cottagecore

American  

[kot-ij-kawr] / ˈkɒt ɪdʒˌkɔr /

noun

1. an aesthetic or imagery inspired by an old-fashioned, rural lifestyle, characterized by rustic décor and fashion, a revival of traditional handicrafts, etc..

   For many, cottagecore can seem like a respite in our overstimulated world.

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Etymology

Origin of cottagecore

First recorded in 2015–20; cottage ( def. ) + -core ( def. ), from its supposed invocation of the charm of the English countryside and its cottages

Example Sentences

Young people thrifting clothes as they embrace their Y2K or cottagecore aesthetics have helped secondhand shopping shed its stigma, turning it into a trend, not a necessity.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 19, 2025

For a lover of historical fiction and classic literature, Catie Brown creates a cottagecore aesthetic that brings warmth and character to her 1963 apartment.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2025

“Crow Talk” is a study of grief, friendship and navigating loss; a cottagecore book that is at once cozy reading and emotionally challenging.

From Seattle Times • May 6, 2024

The term goblincore seems to have originated on Tumblr in the mid 2010s, but like cottagecore, interest in it really solidified during the pandemic.

From Salon • Dec. 27, 2022

Trying to hold both ideas at once, the show embodies the cryptic, ambivalent embrace of tradition, from cottagecore farmlife to Catholicism, practiced by a subset of mostly young, very-online culturati.

From New York Times • Jul. 13, 2022