What is cottagecore. And how social media influence your growth during the pandemic
- contatomidiaprisma
- 10 de abr. de 2021
- 6 min de leitura
Atualizado: 11 de abr. de 2021
Idealized and escapist aesthetics rescues a simpler lifestyle and was incorporated by fashion
By Ester Santana
A landscape located in the countryside with flocks of sheep and birds, far from the city and agglomerations. A beautiful garden, full of colorful flowers, where there is an outdoor picnic with treats, teapots and cups of tea. Anyone who hears these descriptions may even think that we are talking about arcade - artistic-literary movement that prevailed in the 18th century - and their idealized search for a way of life that promoted fugere urbem, an escape from the urban to the countryside.
However, the inspirations extracted from nature, with the valorization of rural life and the rescue of more classic and conservative ideals also serve to describe the so-called Cottagecore, an escapist aesthetic that has been driven by social media during the pandemic. The search for the removal of consumption habits practiced in big cities, the decrease in the pace of activities and the return to what is simple, focused on the most modest pleasures, are the great marks of this style.
When it comes to clothes, this translates into puffed sleeves, knitwear, long skirts, flowered shirts, scarves on the head… There are many options for lovers of cottagecore, which has become a phenomenon on platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest. Certainly, fashion reflects the behavior of a given time and the way we dress may seem unconscious, but it is strictly tied to a larger context.
“The pandemic woke up and forced people to slow down. We were in a rhythm that was often immediate and we were forced overnight to stop abruptly in the many activities”, explains the psychologist, graduate student in Neuropsychology, Gardênia Pereira. "We had the routine changed and with that we turned to art and culture in order to disconnect and at the same time maintain our mental health in the healthiest way possible".
In this favorable environment for introspection, fashion was able to adapt to the new requirements, with responses ready to wear. For promoting customs that, many times, were no longer possible even before the coronavirus entered the scene and changed everything, aesthetics such as cottagecore were once again a trend.
The cottagecore style “started to emerge four or five years ago, so it is more a happy coincidence than a result of the pandemic. [...] Maybe we are thinking more about our grandparents, worrying about them a little”, said professor of design history at the University of Portsmouth, Deborah Sugg Ryan, in a recent interview with the Financial Times. "These memories of grandma's house, the nostalgia and the idea of how we can make a home [have surfaced], especially for a generation that may never be a homemaker."
For the psychologist Gardênia Pereira, over the last few months we had to reconcile optimism and the hope that better days will come with the various setbacks that delayed the return to “normal”. “At the same time that we are hopeful that everything will soon pass, we are bombarded with bad news, especially here in Brazil. This brings yet another feeling of uncertainty about the future. The reality is frightening and traumatic. That is why, at a time like this, perhaps many people have sought the artistic, natural and peaceful bias of the countryside to face such pressure”.
Social media and the fine line of cottagecore
When young Camellia was five years old, she lived with her grandparents in Vietnam. Owner of an Instagram profile focused on cottagecore, she says she developed her style because of the influence she received at home. “My grandma loves gardening and farming a lots. She taught me about gardening. As a curious child, I would love to know more about the pretty flowers or the tasty fruits in her garden”, says with affection Camellia, who now lives in France, where she talks to us.
A dreamy girl, Camellia says that today she loves taking care of gardens and has become a great lover of nature, which influenced the creation and the concept of her Instagram profile. “I love to be surrounded by nature, farm animals, flower meadows, beautiful countrysides as in the dreamy vintage movies I’ve watched. So my style is altered a lot from these things”.
In addition to gardening, on her Instagram profile with more than 28,000 followers, Camellia brings together other hobbies she cultivates, such as baking, embroidery, picnic, photography and vintage objects. According to her, all these items combine and are suitable for a cottagecore person. “Cottagecore is an aesthetic based upon a quiet, simple life filled with ordinary things: a garden to take care, clothes that feel a little bit dreamy, vintage, whimsical and dreamy”, she illustrates.
