I, myself am a big fan of the idea, the concept of cottagecore. Being a big city girl always meant that if I wanted to go on a hike or a camping trip, I had to travel very far just to enjoy the fruits of nature. I think that feeling of wanting to be one with nature has been mushrooming in the pandemic. The yearning for more, to return to a " simpler" time is so common in the metropolitan cities that we live in.  

 

Do I truly want to live in a cottage? Of course not, I am terrified of worms and I enjoy high-speed internet. To me, cottagecore is about rejecting the " hustle" culture we live in; taking things one day at a time. We, as humans were not meant for a fast-paced lifestyle, and yet we exist in a society that rewards the efficiency and speed of how we do things. 

 

 

It is also to note that cottagecore fashion tends to be pre-1950s fashion, in that dresses are loose-fitting and flowy. It romanticises the lives that we used to have as a civilisation, one that idolised agriculture and patience. The freedom to wear what you want is a wonderful gift that I don’t think we have yet. 

 

 

An important note is that many who endorse the Cottagecore movement do not want to go back to the 1800s. Although they might have had larger cottages and an idyllic country lifestyle, we also had cholera and a lack of women's rights.  

 

The escapist style flourished during the pandemic as going outdoors was banned in many places. 

 

 

Cottagecore is also about adding women back into the equation. Many enjoy the vintage aesthetics of the 18th century, but most women didn’t even possess their names at the time. A calm sense of rebellion is present throughout cottagecore, they are writing our names back into history as women, WOC, and LGBT+ individuals. 

 

The nostalgia of an age that we didn't even exist in may seem a strange concept, but I'm sure most of you have thought of it. Perhaps you enjoy 50s jazz, 70s funk, or even 20s swing.  I can also guarantee that you enjoy something from a generation, era or period that you were not a part of. 

 

Margaret C, a long-time resident of my neighbourhood, commented on the idea of Cottagecore. " What you're doing is going back to old trends. It means my clothes are in style again." When asked about the feminist aspect of the movement, Margaret replied " It's a wonderful thing young people are doing. I think expressing yourself is very important in discovering who you are, especially in your teenage years." 

 

 

Big designers are capitalising on this idea, including your everyday run of the mill department store. When you're shopping online, companies will throw in a buzzword or two to pique your interest(" cottagecore, aesthetic, fairy")  

 

 

Design finds a new, never seen space to bloom in: the internet. I just hope that someday we care enough about aesthetics to confront our issues head-on.