Traditionally, it began with Impressionism (from about 1874 until the early post-WWII period).
Late Pop art then ushers in contemporary or post-modern art.
Contemporary Art
Things that are modern and current with the styles of the moment are contemporary styles, although defined in varying ways — "Contemporary Art" is preceded by "Modern Art" and there is no concise agreement on when "Modern Art" ended or if it ever ended.
ALSO KNOWN AS
Postmodernist/Postmodernism
TIMEFRAME
Produced since the 1960s
Visual Aesthetics • Contemporary style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Simple and sophisticated (modern/advanced/innovative)
Deliberate use of texture, and clean lines
Showcase space rather than things
Focused on "how" art was/is created and disseminated, rather than "what" was produced.
Emphasized ideas and concepts rather than precious objects and the skills needed to make them
KEY COLORS
Any
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Examples of Contemporary Art
Minimalism (1960 onwards)
Pop Art, Word Art, Conceptualism (1960s onwards)
Performance (Early 1960s onwards), Fluxus Movement (1960s), Installation (1960s onwards), Video Installations (1960s onwards)
Graffiti Art - a contemporary art form that first appeared in Philadelphia and New York during the late 1960s/early1970s.
IN THE MEDIA + LIFESTYLE
N/A
Boho + Hippie
Bohemian (Boho)
Boho style is an unconventional and free-spirited aesthetic that mixes different cultures and artistic expressions into an eclectic style with an emphasis on organic elements and nature. Bringing a mixture of patterns, textures, woods, colors, and metals to the design.
ALSO KNOWN AS
Boho chic, Boho
Visual Aesthetics • Boho style
KEY VALUES
Bohemian styles are defined by a lack of structure, instead going for carefree layers of pattern, texture, and color.
Carefree and eclectic — bohemian design artistry values the textures, patterns, colors and motifs of nature
Key theme is mixing, matching, layering and exploring; incorporating trinkets from travels; crafting a comfortable and meaningful space.
While many take a “more is more” approach, boho can be done however you’d envision it: maximalist, minimalist, modern, chic
KEY MOTIFS (THEMES)
Common features: mixing patterns, metals, woods, materials, animal hides and travel trinkets
Bohemian Style Is Organic: Boho design revolves around elements of the natural world — literally and visually. Plants are primary — they infuse life, air and energy into a space. Pair them with bright colors and geometric patterns for an maximal look. If your green thumb isn’t up to speed, try using nature-inspired patterns (florals or leafy prints).
FASHION STYLE: bohemian gypsy “floaty” style clothes, boots, folksy
KEY COLORS
Neutral colors with splashes of warm, bright colors thrown in
Whites, browns, & tans mixed with blues, greens, purples, oranges, reds, and yellows
RELATED AESTHETICS
Hippie, Vintage
Eclectic Bohemian
Bohemian style tends to favor personal taste over design principles & rules. Eclectic style is more cohesive, more balanced, and more intentional. It bends but doesn't break basic design principles
ALSO KNOWN AS
Boho chic, Boho
KEY MOTIFS (THEMES)
Eclectic relies on elements such as balance, rhythm, proportion, and scale
Classified as a more “grown-up” version of bohemian
Eclectic synonyms: wide ranging, broad, comprehensive
Bohemian Style Can Be a Bit Eclectic
"Pattern mixing is always a good idea, don’t be afraid to mix and match to create an eclectic blend of shapes, colors and visuals. Infuse assorted motifs such as a tribal rug, nature-inspired art and geometric wallpaper. The final design is uniquely bohemian.
Hippie
Hippie (sometimes spelled as 'hippy') is a member of the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States and spread to other countries worldwide. The word 'hippie' came from the word 'hipster' and was used to describe beatniks who moved into New York City's Greenwich Village and San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district. While it faded out of fashion in the 1970s, it has enjoyed occasional blips of popularity since the 1990s.
Visuals Aesthetic
Psychedelics Is a predominant part of the Hippie visuals. The roots of Psychedelica are tied to early Hippie culture and still tie into the modern-day Hippie aesthetic.
ALSO KNOWN AS
Flower power, love core, and love culture
DECADE OF ORIGIN
Mid-1960s
Visual Aesthetics • Hippie style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Peace, love, being kind to animals, plants, and other species
Meditation, staying fit and healthy, protecting planet earth, its climate, biodiversity, humanity, being close to nature, nudism, and freedom
often vegetarian or vegan
KEY MOTIFS
Peace signs, flowers, drugs
Paisley
KEY COLORS
Any colors but mostly vibrant rainbow colors
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Most common — Grunge, Punk, Psychedelic, Vintage
Also — Afrofuturism, Beatnik, Craftcore, Drugcore, Glowwave, Lovecore, Stoner
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
Festivals (ex. Coachella, Woodstock)
Preppy
Preppy is a subculture in the United States that is associated with old private Northeastern university-preparatory schools. The terms are used to denote a person seen as characteristic of a student or alumnus of these schools. Characteristics of preps in the past, include a particular subcultural speech, vocabulary, dress, mannerisms, and etiquette, reflective of an upper-class upbringing. It is one of the four high school stereotypes used in a popular alignment chart, along with Jock, Nerd, and Goth.
In preppy style, structured silhouettes, basic garments, simple patterns, plaid prints and embroidery reign supreme.
ALSO KNOWN AS
Preppie, Prep, J-Preppy (when specifically talking about the Japanese preppy fashion aesthetic).
Preppy (also spelled Preppie) or Prep (all abbreviations of the word preparatory)
TIMEFRAME
Decade Origin: 1950s
Visual Aesthetics • Preppy style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Elitism/narcissism, opulence, enforcement of the corporate establishment/status quo, liberalism/conservatism, success, status, the collegiate life, professionalism
Preppy style is both classic and contemporary, feminine and ironic
KEY MOTIFS
Materials / Fabric patterns
Plaid, Stripe, Quatrefoil, Argyle
Check/Gingham, Madras, Tartan
Critters (crabs, lobsters, elephants, monkeys, crocodiles, horses, fish, seahorses)
Monograms: arranged with the first initial on the left, the last initial in the center and the middle initial on the right
Large monograms, especially in curly fonts, are popular in the South. EVERYTHING is monogrammed.
