A field of wildflowers overlooking a trickling brook, a cream-colored milkmaid dress complete with some wispy, loosely-knotted braids woven with Queen Anne’s lace, and a fresh picnic spread of some made-from-scratch baked goods while soft sunbeams caress your cheek, and you’ve got yourself the Cottage Core starter pack.

The whimsical, yet simple, aesthetic of Cottage Core (aka Countrycore or Farmcore) has practically taken over social media (thanks again in part to trendsetter platform, TikTok) this past year in quarantine. With an emphasis on the romanticization and fantasy of rural life, it is no wonder that during such complicated and troubling times people are escaping to a simpler, more idyllic way of living. From fashion to food, to film, this aesthetic, rooted in a rustic, pastoral way of life, offers an escape from modernity and embraces the qualities of living in harmony with nature. The folksy, tranquility associated with this aesthetic also favors activities of self-sufficiency and an agricultural way of life such as gardening, farming, baking, and crafting forms like crochet. Its simplicity offers a comforting release from the complex, fast-paced world of today.

While Cottage Core found its start quite recently with 2018 being noted as its true forthcoming, its origin dates back much further.  This trend finds basis in early 14th-century literature and idealism, the 19th-century Arts and Crafts Movement, and even Ancient Greece’s Arcadia. 

Alright, so how does one actually, you know, do this whole Cottage Core trend? What are some necessary pieces we can add to our wardrobes? Milkmaid dresses are a great place to start, complete with a signature A-line skirt, puff sleeves, and a square, open neckline. Some other great additions include apron dresses (similar to overalls, but with a skirt), anything with gingham or embroidery, Victorian or Edwardian-inspired dresses, smock dresses, florals (how groundbreaking), waistcoats, puffy sleeves, sun hats, and yes, even clogs or clog-inspired shoes.

Brands such as Free People, Faithfull the Brand, Urban Outfitters, Reformation, For Love and Lemons, LoveShackFancy, and Christy Dawn are just some of the fashion brands that are championing the “Cottage Core look.”

With the emergence of this trend truly finding its ground during quarantine via social media, followers of Cottage Core are most notably Gen Z and the tail end of Millenials, who find living in this Digital Age overloading. This escapist world of simplicity with its back-to-basics approach offers a calming, distraction that these generations so crave.

If you’re looking to elevate your take on Cottage Core, incorporating some commonly associated motifs into your fashion, decor, and lifestyle, will definitely bring out the desired rural, nostalgic look. Cottages, wildflowers, farm animals (think sheep, cows, chickens, the works), pies (homemade of course), crops and gardens, and even the pattern gingham all perfectly capture this simple, picturesque aesthetic.

Not only does Cottage Core find itself influencing style, but pop culture and other art forms as well. This last year especially, social media has been flooded with a resurging love for art forms that emulate the essence of Cottage Core. Think films like that of Pride and Prejudice (whose popularity was only heightened with its access on Netflix), Emma (2020), Moonrise Kingdom, Little Women (2019), and even The Secret Garden. These films all portray the underlying qualities and spirit that make up Cottage Core’s aesthetic. Literature such as Anne of Green Gables, Winnie the Pooh, and even the writings of Beatrix Potter also showcase the very heart of Cottage Core.

While Cottage Core does offer an escape from a more modern way of living, it also raises questions on whether other ideals and beliefs from times past are being idolized as well. Cottage Core has been heavily criticized for inadvertently glorifying aspects of colonialism and even for undermining the labor of farm workers. Due to these connotations and connections, Cottage Core has been linked to forms of far-right ideals and organizations, regardless of its original association with being anti-capitalistic as well as supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. Its “wholesome” qualities have provided many of these far-right groups with the perfect outlet to promote their own agendas, which do not truly align with Cottage Core’s principles. These ideals and aesthetics should truly take part in accordance with today’s world and not of their past. 

“For those of us who don’t see people who look like us [in the typical Cottage Core imagery], a little reimagining of these periods as inclusive rather than exclusive is just as important as preserving the complete history,” says the founder of Instagram account, @cottagecoreblackfolks, Noemie Sérieux. “It allows us the opportunity and the creativity to see our ancestors as more than just a victim of their era.”

Cottage Core may be just what we need to get through not only this pandemic, but such a digitally burdened world as well. So, embrace the simple life. Go take that walk, plant that garden, or hell, even go on and frolic! Slow down, take a pause, and, you know, maybe even bake a pie...or two.