Aesthetic Exploration: Cottagecore

“Cottagecore” is an aesthetic and design style that romanticizes rural living, natural materials, handcrafted items, domestic work like gardening, and other staples of countryside living. The term cottagecore was officially coined on the blog site Tumblr in 2018 following the aesthetic’s development throughout the previous decade, based on an attraction for rural European life [7]. Cottagecore itself was a product of the internet, but it is only the most recent iteration of a nostalgia for a simpler agricultural lifestyle in the face of an accelerating modern life.

 

One historical example of this nostalgia is the Arts & Crafts Movement. Most prominent in Europe and America from the 1880’s to the 1920’s, it was a shift in the decorative and fine arts towards an appreciation of handcraftsmanship [8]. Many designers believed that industrialization and mass production had lowered quality standards in the decorative arts. Thus began a movement focused on handcrafted goods, simplicity, and inspiration from nature that affected art forms ranging from architecture to painting to furniture making. Social change was also engrained in this movement, as proponents supported guilds and community workshops as well as the idea that a return to craftsmanship would be best for the consumer and worker in an age of industrialization [9].

These ideas and values reappeared in the counterculture movement of the 1960’s, which included a rejection of capitalism and a trend towards environmentally-conscious living styles. Communes with “hippie artists” developed with focuses on hands-on craftsmanship and sustainable living [9].

Today’s cottagecore aesthetic often evokes these dreamy ideals of sustainable, rural living. One could think of decorative characteristics like a cottage decorated with dried wildflowers and hand-stitched quilts in homemade, functional baskets. There could be greenery from a vegetable garden, homemade pies baking in an oven, and vintage furniture [7]. All of these artifacts curate a cozy and simple interior, and and reinforce the values of self-sufficiency and skilled craftsmanship.

The aesthetic gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine, when many people were yearning for simpler lifestyles, taking up crafty hobbies, and focusing more on the domestic environment. The release of Taylor Swift’s Folklore album in 2020, the popularity of the video game Animal Crossing, and cottagecore trends on Pinterest and Tiktok accelerated the ideals of domestic living, calming and natural environments, and handicrafts in the age of the internet [9].

Critics of cottagecore believe it glamorizes rural living without recognizing the rigorous realities of rural living like poverty and challenging labor [9]. However, the cottagecore aesthetic persists in internet trends, home decorations, and lifestyle.

[1] Garrity, Amanda. “What Is Cottagecore? A Closer Look at the Dreamy Aesthetic Taking Over the Internet”. Good Housekeeping. April 8 2021. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/decorating-ideas/a35982590/what-is-cottagecore-aesthetic/

 

[2] Graf, Stefanie. “An Introduction to the Arts and Crafts Movement” The Collector. Feb 14 2022. https://www.thecollector.com/introduction-arts-and-crafts-movement/

 

[3] “Arts and Crafts Movement”. The Encyclopedia Britanica. Dec 14 2023. https://www.britannica.com/art/Arts-and-Crafts-movement

 

[4] “Folklore (Taylor Swift album)”. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folklore_%28Taylor_Swift_album%29#/media/File:Taylor_Swift_-_Folklore.png

 

[5] “Cottagecore Aesthetic Wall Collage Kit”. Urban Lily Co. April 12 2023. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1051664815/cottagecore-aesthetic-wall-collage-kit

 

[6] “Harmony’s Path Commune 1970s for Life Magazine”. Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/817333032368539730/

 

[7] Hohendale, Kristin. “What Is Cottagecore? A Simple Guide” Dec 21 2023. https://www.thespruce.com/cottagecore-design-style-5095952

 

[8] Obniski, Monica. “The Arts and Crafts Movement in America.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. June 2008. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/acam/hd_acam.htm

 

[9] “Cottagecore”. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottagecore