Vanity post -
Actively paying attention to and crafting aesthetic (clothing, appearance, art, interior design, architecture etc.) is new for me. It's never something I valued or appreciated, largely due to my teen years when I learned how much prominence looks are given in social heirarchy/values, and how superficial and unjust the criteria typically are.
But over the past several years - due to influence from my edtech product work, several friends/exes, shows like Abstract and Queer Eye, traveling SEA/AU while using Instagram, and dancing more and more - aesthetic has become a focus for me.
The main thing that changed my perspective was realizing that one of the determinants in how we feel about ourselves and how others feel about us and thus, how we change the world, is through mere appearance. Taking off and traveling - especially in the company of @rikantis - afforded me the gentle-encouragement and freedom to re-evaluate my appearance: who I want to be, how I want people to experience me, and how to practically achieve that given the confines of my body and our society.
We all communicate something through our appearance. It used to be that what I conveyed was an utmost neutrality: passable appearance without looking good or bad - making no statement except that of choosing not to express anything in particular - which is pretty meh.
I'm still figuring out a personal aesthetic and cultivating this skill of expression... but I know that I want to learn how to exude joy and beauty - and liberation - looking "good" according to convention, while weaving in subtle elements that challenge social norms/values - especially confronting notions of hetero-masculinity, professionalism and class.
Growing out my hair, getting a tattoo, wearing rings and having more colorful clothes are all early forays in this direction. This first pic was my "Halloween costume" of a "yacht bro" and is a half-joking / half-serious way at getting at this idea.
#lookinggood #appearance #identity #design #style
