- Cottagecore has become the aesthetic of quarantine.
- The look marries vintage whimsy with bucolic beauty, favoring gingham prints, baked goods, and picnics.
- The digital subculture gained traction before the pandemic, but it saw new momentum as people began social distancing.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
If the 1800s’ Victorian era met the 1970s’ bohemian period in the English countryside, you’d get cottagecore.
Cottagecore, the latest digital subculture taking over the Internet, has a cozy, ethereal aesthetic. Cottagecore style emits a whimsical feel in a muted color palette. Cottagecore activities include picnicking, foraging for flowers, and baking – and, of course, Instagramming it. Cottagecore living involves rustic houses, farm animals, and the soundtrack of Taylor Swift’s “folklore.”
Part fairy tale, part nostalgia, the aesthetic partly arises from the fantasy of a more calming world. It gained traction in January and spiked again in March as people began social distancing, reported Insider’s Palmer Haasch. It served as a means of escapism during isolation, she wrote.
“We all need to escape from this reality of being caged in our own homes, daydreaming about an ideal life we could have after the crisis is over,” Sofia Giuntoli, a 22-year-old cottagecore blogger from Milan, Italy who runs sofialovesplants.tumblr.com, told Haasch in April.
Here, the ultimate starter kit on the cottagecore lifestyle.
The products: Cottagecore has two beauty looks. One plays to the innocence of the aesthetic, so you'll need pink blush and pink gloss for a natural, youthful look.
http://instagr.am/p/CDUVHCBn_-B
The other look is otherworldly and ethereal. For that, you'll need floral face tattoos.
http://instagr.am/p/CDUYpL_BKFc
The clothes: Cottagecore is all about a vintage, nostalgic style that's whimsical and feminine. Think ruffles, puff sleeves, and milkmaid necklines.
http://instagr.am/p/CCqBuX-AJ3m
Pick textures and colors both light and airy: seersucker, lace, and linen in a pastel palette.
http://instagr.am/p/CDNzVcCgUru
A good rule of cottagecore thumb is to always dress like you're going on a picnic (which you usually are). That means donning gingham or plaid, the favored print for a picnic blanket.
http://instagr.am/p/CCblccClHmM
But florals are the main print staple.
http://instagr.am/p/CCaQIANAFWv
Cottagecore is also big on day gowns and the prairie-inspired midi dress.
http://instagr.am/p/CCyMqbqpRH8
Come winter, you'll need a chunky knit or cardigan.
http://instagr.am/p/CDcwoKqp2Bi
And at night, silk slip dresses are the only way to go.
http://instagr.am/p/CA53kt4AmSX
The accessories: Cottagecore is all about taking advantage of the countryside with a charming picnic. For that, you'll need a picnic blanket laden with fruits (which you've picked yourself) and breads (which you've baked).
http://instagr.am/p/CCVfVYQqEua
You'll also need a wicker basket for all that crop-picking and picnicking.
http://instagr.am/p/B_-aqXdHZRk
Don't forget the matching wicker hat, or a bandana, to cover your hair.
http://instagr.am/p/CC7vKKxprZ6
But sweet, feminine ribbons will also do.
http://instagr.am/p/CDRjScMA115
So, too, will flower crowns, assembled with wildflowers from the surrounding meadows.
http://instagr.am/p/CDTql2Kpo21
Parasols and handheld fans will help keep you cool.
http://instagr.am/p/CCn-hIIhsMR
Cottagecore plays up the ethereal elements of nature. For that, fairy wings will do the trick.
http://instagr.am/p/CDb6R8lBgO_
But cottagecore's underlying vintage aesthetic also makes pearls a popular jewelry choice.
http://instagr.am/p/CCJvEDzhiZ-
No picnic is complete without a weathered book. Think a childhood favorite, Jane Austen novel, or art history book.
http://instagr.am/p/CAYQad8peuU
Sketchbooks also make for a good cottagecore picnic activity.
http://instagr.am/p/CCn07TNoxOm
The DIY: Cottagecore is all about being crafty, like making your own pottery that will become mugs for your tea and vases for your flowers.
http://instagr.am/p/CDGvACbDyJK
Cottagecore is also big on embroidery.
http://instagr.am/p/CB8S_6agblP
And you can't picnic without your own treats. Cottagecore lovers are always baking, whether it's sourdough bread or pies brimming with fruit.
http://instagr.am/p/B2xJ_UQHbHH
The decor: There are two key ways to nail cottagecore decor. One focuses on cottagecore's vintage side, with porcelain teacups and lace doilies.
http://instagr.am/p/CBiQUrkD3bp
Antique mirrors are also a staple. They're even better if they're handheld, so you can bring them on foraging trips and to picnics.
http://instagr.am/p/CDHQFWAj9d_
The other takes a cue from the fields. For that, you'll need floral drawings and mason jars to document your outdoor discoveries.
http://instagr.am/p/CDVsyBSAuJK
Either way, fresh flowers from picnicking trips are a must.
http://instagr.am/p/CBIzORwApAD
It doesn't hurt to have a few baby farm animals running around either.
http://instagr.am/p/CCQUn5ngC4l
And, of course, it helps to have a cozy cottage or cabin in the woods. But most cottagecore lovers don't — and that's what makes the aesthetic so aspirational.
http://instagr.am/p/CAqTGlYhl0t