KEY COLORS
light pastel colors
Preppy design style uses bright colors set against the traditional backdrop of neutrals in brown and white, these color tones are designed to radiate confidence
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Nautical
RELATED BRANDS
J. Crew, Lilly Pulitzer Lacoste, Ralph Lauren
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
Visual Aesthetic — The Preppy visual aesthetic draws a lot of cues from the upper classes of society that would often eventually find themselves attending some sort of Ivy League school like Harvard, Princeton or Yale.
There are two generally accepted variants of the Preppy aesthetic:
One is New England Prep or East Coast Prep, which has a lot of nautical elements like anchors, compasses, ships, lighthouses, and whales. Hydrangeas are also associated with New England Prep as they are common on Nantucket. The colors used are found in nature — olive green, navy blue, beige, tan, and dark red
The other is Southern Prep, which includes elements like palm trees, elephants, monkeys, and zebras. Lilly Pulitzer is a good example of these types of patterns. The colors are much brighter and more saturated: hot pink, kelly green, lime green, bright yellow, turquoise, and orange. Contrasting colors are often paired together: pink with green or blue, orange with green or blue, red with blue or green, and yellow with blue or turquoise. Purple and shades of purple like lavender are not commonly used. Southern Prep is more casual than New England Prep and bare arms and legs are more common.
Members of sororities and fraternities often come from middle-class and upper-class families who follow the Preppy aesthetic. While members of sororities and fraternities are expected to be on their best behavior at all times, the darker side of Greek Life (hazing, drugs, alcoholism and hard partying, rape, and racism) makes people wary of Preps.
During the spring and summer, the "Chads" and "Beckys" who visit Nantucket are subjects of mockery for their basic drink orders, boring sense of fashion, and inexperience driving on sand. Chads and Beckys are also associated with the phrase "My father is a lawyer."
Brutalism
A design style that intentionally attempts to look raw, haphazard, or unadorned. Brutalism is seen as a reaction against artificiality and lightness in both architecture and digital design. Think of brutalism as “Anti-Design”.
Brutalism is a style with an emphasis on materials, textures and construction, producing highly expressive forms.
Brutalist architecture emphasizes raw materials, (mainly concrete;
Brutalist digital design style would use raw materials as a textured fill for a background or brushed pattern
The underlying traits of brutalism, namely authenticity and efficient construction, transcend genre.
Brutalism in web design began as mostly functional: one of the more famed brutalist sites is Craigslist, whose barebones appearance has changed little since the 90s. Intentional or not, whenever web designers focused on creating interfaces that were simple, unpretentious and useful, they were taking a brutalist approach.
He characterizes the revival as youthful rebellion against soft, corporate, crowd-pleasing styles such as flat or material design that have become ubiquitous on the modern web. In contrast to traditional brutalism, the appeal now seems to be “its ruggedness and lack of concern to look comfortable or easy.”
APPLICATIONS
Architecture & digital design
TIMEFRAME
Decade of Origin: 1950s-1970s: Emerged as an architectural style
Visual Aesthetics • Brutalist style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Comes from the French word ‘brut’ which meant raw, and was mainly unornamented concrete made to project a feeling of strength, honesty, and daring
Simple, block-like forms and raw concrete construction
intentionally attempts to look raw, haphazard, or unadorned
An aesthetic that is brutish, frightening, and illogical.
doesn’t align with a classical understanding of composition or color aesthetics in graphic design
adds more sharp edges, unexpected views, dynamics, and bold colors
Appeals to and satisfies the aesthetic tastes of the most outrageous, brave, and ambitious graphic design gourmets.
KEY COLORS
Monochromatic color schemes, often black and white or gray
KEY MOTIFS
Common features of brutalism:
Exposure of materials—for architecture its concrete and for digital design it’s the default, unstyled HTML websites
An emphasis on bare functionality, devoid of decoration
Modular, repeated design elements
Layered, articulated or extruded pieces
Rectilinear edges
Raw, unedited or As-Is design elements
Design Aesthetics Brutalism
The emphasis on exposed building materials and structural supports.
A high amount of decoration & ornamentation.
The eclectic use of historic architecture and design elements on modern structures.
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Grunge, Punk
Brutalism in contemporary design — Brutalism in the modern age of design has its roots in the ideas of its architectural ancestor. Like the slabs of concrete, digital brutalism lets you see the blank screen other designers might hide with color and texture. Like the rough edges of buildings, brutalist websites eschew all editing, showcasing default computer fonts and square, untreated photos.
A recurring feature of classic brutalism is the imposing nature of its giant, stone buildings. Digital designers often interpret this with oversized typography or material textured background fills.
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
N/A
Grunge
Grunge Style
Like brutalism — Bands from Seattle were rough, ragged, and raw. Unpolished. The Grunge design style grew out of the disheveled aesthetic of the Seattle music scene around 1990. Grunge designs extended the work of Deconstruction by featuring distressed, decomposing, and messy types and imagery in chaotic, multilayered emotive compositions.
Visual Aesthetics
A majority of Grunge's visuals involve a large amount of dirty, grimy imagery. These show a sort of hopelessness and disenchantment with modern society. A lot of earth tones and pale colors are used to convey this sort of cultural depression often associated with Grunge.
Grunge designers questioned the veracity of common assumptions about legibility by designing demonstratively dingy and erosive typefaces and using them in expressive compositions that were purposefully mucky and cluttered
David Carson, Carlos Segura, and Jim Marcus were among the pioneering Grunge designers. Grunge fonts Viscosity, Bokonon, and Zapped.
