Not that far back, not so long back was a time when internet trends were passing moments: a funny meme, a viral dance, a challenge that came into short-term interest within a week. The past few years, however, have seen an interesting cultural change. Internet trends have stopped being mere blips on the radar and have intimated the production of whole lifestyles. From “cottage-core” to “clean girl,” “dark academia” to “bloke-core,” these aesthetics carry meaning beyond attire and design: they govern behavior, identity, and even morality. So, the question is: when does a trend stop being just a trend and start behaving like a cult?
Aesthetic or Identity?
Internet aesthetics used to be about looks. Pinterest boards, mood boards, color palettes. But today, they’ve become identity markers—like tribes you subconsciously join based on what you wear, how you speak, and what content you consume.
Take clean girl aesthetic: dewy skin, slicked-back buns, matcha lattes, neutral tones. On the surface, it’s a style. But it comes with a set of expectations: productivity, minimalism, wellness, and a level of aesthetic perfection that—ironically—requires a lot of effort to look effortless. Similarly, cottagecore romanticises rural life, baking bread, and wearing prairie dresses. It’s not just about the vibe—it’s a worldview.
You’re no longer “into a trend,” you’re living it.
Internet Trends & the Cult of Consistency
Social media rewards consistency. If you post as a “clean girl,” your followers expect you to stay in that lane. If you switch from “van life” minimalism to a maximalist Y2K aesthetic, it can confuse your audience—or worse, hurt your engagement. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have unintentionally turned internet trends into narrow paths you’re expected to follow indefinitely.
This is where the “cult” analogy becomes eerily accurate. Like cults, many of these aesthetics:
- Have unspoken rules
- Encourage uniform behavior
- Reward adherence and punish deviation (with lost likes, comments, and reach)
And let’s not ignore the language. Think “girl boss,” “that girl,” and “sad beige mom”—terms that assign not just style, but personality and life choices.
The Pressure to Aestheticise Everything
You can’t just make coffee anymore—it has to be part of your “soft morning routine” video. Reading a book? Make sure it’s a visually pleasing paperback, preferably by Sally Rooney, to match your “dark academia” bookshelf. Even sadness has its aesthetic now (see: “Sad Girl Autumn”).
The constant pressure to aestheticize daily life leads to burnout—and in many cases, performative living. The internet has made us hyper-aware of our image, even when doing the most mundane tasks.
This trend-cult overlap is intensified by platforms’ emphasis on visual storytelling. Instagram’s grid, TikTok’s algorithm, and Pinterest’s vision boards all thrive on consistency. The result? A culture where self-expression becomes self-branding.
So, What’s the Harm?
On one hand, internet aesthetics help people find community and inspiration. They can be empowering, creative, and even healing. But when they turn prescriptive—when they dictate what your home, body, job, and relationships should look like—they can become toxic.
Internet trends are powerful. But when they evolve into rigid identities, they risk stifling the very individuality they claim to celebrate.
How to Reclaim the Trend
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to pick a side. You can enjoy the soft girl aesthetic and still wear all black the next day. You can live offline but indulge in a photo dump when you feel like it. Trends are tools—not cages.
The healthiest relationship with internet trends is a flexible one. Borrow, remix, abandon. Let your aesthetic evolve with your real life—not the other way around.