What is cottagecore? The latest viral aesthetic taking over TikTok explained

29 May 2020, 13:22

Halsey dances to Harry Styles in her bikini during lockdown

Sam  Prance

By Sam Prance

Everyone including Halsey and Millie Bobby Brown is getting involved in Cottagecore. Are you a part of the aesthetic though?

Cottagecore is taking over social media right now. What is it though, are you part of it and why is everyone talking about it?

If you've been anywhere near TikTok, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter or Facebook recently, you've probably been exposed to the ever-growing wonder that is cottagecore. To quote Wendy Williams, "She's an icon, she's a legend and she is the moment. Now, come on now." Even celebrities including Halsey and Millie Bobby Brown are hopping on the cottagecore trend with dresses, movies and more.

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With that in mind, we're here to break down what cottagecore is so you can work out if you're a cottagecore queen or not.

What is cottagecore? The latest viral aesthetic taking over TikTok explained
What is cottagecore? The latest viral aesthetic taking over TikTok explained. Picture: @iamhalsey via Instagram, @milliebobbybrown via Instagram

Cottagecore is a rising aesthetic that is, essentially, an idealised version of rural life. Think farming but make it fashion. Think cosy cottages AND cosy clothing. Think flowers, hills and countryside galore. Cottagecore dates back to 2018 but it's since become popular on Tumblr, TikTok and Instagram with people sharing their versions of the aesthetic in photos and videos.

From housing to clothing and makeup to hobbies, cottagecore is becoming more than just a trend. It's a lifestyle. Halsey has openly called herself a "cottagecore queer" on Twitter and Millie Bobby Brown has even been getting her cottagecore on on Instagram. She recently posted a photo of herself rocking a cute country fit outside with the caption: "built a garden".

While the term may be new cottagecore has technically existed for years and you can find the aesthetic in an array of iconic films. Miss Honey's cottage and her style in Matilda? That's peak cottagecore. Little Women? The March sisters are poster girls for cottagecore. The Sound of Music? Julie Andrews essentially invented cottagecore back in 1965.

Search the #cottagecore hashtag on any social media platform and you'll be inundated with the aesthetic. It's also become popular to make cottagecore style houses on games like Animal Crossing and The Sims. Cottagecore videos have already had over 267 million views on TikTok alone.

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🌿

A post shared by halsey (@iamhalsey) on

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built a garden 🏡👩‍🌾

A post shared by mills (@milliebobbybrown) on

Whether you are part of cottagecore or not, simply depends on how much you appreciate and commit to the aesthetic.

What do you think? Are you a cottagecore queen?