ALSO KNOWN AS
Seattle Sound
DECADE OF ORIGIN
1980s
Visual Aesthetics • Grunge style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Rejection of the mainstream, counterculture
anti-consumerism
DIY culture
KEY MOTIFS
plaid
old jeans / messed up clothes
KEY COLORS
Black, brown, red, green, blue, gray
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Alternative, Cyber Punk, Emo, Indie, Metal, Punk, Rusticcore, Scene, Urbancore, Vintage
Also — Bastardcore, Cybergrunge, E-Girl, E-Boy, Kinderwhore, Nu-Metal, Ocean Grunge, Pale, Scrapper, Thriftcore, 2014-era tumblr
HISTORY
Grunge is a darker, edgier style that is usually depicted these days with glitches, vinyl records, cigarettes, neon lights, and the color black (which has absolutely nothing to do with the original grunge).
Grunge, historically though, has its roots in the 1990s hard rock scene of Seattle, Washington. It was a countercultural, anti-consumerism youth movement and musical genre that defined Generation X. Grunge fashion was made popular by bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden, and was meant to be timeless and quite casual.
Grunge started in 1985 with Green River's album Come on Down, but it did not become mainstream until the 1990s with Nirvana's Nevermind. Grunge was most popular from roughly 1991 to 1997 and eventually lost its anti-consumerist philosophy. It can be argued that grunge began to decline in 1994, after the tragic suicide of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, though the genre maintained popularity until about 1997 when Soundgarden broke up and post-grunge bands like Creed became popular.
Celtic
Celtic Art — Hallstatt and La Tene styles of metalwork, and abstract designs characterized by knots, spirals and interlace patterns.
History
Celtic designs were created by ancient Celts, both on the Continent of Europe and on the islands of Britain and Ireland.
Generally characterized by two-dimensional graphics, featuring the use of complex patterns based on a number of recurring motifs
Motifs include knots, zoomorphic imagery, interlace patterns, spirals, and crosses
Applied to and appear on a wide variety of artifacts and artworks
including monumental stonework (eg. the Turoe Stone), phalerae, coins, precious metalwork, personal ornaments, and jewelry.
Decorative art has a lot of spirals, swirls, and triskeles. Typically from Ireland, Britain, and Scotland. Celtic art has used a variety of styles and has shown influences from other cultures in their knotwork, spirals, key patterns, lettering, zoomorphic, plant forms, and human figures
DECADE OF ORIGIN
1200 B.C
Visual Aesthetics • Celtic style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Honor, loyalty, hospitality, honesty, justice, courage
KEY MOTIFS
The Dara knot, The Ailm, The Triskelion, The tree of life, The Harp, The shamrock, Celtic dragons, the Carolingian cross
Celtic Spirals: Oldest symbols associated with the Celts. Engraved on ancient pagan stonework, spiral patterns (including the triskele, or the triskelion) are another quintessential feature of ancient Celtic art
Zoomorphic Imagery: Common Celtic zoomorphs feature: birds, snakes, hounds, horses, deer, lions and boars
Celtic Knotwork: There are eight basic types of knot from which nearly all the interlaced patterns in Celtic decorative art derive. Some were absorbed by Art Nouveau artists in the 1890s.
Crosses
Key Patterns: typically consisted of straight lines making up intricate, blockish designs, sometimes described as "square spirals". Became popular during the Insular Art period (c. 650–1100 CE)
KEY COLORS
White, Orange, Green, Red, Purple, Blue, and Gold
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Selkiecore
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
Movies
Mid-Century
architecture, furniture, and graphic design from the middle of the 20th century
TIMEFRAME
roughly 1933-1965 (some argue its specifically limited to 1947-1957)
Modern and clean-lined in the 1950s.
KEY COLORS
Soft colors — lemon yellow, aqua, baby pink, and sea green
KEY THEMES (MOTIFS)
Minimally used patterns but when used it’s usually shaped like atoms, kidneys, arrowheads, and boomerangs.
MEDIA + LIFESTYLE
Dior’s ‘new look’ (despite being 1947) and the TV show Mad Men are perfect examples
A lot of stuff that’s mid-mod is also called the Eames era and the atomic age.
Mod
Mod is a subculture that began in London in 1958 and spread throughout Great Britain and elsewhere, eventually influencing fashions and trends in other countries, and continues today on a smaller scale. Focused on music and fashion, the subculture has its roots in a small group of stylish London-based young men in the late 1950s who were termed modernists because they listened to modern jazz. Elements of the mod subculture include fashion (often tailor-made suits); music (including soul, rhythm and blues, ska, jazz, and freakbeat); and Italian motor scooters (usually Lambretta or Vespa). The original mod scene was associated with amphetamine-fuelled all-night dancing at clubs. Mods were known for their violent behavior when in groups, mainly toward the rival subculture of 'Rockers,' who focused on American music, clothing and motorcycles contrasting the Mod's Italian styles.
The mod, or modern, subculture gained popularity in the 1960s in London, England. Early influences include jazz music and European art films, and many mods rode Vespa or Lambretta scooters.
Mod fashion: wearing stylish and tailored clothing in bold prints, bright colors, and black and white.
DECADE OF ORIGIN
1950s
gained popularity in the 1960s
KEY COLORS
Primary colors, black and white, mustard yellow, turquoise, royal blue, pink, orange
Bold and bright
RELATED AESTHETICS
Mod Revival — Mod revival was a music genre and subculture that started in England in 1978 with the popularity of The Who's film Quadrophenia, and later spread to other countries (to a lesser degree). The mod revival's mainstream popularity was relatively short, although its influence lasted for decades. The mod revival post-dated a Teddy Boy revival, and mod revivalists sometimes clashed with Teddy Boy revivalists, skinhead revivalists, casuals, punks and rival gang members.
Utility
Utility is the quality of appropriateness in use. It is concerned with how things work.
Utility design also encompasses planning for growth and technological advances.
Streetwear
Streetwear is a style of clothing that is typically associated with urban and youth culture and is often influenced by elements of hip-hop, skateboarding, and other subcultures. Streetwear fashion is often characterized by a casual, relaxed, and comfortable aesthetic, and is typically made from cozy, pleasant, durable materials such as cotton, denim, and canvas.
