#urban cottagecore <3

[happyheidi]

green city 🍃

[astrangerinbrownleatherboots]

Adventurecore: Urban

Related: Wandercore, Vagabondcore

Exploring locally

Abandoned places

Always carrying a backpack with essential items

Badges and pins

Comfortable shoes

Shortcuts through alleyways

Knowing local shopkeepers

Flannel shirts

Wet concrete

Urban foraging

Notebooks

Walking everywhere

Fantasy / Modern / Urban

[nicosraf]

Do u have a wardrobe aesthetic that u dress like? Like cottagecore or dark academia, or streetwear, or etc,…? Or I guess if not, do u have goals for a certain fashion aesthetic?

Also what would each angel’s fashion taste be like? (In modern times! :3)

Sorry to disappoint but I'm a pretty bad dresser! I'm a t-shirt, jeans, and cap type of guy. Big sneakers. Also, you would think I'd be a nice dresser given how much I describe clothes and dress up my characters in fancy outfits but... :')

For the other half of your question, I'm going to assume they're, like, urban Americans:

Lucifer is a Y2K girl I think. He loves the 2000s aesthetic of "bad" or campy outfits. Sometimes, he does get more than a bit coquette-ish though.

Michael actually dresses alright. He likes being comfortable but he also likes looking... cute, for lack of a better word. He would like the frog eye headband.

Rosier dresses cottagecore, unsurprisingly

Asmodeus dresses like a gamer. Also he likes street wear

Baal loves Hawaiian shirts.

Uriel dresses dark academia without meaning to

Azazel dresses in Gucci specifically

Phanuel also wears the froggy headband with Michael.

Gabriel is pretty cottagecore-y

Raphael dresses in a white button-up and slacks. He's like elderly professor core.

[astarionsbeloved]

Oh an about me?!

Hello, Hi, Good Time Zone, welcome in.

This blog is currently on hiatus.

Name: let's use my self insert tav name: Iliana. My OG tumblr is here, and that's where the follows and likes will originate from, be warned, that blog is where ALL real-world stuff goes.

Quick about me: I'm 42, non-binary she/they, pansexual but very demi. I have a cat named Fujiko who enjoys talking. I'm from Washington, DC. I'm audhd, have hEDS, and I'm an abuse survivor.

My tags (also attached to this post!): astarion's beloved blogs about bg3, liliana speaks, liliana does a durge run, astarions beloved does a durge run, liliana's bloodweave playthrough, traumathurgy, bg3 trauma talk

Things I will not tolerate: racism, anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment, anything hateful, any weird behavior from people unable to separate characters from their actors.

Tav Masterpost!

BG3 note: my game is modded, screen grabs will not be from a vanilla game. I'm always happy to answer questions about what mods I'm using!

What do you DO though? I'm an interior designer for my "9-5". I write urban high fantasy and magical realism and create creatures, worlds, and setting details for TTRPG creators. I do voice work (audiobooks for indie authors, including reading rules for TTRPGs) and am starting to get into asmr rps. I'm a casual photographer and videographer.

How long have you been involved in fandoms? I've been writing fic since I was 14 (I started with the neverending story!), and I think my biggest claim to fame is getting cnd'd by Anne Rice for writing a fix-it-fic about Armand and Claudia.

Why I love Baldur's Gate 3: I'm a huge ttrpg nerd, I love DND, and I played BG1+2 when I was younger. I avoided ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING about bg3 until I had it in my hands. This game is hands down the most beautiful thing I've ever touched. and truly, all the origin characters behave like player characters, down to the backgrounds and the trauma. I love that this game doesn't shy away from the darker side of healing.

Other fandoms? BTS (I've been with them since 2016), one piece, What We Do In The Shadows, LOTR, sailor moon, star trek (almost all), star wars, animal crossing, final fantasy

Things I just think are neat: whale sharks, cottagecore and dark academia, keyboards

A note: I may, occasionally, rant about how poorly fandom is behaving when it comes to treating the cast of BG3. I may also talk about my own trauma, but I'll try to keep it vague.

[fatherfigurefusion]

Tsugumi Hazawa Headcanons

(Happy Birthday, Tsugumi Hazawa!)

1- Physical appearance headcanons: Average body type, pale skin, has freckles all over her body.

2- Some kins she has: Makoto Naegi (Danganronpa), Hitohito Tadano (Komi-san), Emmett (The LEGO Movie)

3- I'm honestly a firm believer in genderfluid Tsugu. One moment, she would be a wholesome hyperfemme cottagecore gf, and the next moment he is a leather-wearing bad boy (who is still a wholesome coffee bean).

4- She probably has some sort of disability that results in frequent dizzy spells and fainting (I'm thinking POTS, but I'm open to other suggestions), especially during the first Afterglow event. Tsugu tries to claim that she is fine and can work properly (even on notoriously BAD days), but the rest of Afterglow are ALL ABOUT self-care and are having NONE of that. Would probably use either crutches or a cane on particularly bad days, and has a love for compression socks.

