Ideas for Alternate Decade Aesthetics?

[Seaboigium]

I'm currently working on a large and complex alt-history project. I recently had a rather weird idea for the project that I'd like to impliment and that idea is giving the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s different aesthetics than what they had in reality. This includes alternate car designs, fashion, architecture etc.

As far as I know, a concept like this hasn't really been attempted in any medium of alternate history beyond retrofuturism which probably isn't going to be helpful to me in this project as the goal of retrofuturism is to make the present or future look like a technologically superior version of the past. For this project, I want to give the decades of the 21st century a brand new look that is clearly different from reality while also looking like a natural extension of both the '80s and '90s which influenced the majority of 2000s and 2010s aesthetics.

I have no solid ideas for where to start with this project. I know that I'd like the 2010s to be vaguely reminiscent of the '60s in terms of design but not retro-futuristic in any capacity. Overall, I am looking for ideas and resources.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[athgtq16129]

For this project, I want to give the decades of the 21st century a brand new look that is clearly different from reality while also looking like a natural extension of both the '80s and '90s.

Let me see if I understood this, you want the 21st century to look like more or less how people in the 80s and 90s predicted it? or no because you explicitly state that you do not want retrofuturism?

 

[West234]

I'm currently working on a large and complex alt-history project. I recently had a rather weird idea for the project that I'd like to impliment and that idea is giving the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s different aesthetics than what they had in reality. This includes alternate car designs, fashion, architecture etc.

As far as I know, a concept like this hasn't really been attempted in any medium of alternate history beyond retrofuturism which probably isn't going to be helpful to me in this project as the goal of retrofuturism is to make the present or future look like a technologically superior version of the past. For this project, I want to give the decades of the 21st century a brand new look that is clearly different from reality while also looking like a natural extension of both the '80s and '90s.

I have no solid ideas for where to start with this project. I know that I'd like the 2010s to be vaguely reminiscent of the '60s in terms of design but not retro-futuristic in any capacity. Overall, I am looking for ideas and resources.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I got to say I really like the broad scope idea reminds me of some projects I tried way back. If you’re looking for ways to flesh it out I would say pick a starting point in some time in the 80s that gives a big cultural shock the world somehow. It’s kind of up to you how you do that but I would say take that start and build from there fleshing out a timeline that will of course evolve naturally into some weird new culture in the present.
Also if you want any nice ascetics to get inspiration from check out this list it has been real helpful for me. https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Aesthetics
Good luck on the project!

 

[SealTheRealDeal]

On the eve of it's bankruptcy GM was mulling over turning Pontiac back into a sporty brand, with an all RWD line up. That'd be a vibe.

 

[Seaboigium]

Let me see if I understood this, you want the 21st century to look like more or less how people in the 80s and 90s predicted it? or no because you explicitly state that you do not want retrofuturism?

No, I want to give the 21st century a new look that can convincingly be viewed as a natural evolution of the 80s and 90s. I don't want to make it look like decade aesthetics stagnated, just adopted a form that is different from the real 21st century.

 

[Veblen Fudge]

If you're moving past the 2000s, changing the design language of the early internet is going to be a huge priority. Probably have to come up with a whole new slate of apps too, people underestimate the extent to which stuff like Instagram filters have influenced the aesthetics of these past decades