Streetwear styles vary widely, but some standard features include oversized or baggy silhouettes, graphic t-shirts and sweatshirts, joggers, and sneakers or other casual shoes. Streetwear is often associated with bold and expressive styles and may incorporate bright colors, patterns, and graphic elements such as logos and branding. Streetwear is also often influenced by current trends and popular culture and may incorporate elements of other styles such as sportswear, vintage fashion, and high fashion.
Casual fashion style that became popular in the 1990s.
Inspired by lifestyle and culture especially hip-hop culture and skater style.
Versatile
Athletic
The Athlete aesthetic is centered around sports and sportswear of any kind, whether it's worn for athletic competition or for supporting a sports team.
Athletic style, also known as sportswear, is a style of clothing & accessories designed for physical activity and sport. Athletic style is often characterized by functional, practical, and comfortable clothing that is designed to support the wearer's performance and movement. This can include items such as athletic shoes, athletic socks, sweat-wicking fabrics, and other performance-enhancing features.
Athletic style is also often associated with a casual, relaxed, and comfortable aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as logo branding and graphic elements. Athletic style can be found in many different sports and activities and is often influenced by current trends and popular culture. In recent years, the athletic style has also become popular as everyday casual wear, with many people incorporating athletic-inspired clothing and accessories into their everyday wardrobes.
ALSO KNOWN AS
Sportswear
TIMEFRAME
DECADE ORIGIN: As long as there have been sports and athletic competitions
Visual Aesthetics • Athletic style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Physical fitness / Athletic Lifestyle / Excellence
This type of luxury interior design focuses on developing a sophisticated vibe that tells a story playfully with touches of athletic paraphernalia or even more artistic appropriation of sports-related materials. Crafted for enjoyment and style
KEY COLORS: Any color
KEY MOTIFS
Although more of an activities-related aesthetic, the Athlete aesthetic can include visuals too.
Athletic visuals consisting of motivational sayings, colorful backgrounds, and drawings of athletic attire, also including logos
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Brocore, Health Goth, High School Dream, Scrapper
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
ESPN, Various Sports
BRANDS: Under Armour, Reebok, Nike, Adidas
You may find brands, such as Nike, bringing their logos into aesthetic wallpapers, t-shirts, and phone cases.
Military
Military style, also known as military fashion, is a style of clothing and accessories that is inspired by the uniforms and gear worn by military personnel. Military style is often characterized by functional, practical, and durable clothing that is designed to withstand the demands of military service. This can include items such as cargo pants, field jackets, combat boots, and other rugged and hard-wearing clothing and accessories. Military style is also often associated with a utilitarian, functional, and no-nonsense aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as camouflage patterns, patches, and insignia. Neutral, earthy color scheme of browns, greens, and tans. Military style can be found in a variety of contexts, including as part of military uniforms, as well as in civilian fashion. In recent years, the military style has also become popular as a fashion trend, with many people incorporating military-inspired clothing and accessories into their everyday wardrobes.
Rising to prominence during WWII, the aesthetic – made up of structured coats, muted hues and masculine combat prints – is a fusion of functional uniformity, but reimagined for today's stylish gent.
Rave
Rave style is a style of clothing and accessories that is associated with the electronic dance music (EDM) and rave subcultures. Rave style is often characterized by colorful, bold, and expressive clothing and accessories that are designed to be worn at dance music events and festivals. This can include items such as neon or fluorescent clothing, rave gear such as kandi bracelets and necklaces, and other items that are designed to be eye-catching and attention-grabbing. Rave style is often associated with a youthful, playful, and energetic aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as glow-in-the-dark or reflective materials, holographic patterns, and other visual effects. Rave style can vary widely, and may incorporate elements of other styles such as streetwear, athletic wear, and military fashion.
Rave design style emerged around 1986 in the form of promotional flyer art, advertising massive all-night dance party events called Raves. By 1989, this energetic, surrealistic techno style was already being appropriated by commercial interests as a tool for advertising products to youth markets.
Rave aesthetics was a trendsetter for hyperdensity, overlays, and that movement towards bold designs and patterns
Visual Aesthetics • Rave style
The rave design style celebrates streamlined action and computer precision. Rave designs incorporate futuristic dimensional, outlined, and bitmapped fonts into escapist surrealistic dreamscapes based on the youthful visual language of videogames, comics, and virtual reality.
Some examples of digital fonts based on the Rave aesthetic include New Nerd Shadowed and Automatic AOE.
Rock
Rocker style, also known as rock fashion, is a style of clothing and accessories that is associated with the rock music subculture. Rocker style is often characterized by edgy, rebellious, and countercultural clothing and accessories that are designed to express a love of rock music and a rebellious attitude. This can include items such as leather jackets, band t-shirts, jeans, and boots, as well as other items that are associated with rock music and the rocker lifestyle. Rocker style is often associated with a tough, rugged, and rebellious aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as metal hardware, chains, and studs. Rocker style can vary widely, and may incorporate elements of other styles such as punk, goth, and grunge. In recent years, rocker style has also become popular as a fashion trend, with many people incorporating rocker-inspired clothing and accessories into their everyday wardrobes.
OTHER NAMES — Rock n' Roll / Rocker
DECADE OF ORIGIN — 1950s
Rock is an umbrella term that categorizes a type of music. Rock music includes strong guitars, melodic basslines and brash drums. Rock music generally follows a 4/4 time signature, though the genre has diversified to mix up the sound. Rock bands typically include a guitarist, a bassist and a drummer, though other instruments have been known to be incorporated.
Pin-up + Rockabilly
Pin-up and rockabilly styles are two closely related styles of clothing and accessories that are associated with the rockabilly subculture, which emerged in the United States in the 1950s. Pin-up style is inspired by the pin-up girls of the 1940s and 1950s, who were often depicted in images that were meant to be hung on walls or pinned up as posters. Rockabilly style, on the other hand, is inspired by the rockabilly music of the 1950s, which combined elements of rock and roll and country music.
