Your Guide to Cottagecore Outfits and Fashion

There’s nothing better than enjoying a sunny day in the garden, reading a book, sewing or baking bread. This TikTok trend is the modern interpretation of simple living in the European countryside. With its inspiration dating back to the 18th century, this delicate and hyper-feminine style has become one of today’s most popular aesthetics. It features a naturalistic color palette, citing much of its fashion inspiration from the Regency and Edwardian periods, particularly in its fabrics and silhouettes. However, it is not completely without its critics. Some criticize its rose-tinted view of farm life, its Eurocentric style and its romanticization of the colonial era. Today it is embraced by the queer community and remains a popular choice for many young adults. Whether you like Miranda’s style in Picnic at the hanging rock or want to recreate the life of Alice in Wonderland, you can imitate the style easily. Here’s our essential guide to embracing the cottagecore aesthetic for nature-loving women.

What is Cottagecore?

Cottagecore fashion resembles a combination of 18th century, Victorian and early 20th century elements. This includes soft muslin dresses from the late 18th century, leg of mutton sleeves from the Edwardian era and Art Nouveau finishes. A crucial part of this aesthetic is its desired location, namely on a farm or in the English or French countryside. The desire to be in an all-natural, self-sufficient environment inspires the garments to be delicate, flowing and simple. This also goes for the color palette – you will often find faded shades, soft ginghams or creams. Essentially, you want to look like you’ve stepped out of a John Constable painting.

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How do you dress Cottagecore?

This aesthetic embraces natural fibers, colors and patterns, to give the impression that you live in the European countryside. Choose dresses, skirts, and blouses in light tones like eggshell, bouquet, or champagne, with lace, chiffon, or stonewashed fabrics. Popular choices for the cooler months include gingham – you can try darker shades like khaki, umber or steel, which look great with a puff sleeve blouse. Choose a straw hat when outdoors and add a ribbon for an early 20th century feel. Add Mary Jane shoes or Victorian boots and keep your makeup fresh and natural for a finishing touch.

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Cottagecore Outfits

1. Flowing dresses

Longer, looser dresses are a staple of the cottagecore aesthetic. Soft and delicate, they recall the romanticization of the Regency, Victorian and Art Nouveau periods. This includes neutral hues, cinched waists, flowing silhouettes and delicate patterns. Depending on your aesthetic, you might want to emulate an early 20th century fairy – try a champagne or porcelain tulle dress with puffy sleeves and a full skirt to encapsulate a forest feel. If the 1975 movie, Picnic at Hanging Rock, is more your style, opt for a simple white dress with a high collar and sheepskin sleeves. Add a satin or leather belt to your waist and dark shoes for an authentic touch, or swap them out for a nice pair of mules. Whether you’re reading a novel among the sunflowers or cooking up a storm, you’ll look the part.

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2. Long skirts

A more casual alternative to the flowing dress is a long skirt. Its versatility allows you to swap out different blouses for various events, seasons and personal tastes. Cottagecore will typically include white or cream skirts that drop below the knee to the ankle – in the summer you can add a neutral cropped blouse or wrap top to maintain the overall aesthetic. Of course, you can always think outside the box and choose a pastel or neutral color, like pink or sage. They work well with a myriad of shades and can be worn almost anywhere. Finish the look with Mary Janes, Victorian lace-up boots or a pair of dainty flats – it’s the perfect finishing touch to a beautiful ensemble.

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3. Natural tones

To capture the aesthetic in its most authentic form, you need to make sure you wear faded or neutral-colored clothes. Since this aesthetic centers around the romance of farmhouse or country life, you’ll want to look like you’ve spent hours sunning yourself, sewing, and being self-sufficient—all while looking gorgeous, of course. Soft hues like buttery yellow, sage green, dusty blue, or rose-pink are the most common and often accompany egg white and eggshell. Mix and match hues for a more authentic feel and keep the fibers as natural as possible for a more lasting and authentic impression.

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4. Floral prints

It’s no surprise that floral patterns are an essential part of this aesthetic. With many elements taken from the outdoors, wearing flowing dresses, skirts and blouses with a delicate and natural finish is sure to impress. From the 18th to the 20th century, the size of these patterns were small and dispersed fairly evenly across the fabric, creating an overall impression of being dotted with petals. Today, you can find modern interpretations of fabrics in pieces that will be perfect for brunch, a picnic, or when trying out a new recipe.

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5. Lace details

While lace has been in the fashion world for over 500 years, it wasn’t until the early 19th century that it became popular with the masses, thanks to the Leavers loom. This aesthetic takes the delicate fabric and gives it a modern twist, adding long sleeves, high necks and dress hems to create a soft, feminine feel. Add a layer of champagne lace to a white or cream dress for extra dimension – buttery yellow and dusty blue are also phenomenal. Keep your accessories light – add a pair of earrings or a ring – so you don’t distract from the beautiful details of the dress.

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6. Gingham

One of the popular aspects of this aesthetic is the idea of ​​living off the land or owning a farm. With the natural, agricultural feel of Cottagecore, wearing a fabric like gingham will compliment the lifestyle well. It’s versatile and flattering – it works well as a dress, skirt or blouse. Tying yourself somewhat to the Dark Academia aesthetic, tap into the early 20th century uniform style with a checkered jumper, cream blouse and stockings. Alternatively, try a smocked dress with oversized sleeves and a tie waist for a relaxed, floaty feel. Finish the look with ankle boots or Mary Janes and keep your makeup very natural.

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7. Puff sleeve blouses

Returning to the early 19th century, the leg of mutton sleeve became a staple of the Cottagecore aesthetic. Also known as a lamb, its puffy shape creates a soft, delicate silhouette and looks gorgeous with a long skirt or pinafore dress. Keep colors light on top, with eggshell, white, or gray undertones. Linen or cotton shirts often hold their shape and breathe easily in the sun.

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8. Overalls, coveralls and coveralls

When moving around the garden, optimum flexibility is preferred. You can spend your time in the vegetable garden or read a book in a cute and comfortable jumpsuit. These dungarees cover the body and allow you to wear a nice shirt underneath. Crochet romper with a chasuble front, long linen or cotton trousers, everything will go wonderfully with a light blouse. Add a straw hat when you’re outdoors, or keep the finishes natural with a delicate scarf or flowers in your hair. This garment is ideal for most seasons of the year, as you can dress it down more or less depending on the temperature and the event.

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9. Straw Hats

Protect your precious skin from harsh rays when picking strawberries or picking wild flowers – a straw hat is an ideal companion. With their structured silhouettes and natural materials, you can team them with a white floral dress, a chiffon skirt or a linen playsuit and feel as fresh as a daisy. Add an oversized ribbon to tie it under your chin and let the fabric flutter in the wind. There are many styles to choose from, so try them all on to find the one that suits your face shape. The most common colors are white, brown or beige, as they match almost everything.

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10. Handmade Accessories

A crucial step in achieving this aesthetic is to create things by hand. Whether it’s baking, creating a daisy wreath, or making jewelry, you can also highlight handmade items in your own style. Wear handmade pins or brooches, earrings or necklaces – you can visit markets and thrift stores for unique items. Use scraps of your favorite fabrics to make a neckerchief or scarf. The most popular colors and patterns are cream, faded brown or blue, with hand embroidery, flowers or lace. Handcrafted pieces will enhance your look and give a more authentic feel.

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