A lush, green meadow stretches out before you on a beautiful sunny day.

 Your long white peasant dress grazes the sunflowers beneath you as you run, balancing your homemade loaf of bread and book in your hands. You do not want to be late for the picnic your girlfriend has set up again; the iced tea she brewed won’t be cold if you’re not there in time. The sun beats upon your skin, and you feel a light breeze brush against your face. Here, you feel at peace.

 This scene I have painted above is what many would agree the ultimate #cottagecore aesthetic is. Serenity, nature, and sapphic themes permeate this hashtag, which as to date has over 1,402,313 posts under its name on Instagram alone. Yet, just like a painting, there is much more beyond the surface than can be seen initially. While many surmise the cottagecore movement to be an aesthetic form of escapism, there are relevant sociocultural and political ideologies that are deeply intertwined within the movement.

 So, let us pick up our shovel, get our homemade crochet tops on, and dig into the movement of cottage core!

Historical Background: Who Owns Cottagecore? 

The first instances of cottagecore depicted general instances of idealised rural life as a form of escapism for Gen Z on such platforms as Tumblr or Pinterest in the mid 2010s. Once cottagecore was officially named on Tumblr in 2018, the movement took off and reached its peak in March 2020 when the use of the hashtag, according to Tumblr trend expert Amanda Brennan  “increased 153%, while likes on cottagecore posts were up 541%”.

Yet, what is quite interesting about the cottagecore aesthetic, is who is exactly using it. Especially with the increase in popularity of the cottagecore aesthetic, the range of people using the #cottagecore hashtag has increased significantly over time. While in mainstream social media cottage core is most associated with WLW (women love women) creators and content who support politically liberal causes such as the Black Lives Matter movement, LGBTQIA+ rights, and ethical resource allocation, there is also another large group who uses #cottagecore: the traditional wife.

Known on Tumblr and Pinterest as the “tradwife”, this user uses cottagecore aesthetics to reinforce their belief in traditional femininity usually based in Christianity[SM1] . Both users have been able to co-exist mainly, however as more of the primary user of #cottagecore became Gen Z and WLW accounts, there have been some contentious encounters. Mainly users will argue when someone from either user group seeks to reinforce their beliefs that differ significantly from each other.

While many see the cottagecore aesthetic as a place of peace and harmony, it is important to note that there is still contention in this seemingly serene place. It is shocking, perhaps, to think of cottagecore spaces as being combative, yet to enjoy the cottagecore aesthetic is to also recognise the political and social struggles that have been fought to create these safe spaces.

Political Context: What Lies Beneath the Flower Garden?

Cottagecore is the epitome of twenty-first century intersectional feminism, both aesthetically and in content. As Kimberlé Crenshaw,[SM2]  an American law professor who coined the term in 1989 explained intersectional feminism, it is, “a prism for seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other”. In glorifying and romanticising a world in which women run their own households, create their own food and clothes while supporting themselves, and have a safe space to be free within, one can see the influence of social movements such as feminism, environmentalism, and racial activism clearly within every photo under the #cottagecore hashtag.

The most prominent way in which intersectional feminism influences the cottagecore aesthetic is in the rejection of capitalistic mass production in favour of simple homemade goods. If you look on Instagram, Pinterest, and especially Depop (a thrifting app popular among Gen Z users) you will see your page covered in handmade crocheted tops, bucket hats, and yes, even crocheted plush frogs. With the automation and speed of modern-day mass production, a common dialogue many of us were taught was that handmade goods are a luxury, mainly for sentimental purposes and therefore abnormal in our usual repertoire of purchases.

The cottagecore aesthetic is a trend that is unusual in the sense that yes, just like every trend that involves fashion, promotes spending: but I think more mindfully than other trends. It makes you consider the chain of production that is much longer than it seems for everything you purchase, and really think about who is making these goods: underpaid and overworked POC Women. Although it is a privilege to have the time to make one’s own goods, cottagecore is a rejection of such modern practices carried out by, say, Kylie and Kendall, who recently came under fire for abandoning their factories and workers in Sri Lanka[SM3] .

Although it is not immediately associated with the trend, the term spinster is quite canonical of #cottagecore. Historically, a spinster (coined in the 13th century) referred to a married or unmarried woman who spun thread and sold their goods. By the 17th century, the term had taken on its modern-day definition, referring to an unmarried woman “past her prime”. The aesthetic and lifestyle associated with cottagecore prioritises agency and spaces for women, especially those who identify within the LGBTQIA+ community. Grandmacore, farmcore, and frogcore are all aesthetics associated with cottagecore that prioritise women-run discussion, women-owned spaces, and women-owned goods.

Will this Fade Away? 

Trends always come and go; fashion, like history, is innately cyclical. Yet, the ideals behind those trends, whether it is in the form of huge shoulder pads or simple cloth dresses, are ultimately eternal. It is disheartening to think of a future in which I won’t see people wear crocheted frog hats on the daily; the ideologies that influence cottagecore will remain.

Many see cottagecore as an escape; however, I think that is only partially true. Perhaps it is lovely to have a reprieve from fast paced modernity, yet it is in the aesthetics and ideals that make up cottagecore that I see people trying to make the world around them a better and more inclusive place.