Both pin-up and rockabilly styles are characterized by a retro, vintage, and nostalgic aesthetic, and often incorporate elements such as 1950s-inspired clothing and accessories, pin-up girl imagery, and rockabilly music-inspired elements. This can include items such as swing dresses, pencil skirts, high-waisted jeans, and rockabilly hairstyles. Pin-up and rockabilly styles often have a playful, fun, and feminine aesthetic, and may incorporate bold colors, patterns, and graphic elements. In recent years, both pin-up and rockabilly styles have become popular as fashion trends, with many people incorporating elements of these styles into their everyday wardrobes.
Pin-Up
Pin-up fashion is synonymous to and a combination of Burlesque, Rockabilly and Old Hollywood Glamour in terms of clothes, hair, makeup, shoes and accessories. It's all about being classy yet elegant, flirty without going overboard. It's more on minimalism and simplicity with just a little skin exposure.
Pin-up modeling originated in the 1890s with the Gibson Girl drawings of Charles Dana Gibson, although the term ‘Pin-Up’ wasn’t used until 1941. The style is mainly expressed by women, although men are rarely involved. Female models are also called Cheesecake models, while men are called Beefcake models. Pin-up models would be photographed in anything from scantily clad clothing to being in the nude. In 1952 actress Marilyn Monroe was asked about her infamous 1949 pin-up photo
ALSO KNOWN AS
Cheesecake/Beefcake, Glamour modeling, Vargas girls, Boudoir
TIMEFRAME
Origin Decade: 1890s
The term “pin-up” was first used in 1941
Visual Aesthetics • Pin-up style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Modeling, Boosting troop morale, Seductive
being classy yet elegant, flirty without going overboard
KEY MOTIFS
Victory rolls, Red lipstick, Natural beauty, Suggestive, War-time, Thin brows
Materials: Satin fabric, Tulle, Cheetah print
Makeup and hair; Full, shaped brows; vibrant red matte lipstick in a "hunter’s bow" shape; water waves hairstyle; victory rolls; and Bettie bangs
Lingerie & Female nudity
Delicate, soft-looking women
Tattoos on modern-day models
Silhouette figures
KEY COLORS
Creams, red, pastels, black
Black and white photography
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Atompunk, Femme Fatale, Gamine, Lounge, Vintage
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music
As a music genre, it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and blues, leading to what is considered "classic" rock and roll. Some have also described it as a blend of bluegrass with rock and roll.
Rockabilly clothing style takes the pin-up flare and gives it a modern edge
Rockabilly is often associated with tattoos, a music genre, Bettie Paige bangs, radical makeup, alternative hair colors, and a ton of piercings. Basically, rockabilly is a pin-up girl gone alternative.
Coastal + Tropical
Coastal and tropical aesthetic design styles are easily identifiable as they tend to be associated with beach, plants, watercolors and tropical vibes.
Visual Aesthetics •
Coastal design aesthetic is characterized by the reflection of natural seaside elements —surf, sand, and sky—through color and texture (Often confused with nautical design style)
Tropical style is much more bright, bold and cheerful than coastal styles. Incorporates palm trees, beach motifs, and lots of pink, sea green and ocean blue! The color palette of tropical design style is similar to coastal style but with more bright green, turquoise, hot pink and warm yellow.
Nautical is an aesthetic centered around sailing and living near the sea. Preppy aesthetics loves nautical
Country + Farmhouse
Country design style prioritizes practicality, simplicity, and rustic charm. Farmhouse design style tends to reflect the aesthetics of rural architecture while also embracing modern comforts, creating a cozy and stylish vibe.
Both Country + Farmhouse encompass neutral colors, antiques, and natural materials.
Farmhouse is more casual; French country is more elegant.
ALSO KNOWN AS
Farm
The Country aesthetic is based on the culture of rural farming populations in the American South and Midwest. Farmers and ranchers within the community value tradition and conservative ideals, community, and hard work in their field. The aesthetic places great emphasis on practicality, with a range of activities and items originating from their work and landscape. The style is popular with many people throughout the United States, even if they are not farmers or ranchers, and has been used as a visual trope for weddings, settings for TV shows, and political propaganda.
Visual AESTHETICs • COUNTRY style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Aesthetic romanticizes the country lifestyle of family, farming, and living in the countryside
Patriotism, hard work, family, tradition
KEY COLORS
Red, beige, navy blue, and neutral colors
KEY MOTIFS
Natural Resources — Sunflowers, Fields of wheat and corn, Hay bales, haystacks
Textiles/Materials — Burlap, denim, and gingham fabrics, plaid
Fashion — Cowboy hats + cowboy boots, Hiking/work boots, Plaid shirts, blue Jeans, camouflage apparel, Baseball + trucker caps
Farm animals — Chickens, cows
Pick-up trucks, Red barns, Tire swings, Horseshoes
Antiques, Guitars, Guns, Mason jars
Alcoholic drinks — usually beer, whiskeys, gin (NOT "classier" drinks like wine and champagne)
Decorative imagery such as "Live, Laugh, Love" decorations
Wood decorations (especially themed around the American flag or home state flag)
RELATED AESTHETICS
Americana, Western
Also — Cottagecore, Equestrian, Girl-Next-Door, Southern Gothic
Country style shares many visually aesthetic traits with Western-style (except no emphasis on the 19th century, adventure/lawlessness, and instead focuses on the idea of home and being settled with a farmer lifestyle)
Unlike Cottagecore (which romanticizes the countryside and uses feminine aesthetics), Country style is a lived reality, even if some visual tropes (motifs) are used to the point of excess
Western + Cowboy
The Western aesthetic (also known as the Wild West) is a popular genre inspired by the lives of early settlers of the American Frontier. The Western aesthetic entails themes of self-reliance, solitude, and wildness. Western folklore often includes tales of lone vigilantes traveling the American Frontier on horseback, more times than not armed with a six-shooter revolver or a rifle and prepared to dole out justice. CREATORS: The Settlers of the American Frontier
Western Style vs. Country Style
Western aesthetic shares many similarities to Country aesthetic (except Western places an emphasis on the imagery of the historical Wild West, as well as the motifs of vigilantism and adventure (commonly depicted in popular Western films).