Daily activities are the subject of her photographs, which seem to make up the pages of a fairy tale book. “For the photoshoots, surely some of them we have to beforehand for the concepts, [choose] the locations, but some photos are really random and spontaneous”, she shares. “Maybe you think it’s a little unreal and abstract, but I would love to show that we’re not living in a perfect world, but it’s beautiful and dreamy at least. Just be closer and treat well to nature”.
With a classic, romantic, simple and slightly bucolic style, the Brazilian Jamille Góes believes that the way people dress is a reflection of their own personality. “I have always been a romantic and enchanted person with everything that concerns nature. Romanticism and bucolism are very present elements in my daily life”, she says.
“In my free time, I love taking care of my garden, feeding and cataloging the birds that appear in my yard and enjoying good literature. The passion for plants and birds became an inspiration for the prints on the clothes I wear and even the objects that adorn my home”. According to Jamille, the wardrobe item that she uses the most are dresses, because in them she finds comfort and simplicity. “I am passionate about classic prints, such as polka dots. The dress is the most common piece in my day-to-day life, as it gives me a feeling of comfort and freedom”.
For her, cottagecore appeared a long time ago, but now, due to social media, the style has taken on a new dimension. “I have been following this type of aesthetics for some years and I have been observing their growth more and more, especially after the beginning of the pandemic. Because of this period of isolation, there has been a change in the way people view life. Many are looking for a greater connection with nature and valuing the simple things of day by day. Cottagecore is just that".
For Camellia, the simplicity and connection with nature provided by cottagecore are the reasons behind the greatest number of people interested in this aesthetic during isolation. “Mainly because of the stresses of modern life, ordinary and simple things go a long way to lessening feelings of stress and anxiety. And that's why I love cottagecore, ”she says. Especially with the stresses of modern life which make me would love to simplify and refresh my life and I realize that the nature, the ordinary and simple things are so helpful to decrease feelings of stress and anxiety. And that’s why I love cottagecore”, she says.
However, despite the romantic and idealized aura that surrounds cottagecore, its adoption by some individuals may reveal signs of weakened mental health, or even a conscious (or unconscious) attempt to deny reality. “Escapism has a fine line between the healthy and the pathological,” explains psychologist Gardênia. “From the moment that escape is no longer just a moment of breathing so that the person can relax and avoid their worries and becomes an escape from reality, then we have the beginning of possible problems”.
“Denying reality, whether we are aware of it or not, makes us fall into traps and puts us in complicated situations, which we are often unable to cope with and which move us away from our true essence”, she points out. According to the psychologist, to change this situation of escape from reality, it is necessary to question, accept and experience the present. "It is also important to seek psychotherapy, because through this support network, individuals will be able to develop autonomy and discover new possibilities to deal with reality".
Cottagecore is the new black
Much of the success of this escapist style can be explained by its massive presence in the digital world. Celebrities like Tess Holiday, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift, for example, helped to popularize cottagecore as a modern style, which can be enjoyed and consumed by the public thirsty for news with meanings. Early last year, Tess Holiday wore designer Lirika Matoshi's famous strawberry and tulle midi dress during the Grammy Awards. Months later, the play was one of the trends that went viral on the internet and generated countless online discussions about fatphobia.
Singer Harry Styles, the first man to stamp alone the cover of Vogue magazine in the December issue of last year, posed with a blazer and a Gucci dress with a strong cottagecore footprint. The scenario of the photo essay and the pieces used by the artist followed the same trend, with repercussions all over the world.
One of the most influential artists who incorporates cottagecore into her style is Taylor Swift. In 2020, the American singer released her eighth and ninth albums, Folklore and Evermore, with a strong immersion in the field and a dip in vintage style. The melancholic and nostalgic portrait of the albums, recorded during the isolation, reflects the current world and is perhaps one of the best fantasy counterpoints to the harsh reality experienced in 2020.
