The cottagecore aesthetic, which is closely tied in with grandmacore and farmcore aesthetics, is simply an aesthetic that idealizes elements of a pastoral life like growing plants, raising animals, or baking bread. Grandmacore includes those elements along with stereotypical grandmotherly things, such as knitting, crocheting, and sewing/embroidery.
Visual Representation of the Cottagecore Aesthetic
Images courtesy of Pinterest and Tumblr
Overall, the cottagecore aesthetic is very much trending in today’s society. We’re still living in a pandemic, and when in quarantine, many people took up cottagecore to help with anxious minds filled with worry about the coronavirus. An article headline from Insider about cottagecore said this:
Many people took up baking, embroidery, painting and other aspects of cottagecore. The trend picked up online in January, but as people began to practice social distancing in March, it started spiking on Tumblr.
Personally, I have always been fascinated with this aesthetic. When I was younger, I read books such as Anne of Green Gables, Little Women and The Secret Garden, all of which had traces of what is now called cottagecore in their descriptions of the characters’ outfits, homes and daily living.
Artist and storyteller Beatrix Potter, however, really made an impact on my childhood with her beautifully illustrated tales about little forest animals. The personified animals can be seen doing cottagecore dubbed activities and wearing clothing fitting the aesthetic. Her most famous story of course, is the story of Peter Rabbit.
Beatrix Potter's Illustrations
Images courtesy of Beatrix Potter via Pinterest
My mother and I just loved the illustrations, and still do to this day. We actually owned the 1993 Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny VHS tape. I’ll insert a clip of the ending right here. She literally lives in a cottage and paints with her pet rabbit. It’s so beautiful and the song that's sung (Perfect Day by Miriam Stockley) is so nostalgic, I tear up everytime.
You don't have to live in a cottage in the English countryside to experience cottagecore. Experiencing the outdoors part of it can be simple as spending the day in your local park or having tea in your backyard. This aesthetic emphasizes nature, simplicity, and peacefulness, and it has been described as a visual and lifestyle movement. However, I have noticed that whenever I look up this aesthetic, barely any black women come up. I believe that this aesthetic is one that embraces femininity, something that some black women sadly aren’t taught from a young age.
For many years, a stigma about black women has been that we are loud and aggressive. Hollywood and society has always tried to defeminize us by portraying us as such, especially brown and dark skinned women. As young girls, if not taught by their mothers, these black girls are sometimes not told that they are beautiful, or are encouraged to embrace their femininity. Cottagecore, with its feminine activities and style of dressing, gives black women examples of how to style themselves and pick up calming hobbies.
One of my favorite black women to follow on Instagram who lives out this aesthetic so iconically, is Paula Sutton, lovingly called "Auntie Paula” by her online family. She loves to tend to her flower garden, bake, and have picnics on her lawn. She also wears cottagecore-styled outfits that are cute and stylish, but also look very comfortable. Mostly dresses and skirts, but sometimes comfortable tops and pants, like when she's gardening
Photo credits to Auntie Paula on Instagram @hillhousevintage
Cottagcore style usually consists of light colored flowy dresses and skirts, as well as loose, breathable tops and shorts, straw hats, and comfortable shoes. Prints on clothing are minimal, but if there are any, they're usually floral or gingham. It’s honestly not hard to find clothing within this aesthetic. Yes, the store Reformation, which calls itself sustainable, sells dresses that would fit into the cottagecore aesthetic for $248. However, one of the pillars of cottagecore is eco-living and sustainability, and many of the clothes can actually be found in thrift stores.
Examples of the Cottagecore Clothing Style
Images courtesy of Pinterest
There is a sort of sense of tranquility that I feel when looking at my cottagecore Pinterest board. It's like I can heard the wind rustle through the leaves as I sip tea and watch the rain naturally rejuvenate my garden. Or I can smell lemon cake baking away in the oven, traces of flour left behind on my chin and apron as I prepare the glaze, perhaps getting a glimpse of a deer bounding into the forest through my kitchen window. There is a certain warm feeling of safety and nostalgia this aesthetic gives me, and I hope that one day, I will get my cottage.
What do you think about cottagecore? Make sure to like this post if you enjoyed it! Also, if you would like to curl up with a blanket with a warm beverage of your choice to watch the full Peter Rabbit cartoon that was a fond childhood memory of mine, I'll have it here below. :)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny: Full Video
Happy Fashion Friday! (I hope you enjoy this lovely cottage GIF 😊)
Arrivederci,
Brianna