5 Ways that TikTok’s “Cottagecore” Aesthetic Celebrates Women
Tags: Culture, Women, Social Media, Feminism, Society

In regard to women, the aesthetic is especially beautiful. It gives women a chance to breathe from the rigid societal standards of past years. It tells us, finally, that we can be something besides an object to stare at.

And for this liberating freedom, I love Cottagecore.

Now many people are skeptical of dressing and embracing an aesthetic that harks back to the days before the women’s suffrage movement and equality. But that is the beautiful thing about Cottagecore: it takes beauty from days past and combines it with the beauty of the modern world and values. After all, the Cottagecore community is built predominantly on the internet — from its creation, the aesthetic has been a blend of the good from both older and newer times.

So in honor of the whimsical style, here are 5 ways that Cottagecore celebrates women and promotes feminism. And maybe after you read this list, you’ll put on a vintage record or go strawberry picking with a wicker basket:

#1 — It Shows Women as Sufficient

Cottagecore shows industrious women taking care of and providing for themselves.

Women are displayed as incredibly crafty and able to keep themselves happy and healthy. Cottagecore shows adept women foraging the forest for their own food, sewing their own clothes, growing herbs to heal any sort of ailment, and even tending their own land.

Cottagecore is not about dressing in vintage clothes just to “sit still and look pretty.” The idea is to embrace nature and survive with skill.

#2 — It Promotes a Healthy Relationship with Food

Another important aspect of Cottagecore is food. From tea and scones to sponge cake and coffee — this rural lifestyle encourages a healthy balance of frolicking around but also eating (not just for hunger, but for the sake of beauty and pleasure.)

It’s been a while since women were free to embrace food in this way.

The balance between dancing and picnicking is refreshing. Also, many Cottagecore idols are women with softer, rounded limbs. This body inclusion and healthy view of eating are like a breath of fresh countryside air.

#3 — It Encourages the Educated Woman

Old books are a staple of Cottagecore, including beautiful botanical guides for butterflies, mushrooms, and rocks.

Cottagecore prefers learning through reading and experience in nature over TV binging and endless hours of screen time. Make way for the female botanists, scientists, and historians to emerge because of this new vibe.

#4 — It Reverses Ageism

Cottagecore is something women of all ages can get on board with: especially our grandmas!

Delicate lace, tea sets, and brooches are all things we remember with love about our grandmothers’ houses. Now, those things are trendier than ever, and in turn, we are seeing the value in looking back to the women before us.

Society has for too long set age 30 as the unspoken “cut-off” for beauty and desirability in women, but middle-aged and older women have so much beauty, wisdom, and experience to offer the younger generations.

Perhaps Cottagecore will have us seeking more of these fabulous ladies’ guidance and stories.

#5 — It Reworks the Original “Fairy Tale”

Although I found my Prince Charming (shout-out to my husband), the traditional fairy tale ending is not every woman’s fate.

Cottagecore shows a happily-ever-after paradise, without having to get married; like a Snow White who’s delighted to live alone. So many women, like the renowned Emily Dickinson (who lived in isolation a great portion of her life), bring so much beauty to our world outside of marriage. Women are often pressured to settle down and have a family when that is not their dream; the alternate choice that Cottgecore offers is beautiful.