Cottagecore Aesthetic Inspiration: 9 Outfit Ideas To Dress Like A Dream

To truly get the cottagecore feel, it’s absolutely essential that you picture an English countryside in your mind. Don’t ask us, we don’t make the rules! But that is exactly what Cottagecore is. It’s a subset of slow living. It’s nostalgic, and it has firm roots in the European country — an ode to agriculture, crafts, baking bread, smelling flowers, sewing your own clothes, and largely a more sustainable way of living. If you can’t picture the setting of Jane Austen’s classics, rewatching Bridgerton might help you a little. 

Now that you have the setting in mind, let us try to understand what kind of outfits will make the cut. When it comes ot the fabrics, think soft and breezy fabrics like cotton and linen. If they’re a slow fashion label doing artisanal and handcrafted outfits, like these, you’re on the right track. 

Cottagecore aesthetic is so much about flowers, which means floral patterns and prints are a big yes. Other Cottagecore elements you can incorporate into your wardrobe include handmade accessories, headbands, embroidered work, and materials like lace and eyelet. The outfits themselves can be maxi skirts, Victorian-esque pieces like corsets, blouses with puffed sleeves, flowy tea dresses, boots, cardigans, knitwear, white dresses, the selkie dress, the nap dress, gingham prints, and so much more. 

If it’s getting a little overwhelming, try to go with your intuition. You have to basically reach for anything that gives you a dreamy, idyllic, and country feel. It’s minimal but not boring, irrespective of whether you go for cheerful, springy colours, or the more muted shades of tan and cream florals. Now we begin!

We’re starting strong with the quintessential white dress. This inspiration from @maviecottage aka Ana March by using a simple, milk white dress is just the right kind of innocent, subtle charm. It instantly teleports one to the Little Women and the Emma era, making us fit to be on our own book cover! If you’re new to the journey to channel cottagecore vibes in your wardrobe, a simple white dress would be a good place to start. Be mindful of the fabric you choose though, linen and cotton are the better choices.

Yes, this is the level of dreaminess we aspire to reach. Shirin Altsohn or @shirinatra has a delightful blog that gets us starry-eyed every time we see it. Just us with a flower basket in a hillside valley, life would be so joyful! This ruched maxi dress from RSVP by Nykaa Fashion is rightly named ‘Everything I Dreamed Of.’ Manifest a life in the hillside by adding this cottage core dress to your wardrobe.

Now this inspiration is somewhere on the lines between dark academia and cottage core. Back at @shirinatra’s blog, we’re big fans of the cute little brown bonnet that’s matching with the brown sweater vest and the smart oxford shoes. 

All these Pinterest-y pictures on your feed can be you in real time! Embrace the floral lifestyle, wear dresses that scream floral (in a good way) because who’s stopping you? Cottagecore is one way to embrace all that’s good about life and holding it very close to you. This Cider floral dress with balloon sleeves is just what we’re talking about. Pair it with ballet flats and a floral choker, and you’re all set!

This inspiration, though set in a very pretty forest, will work just as well for a brunch date too. We’re all rooting for that breakfast date at a pretty outdoor cafe on a sunny winter morning, this sky blue slit dress by Lavanya The Label will be just perfect for it! This will also work for a cutesy picnic with straw baskets, hats, and chocolate coated strawberries. Don’t mind us being too idyllic it’s exactly the kind of push you need to be initiated to the cottagecore lifestyle. 

Pro-tip: Best brunch outfits. 

Maxi skirts are a huge component of the cottage lifestyle. This look with its plaid skirt and the tie up corset literally teleports us back to the countryside of Europe. Paired with long tie up boots, this is one look you’ll have a lot of fun recreating. We’ve done some research and found a plaid skirt for you, but since it is slightly on the pricier side it's best if you thrift it. We’ve also found a white shirt that will go with it and a beautiful corset from Liyokki too! If you need more help on how to style a maxi skirt, here it is!

This black floral maxi dress from Marks & Spencer radiates the rural lifestyle vibe. It’s a great option to recreate Ramona’s (@monalogue) floral maxi dress. The print, the style, and even the boots, everything about it is so cottagecore, we love it! 

We love how this one by Talya Glowacz or @cosyacademia is the perfect blend of contemporary fashion and a cottagecore one. This inspiration proves that there’s no set formula for channelling a vibe you want to go for. Cottagecore does not have to be all about long flowy dresses and floral patterns, because this plaid wool miniskirt with a long woollen coat, and a solid black top is doing the job just as well. Even though we love the rusty, orange colour we couldn’t find a similar one, so the products we have given here are milky white and beige-ish. But we still love the style!

If you don’t want to do skirts at all, this inspiration by @everlinet will be closer to your vibe. We were pleasantly surprised to find a combination of baggy pants and an oversized tee on a cottagecore themed page. What we love most about it is how low effort and easy to recreate it is. To add this simple cottagecore touch to an outfit you can go back to any number of times, go for these corduroy pants by Cover Story, plain black top by Twenty Dresses by Nykaa Fashion (plain because we couldn’t find a print that was as cute as @everlinet’s), and this matching burgundy corduroy jacket by The Label Life. All this is bound to add that perfect touch of extra. We also found a really cute pendant by Caratlane, making the complete look a super cute one. If you’re wondering what footwear to pair this with, our tip would be black chunky tie up boots because they look good with everything!

Pro-tip: Doc Marten alternatives.