Country aesthetic romanticizes the life of family, farming, and living in the countryside
Western aesthetic focuses more on the idea of the American Frontier — its landscape, wilderness, specifically the desert and prairie, as well as wandering from town to lawless town
ALSO KNOWN AS
Country, Wild West, Old West, Bang Bang, Spaghetti Western
TIMEFRAME
Decade Origin: 1860s
Visual Aesthetics • Western style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Remembrance, Pioneering spirit, Independence
Vigilantism and Adventure
Handmade, warm earth tones and organic materials
KEY COLORS
Muted tones and earth colors
Browns, Red, Orange
KEY MOTIFS
Cowboy hats and boots
Outdoor/Nature/Landscape —
American Frontier
Tumbleweeds, Cacti, and other desert flora
Sunsets and sunset colors
Horses, Cattle, and bison
Fabrics/Textiles
Organic Materials: Leather, Denim, Flannel, Wool, Cotton, Canvas, Buckskin, Fur, Fringe
Old-fashioned trains, Stagecoaches and covered wagons
Guns — notably revolvers, six-shooters, rifles, and shotguns
Alcohol, Cigars and cigarillos
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Americana, Country
Also — Cottagecore, Prairiecore
SUB-GENRES
Space Western/Space Cowboy — Western aesthetic that applies the themes of the American Frontier to outer space, or the "Final Frontier."
Ex. Cowboy Bebop (1998) John Carter (2012), Cowboys vs Aliens (2011).
Weird West — Wild west aesthetic that mixes the Western style with horror or mystery
Ex. The Hateful Eight (2015) combines the Western film genre with Murder Mystery.
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
Kacey Musgraves, Red Dead Redemption, Old Western films
Visuals
The Western look emerged at the time of American expansion westward from the settlers who founded the first townships. Old West attire was commonly handmade and included warm earth tones and organic materials. The outfits and style of American cowboys were inspired by Mexican Vaqueros who taught the cowboys many of their techniques for cow herding. Wide-brimmed hats to protect from the scorching desert sun and spurs crucial for horse riding were essential for all traveling frontiersmen and women.
Sunsets and tumbleweeds are iconic symbols of the Western setting. The Western aesthetic includes barren deserts, prairies, and mountains that are scattered across the American Frontier. The outposts and small towns that inhabited the West were marked by wooden buildings, saloons, churches, and other small developments.
Crime was extremely rife in the Old West and is a major theme of the Western aesthetic. Rogue gangs of armed outlaws ran wild in the Old West, such as Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch or the Cochise County Cowboys, who may have been responsible for connecting the term "Cowboy" to mean "Outlaw." The notoriety and shenanigans of popular Wild West gangs inspired much of Western media that followed after the fall of the American Frontier.
Fashion Aesthetic
Western fashion style typically includes organic fabrics and warm tones. Leather, cowboy boots, and wide-brimmed hats mark some of the key characteristics of Western fashion.
Modern rodeo fashion often includes bright colors, elaborate embroidery, and the usage of decorative rhinestones in order to distinguish different riders
Rustic
Rustic style is a style of interior design and home decor that is inspired by the natural, rustic, and often outdoorsy aesthetic of rural and wilderness areas. Rustic style is often characterized by a warm, cozy, and inviting aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as natural materials, comfortable furniture, and a color palette that includes earthy tones such as brown, green, and red. This can include items such as wood furniture, animal-themed accents, and other rustic touches.
Rustic style is often associated with a casual, relaxed, and homey aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as comfortable seating, warm blankets, and other homey touches that make a space feel welcoming and inviting. Rustic style is often used in homes that are located in rural or wilderness areas, or in homes that are designed to have a rustic, natural, or outdoorsy feel. It can be used to create a range of different looks, from formal and sophisticated to casual and laid-back, depending on the specific design elements that are incorporated. Rustic style is often closely related to other styles such as lodge style, cabin style, and country style.
Rustic design is a style that's natural, aged, organic, and maybe even a little distressed.
Design styles like farmhouse, Tuscan, or coastal can also be described as rustic.
Rustic is the opposite of modern or contemporary design It's a type of design that is incredibly approachable and relaxed. It should feel welcoming and easy, with a color palette that's calming and traditional. Natural, neutral colors such as beiges, whites, browns, and grays are all key, but opt for the warmer tints. You won't find many splashes of bold paint in a rustic home, so keep it monochrome and muted.
Visual Aesthetics • Rustic style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
KEY MATERIALS:
Organic materials — Real Wood: From wide-planked wood floors to reclaimed wood farmhouse tables, rustic design often puts the material itself at the forefront of the design. Try adding a textured style such as a little weathered or beat up—rustic decor is rarely perfect and instead thrives on imperfection and grittiness.
Texture: Speaking of gritty, since rustic decor utilizes a lot of natural materials, expect it to have a lot of textural variety. Rough woods with obvious grain, rugs made of jute or animal hide, or raw stone fireplaces are all common elements of rustic decor. Avoid anything with an obvious sheen—you want to be able to see and feel the texture in a rustic space.
Handmade: Elements of rustic decor are often unique and unlike any other piece, so opt for handmade pieces if you can swing it. This doesn't mean you can't pick up a few accessories or accents from the big box store, but when it comes to the centerpieces of your house, try to find something with a little bit of character.
Heavy: Unlike other trendy decor styles like modern and mid-century, rustic design is often described as heavy
(ex. heavy wooden kitchen tables with large square legs, or couches with deep, dark leathers)
Simple: The focus of rustic should be on the material, not the design, so many pieces are incredibly simple. Streamlined tables and chairs allow the eye to focus on the material rather than the shape it takes.
Beams: If you have exposed beams, keep them that way. Whether it's a rustic farmhouse in the country or coastal Tuscan home, exposed beams scream rustic design.
Lodge
Lodge style is a style of interior design and home decor that is inspired by the rustic, natural, and often outdoorsy aesthetic of lodges, cabins, and other rustic retreats. Lodge style is often characterized by a warm, cozy, and inviting aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as natural materials, comfortable furniture, and a color palette that includes earthy tones such as brown, green, and red. This can include items such as wood furniture, animal-themed accents, and other rustic touches.
Lodge style is often associated with a casual, relaxed, and homey aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as comfortable seating, warm blankets, and other homey touches that make a space feel welcoming and inviting. Lodge style is often used in homes that are located in rural or wilderness areas, or in homes that are designed to have a rustic, natural, or outdoorsy feel. It can be used to create a range of different looks, from formal and sophisticated to casual and laid-back, depending on the specific design elements that are incorporated.
Log cabin/lodge style of design that combines the rural charm of mountain living with natural elements, natural fabrics, and weathered metals.
Achieve this look try layering warm colors, patterns, and textures as well as vibrant quilts, warm cabin rugs, and leather.
Primitive / Tribal
Primitive and tribal style are styles of clothing and accessories that are inspired by the traditional clothing and adornments of indigenous and tribal cultures around the world. Primitive style is often characterized by a rustic, raw, and handmade aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as natural materials, simple shapes, and minimal ornamentation. This can include items such as handmade clothing, jewelry, and other adornments made from materials such as leather, beads, shells, and feathers.
Tribal style, on the other hand, is inspired by the traditional clothing and adornments of specific indigenous or tribal cultures, and may incorporate elements such as colorful patterns, intricate details, and cultural symbols and motifs. This can include items such as traditional tribal garments, jewelry, and other adornments.
Both primitive and tribal style are often associated with a cultural, historical, and sometimes spiritual aesthetic, and may be worn as a way to express pride in one's cultural heritage or as a form of cultural appreciation. In recent years, both primitive and tribal style have also become popular as fashion trends, with many people incorporating elements of these styles into their everyday wardrobes.
Primitive Art
The term "Primitive Art" is a rather vague (and unavoidably ethnocentric) description that refers to the cultural artifacts of "primitive" peoples — that is, those ethnic groups deemed to have a relatively low standard of technological development by Western standards.
Primitive Art Includes:
African Art (sub-Saharan)
Oceanic Art (Pacific islands)
as well as other types of Rock Art from prehistory
also Tribal Art from (eg.) the Americas and South-East Asia.
The notion of "primitive" people dates from the Age of Discovery (c.1500 onwards), and is largely (though not exclusively) associated with a Christian-Caucasian worldview.
"Primitive Art" is not typically used to describe Chinese, Indian or Islamic artworks, or works from any of the major cultures including Egyptian, Greek or Roman Civilizations.
Primitive decorating is a style of decorating using primitive folk art style that is characteristic of a historic or early Americana time period, typically using elements with muted colors and a rough and simple look to them.
Steampunk
Steampunk design aesthetic is instantly recognizable
often taking a vintage approach to form and mechanical function—swirling gears, gaslights, Neo-Victorian outfits— the look & feel of the Steampunk style transports the viewer back to a fantastical past.
Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era or the American "Wild West", where steam power remains in mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power.
Steampunk may also incorporate additional elements from the genres of fantasy, horror, historical fiction, alternate history, or other branches of speculative fiction, making it often a hybrid genre. As a form of speculative fiction, it explores alternative futures or pasts but can also address real-world social issues.
Steampunk also refers to any of the artistic styles, clothing fashions, or subcultures that have developed from the aesthetics of steampunk fiction, Victorian-era fiction, art nouveau design, and films from the mid-20th century. Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual artisans into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk.
A mix between elegant Victorian interior accessories and the strength of industrial elements, Steampunk is an interesting genre of the interior design world. It’s a fusion of a few well-known styles, with key elements that set it apart from the rest
As a mixture of elegance and machinery, Steampunk is a celebration of the 19th-century innovation era, the industrial revolution and age of invention.
Uses the 19th century as its backdrop (often with a Victorian or Wild West slant)
Focuses on a fictional world where steam power rules the world and delivers a new industrial era
Inspires us to imagine a different time with wildly imaginative, nostalgic and often far-fetched outcomes
DECADE OF ORIGIN
1980s (term)
19th century (concept)The first known appearance of the term steampunk was in 1987, though it now retroactively refers to many works of fiction created as far back as the 1950s or earlier
Visual Aesthetics • Steampunk style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Consciously rejecting Victorian chauvinism, eclecticism, self-sufficiency, efficiency
KEY MOTIFS
Victorian style, gears, clocks, screws steam engines, brass, top hats, waistcoats, crinoline, goggles, dials
KEY COLORS
Bronze, brown, golden, metallic
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Victorian, Cyberpunk, Solarpunk
Also — Decopunk, Dieselpunk, Steelpunk, New Romantic
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
Movies — Elysium (2013), Robocop (1987), Bladerunner (1982), Dredd (2012), Mad Max (1979)
Solarpunk
Solarpunk is a science fiction literary subgenre and art movement that envisions how the future might look if humanity succeeded in solving major contemporary challenges with an emphasis on sustainability, human impact on the environment, and addressing climate change and pollution. Especially as a subgenre, it is aligned with cyberpunk derivatives and may borrow elements from utopian and fantasy genres.
Contrasted to cyberpunk's use of a dark aesthetic with characters marginalized or subsumed by technology in settings that illustrate artificial and domineering, constructed environments, solarpunk uses settings where technology enables humanity to sustainably co-exist with its environment alongside Art Nouveau-influenced aesthetics that convey feelings of cleanliness, abundance, and equability. Although solarpunk is concerned with technology, it also embraces low-tech ways of living sustainably such as gardening, permaculture, regenerative design,[1] tool libraries, maker spaces, open-source, positive psychology, metacognition, and do-it-yourself ethics. Its themes may reflect on environmental philosophy such as bright green environmentalism, deep ecology, social ecology, and ecomodernism, as well as punk ideologies such as anarchism, anti-consumerism, anti-authoritarianism, anti-capitalism, civil rights, commoning, and decentralization.
As an art movement — solarpunk emerged in the 2010s as a reaction to the prevalence of bleak post-apocalyptic and dystopian media alongside an increased awareness of social injustices, impacts of climate change, and inextricable economic inequality. Solarpunk emerged as creators and their followers sought alternatives to consequential dystopic futures that were pragmatic and did not rely on mysterious "black box" technology. The genre became better defined through online communities that shared content and discussions on media platforms and dedicated websites. Solarpunk has been applied to a multitude of media such as literature, fine arts, architecture, fashion, music, tattoos, and video games. In literature, numerous previously published novels have been identified as being solarpunk, including Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed, Ernest Callenbach's Ecotopia, Cory Doctorow's Walkaway, and numerous works by Kim Stanley Robinson. The first works written purposefully in the solarpunk genre were short stories collected in anthologies and later in novellas and novels, such as Becky Chambers's A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy.
Victorian
Victorian style is a style of clothing and accessories that was popular during the reign of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, which lasted from 1837 to 1901. Victorian style is often characterized by a highly decorative, ornate, and elaborate aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as high-quality fabrics, intricate details, and embellishments. This can include items such as formal wear such as evening gowns and suits, as well as more casual clothing such as day dresses, blouses, and skirts. Victorian style is often associated with a formal, ladylike, and sometimes traditional aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as lace, ruffles, and other decorative details. Victorian style has had a lasting influence on fashion, and continues to be a popular and influential style today.
Anything modeled to the last half of the 19th century is ‘pure’ Victorian, with the high peak being 1860s – 1880s. Though the Victorians were mad for color, Victorian style now is usually the ornate, lace-and-beaded black-on-black that was popular in the 1880s – 1890s, with high button boots, lace cuffs, and cameo jewelry.
Victorian Art — British architecture, arts and crafts that was created/produced during the lengthy reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901).
Victorian is a visual aesthetic that comprises the various fashions and trends in British culture that emerged and developed in the United Kingdom and the British Empire during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), which is known as the Victorian Era.
The aesthetic heavily influenced Lolita, Steampunk and Victorian Goth.
TIMEFRAME
1837-1901 (Queen Victoria’s reign)
Visual Aesthetics • Victorian style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Sentiment, Knowledge
Victorian visual includes more elegance and vintage vibes
KEY MOTIFS
Old Stuff like Old Lettering and Old Devices
Pocket watches, corsets, top hats
Victorian Homes, Statues, Tea /Teacups, Candles, Detailed Paintings, Pocket Watches
KEY COLORS
Ochre, russet, beige, brown, taupe, black, white, royal blue, crimson
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Gothic, Lolita, Classic Lolita, Steampunk, Victorian Goth, Vintage, Arts and Crafts Movement
Also — Rococo, Dark Academia, Darkest Academia
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
Movies — Sherlock Holmes, The Infernal Devices
Edwardian
Visual Aesthetics • Edwardian style
KEY THEMES // VALUES
.Edwardian style is a style of clothing and accessories that was popular during the reign of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, which lasted from 1901 to 1910. Edwardian style is often characterized by a refined, elegant, and sophisticated aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as high-quality fabrics, intricate details, and ornate embellishments. This can include items such as tailored suits, evening gowns, and other formal wear, as well as more casual clothing such as day dresses, blouses, and skirts. Edwardian style is often associated with a refined, ladylike, and sometimes traditional aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as lace, ruffles, and other decorative details. Edwardian style has had a lasting influence on fashion, and continues to be a popular and influential style today.
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
Very similar to Victorian style however clothing was a little more relaxed and hemlines were shorter, this time period was very brief.
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
.N/A
Gothic
Gothic style is a style of clothing and accessories that is associated with the goth subculture, which emerged in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s. Gothic style is often characterized by a dark, edgy, and sometimes macabre aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as black clothing, dark makeup, and gothic-inspired accessories. This can include items such as corsets, lace, leather, and other items that are associated with the goth subculture. Gothic style is often associated with a moody, brooding, and sometimes melancholic aesthetic, and may incorporate elements such as Victorian-inspired clothing and accessories, as well as imagery and symbols associated with death and the occult. Gothic style can vary widely, and may incorporate elements of other styles such as punk, metal, and Victorian fashion. In recent years, gothic style has also become popular as a fashion trend, with many people incorporating gothic-inspired clothing and accessories into their everyday wardrobes.
TIMEFRAME
Decade of Origin: 12th century
Revived in 19th century
KEY THEMES // VALUES
Romanticization and criticism of the past, mystery, heightened emotions
KEY MOTIFS
Gloomy environments, ghosts, decay
KEY COLORS
Black, white, gray, dark brown
RELATED AESTHETICS / STYLES
IN MEDIA / LIFESTYLE
H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, Dracula
MORE GOTHIC STYLES
Medieval goth: From the European late middle ages where architecture was full of columns and the use of repetitive geometric shapes with flourish (thinking of a cathedral).
Modern Goth: a sub-genre of Gothic styles and is mainly characterized by the use of all-black clothing, nails, hair, etc. But it can be colorful using dark and dramatic hues
refers to the style of European architecture, and sculpture (and minor arts) which linked medieval Romanesque art with the Early Renaissance
main form of expression was architecture - exemplified by the great Gothic cathedrals of Northern France. For the two main decorative styles, please see Rayonnant Gothic Architecture (c.1200-1350) and the later Flamboyant Gothic Architecture(1375-1500).
Gothic art, being exclusively religious art, lent powerful tangible weight to the growing power of the Church in Rome. This not only inspired the public, as well as its secular leaders but also it firmly established the connection between religion and art