5- Because of her bond with Hina, I'd imagine that she would also gain an interest in cryptids. I'd imagine that she would particularly like Jackalopes or the Mothman, since they're fluffy bois.

6- Relating to her new love of cryptids, I'd imagine that urban fantasy books (especially ones with a cryptic love interest) would end up finding their way into the book exchanges between her and Sayo. Upon seeing these books appear in her stash, Sayo could only mutter Hina's name under her breath.

7- Because of her dislike of black coffee, I'd imagine that she would have a noticeable distaste for anything bitter. Imagine the sensual nightmare she suffered when Eve offered her some authentic Finnish salmiakki.

8- I'd imagine that Tsugu would be a virtual jack-of-all-trades when it comes to playing other instruments, apart from the keyboard (for extra Tsugurific points). In addition to the keyboard, She has experience with the guitar, bass, and drums, as well as some other non-rock-related instruments (such as the flute and clarinet).

9- Tsugu watched shonen anime with the Udagawa siblings, ever since they were all little (and they still watch such anime now, even after Tsugu's tastes have shifted towards shoujo). Something about an ordinary underdog rising to the top with nothing but hard work and spirit just speaks to her, even before starting the band. Works like My Hero Academia and other such underdog stories would be right up Tsugu's alley.

10- One time, while at the park, Tsugu was quick to attract a bunch of squirrels and chipmunks to her (thanks to her Tupperware box full of mixed nuts that she was planning on snacking on). The rest of Afterglow got pictures of the frankly-adorable incident, and Moca still likes to claim that Tsugu was simply "one of them" and the squirrels/chipmunks were simply "reclaiming their queen". It's how Tsugu became squirrel-coded by the rest of Afterglow (and even people outside of Afterglow).

[violetscavern]

hello! :3

i wanted to request something for ghost x fem!reader where the reader lives in a cottage in the forest and has the cottagecore aesthetic and ghost is her boyfriend which of course ghost looks so intimidating😭 so you would guess a girl like the reader is dating someone like him (i also think he would look so out of place since he’s living in the cottage LMAO) so i was wondering if you could write just like a day in their life :3 (and maybe ghost stopping by to say hi and see how the readers doing while she’s managing her stand in the farmers market she goes to🥹) im just a sucker for domestic fics

i hope i made sense and i would love to see what you do with this! <33333

have an amazing day/night :)

Awee this is so adorable!!

Cottage Core Ghost x !fem reader

fluff

The first thing I hear in the morning is the light drum of rain against my window. I ruffle my white bedsheets as I sit up, rubbing my eyes sleepily as glancing out the window.

Its days like this where I’m glad i decided to move from the city . The bustle of the urban area is nice for some time being, but after a while it gets overwhelming (too many people and not enough room). I prefer to stay in quaint and secluded estates, thats why I made the decision to move to a cottage in the forest with my boyfriend Ghost.

Ghost and I are what you call an unlikely pair. The shock I see on most peoples faces when they witness us together is almost comical. He’s a 6 foot 2, 200 pound muscular guy with a major resting bitch face and I’m a smaller girl who wears floral dresses and works at a farmers market. Our aesthetics never really did match, but he seemed to like it that way.

My Ghost how I miss him. He’s always off on missions and business trips for at least 5 days at a time (maybe more) , so when I see him its a shock. His thing is not tell me when he’s coming back, and if my calculations are right it could be any day now.

I lay back in my bed and let my head go limp on my fluffy paper white pillow. My room is what i’d describe as tranquil - with plants hanging from the corners of the walls and lights illuminating my sheer pink curtains. I grasp the pillow next to me and cuddle it between my legs. ‘baby could you take any longer?’I think as I rest lazily in bed.

Thats when i hear it. A creak on the hardwood and a rustle at the door, accompanied by what sounds like a bad attempt at tip-toeing because he’s too damn big. It’s definitely him.

I spring up out of the bed and rush out of my door, down the hall and stumble into my living room. There he was in all his glory, my boyfriend of three years, “Ghost !!!” I squeal as I leap into his muscular arms that are already open for me. “Hi princess” He embraces me in a almost suffocating bear hug, and greets me with the low voice I’ve craved “Baby i’m so sorry I took longer than expected.” he reasons “so much came up I’m sorry I took a week”.

I dont think you’ve ever seen his eyes look that sad as he lowers me and picks up his duffel bags in defeat. “It’s okayyy Ghost I understand. Your work is important” I reassure. “But you must have been so worried” he furrows his brows in response and looks down. “y/n whatever you wanna do today, I’ll do it in a heartbeat. Consider this my apology”. I perk up at this statement, already knowing what I’m gonna do. “anything?” “anything.”

I yank my gentle giant by the wrist, and drag him out the door. “Where are you taking me y/n? you sure seem eager” He chuckles as I lead him outside to a pair of matching blue bikes. A bike ride to the local farmers market is fairly short, and the reward even better. My job is one of my happy places. I feel like an angel in heaven being surrounded by all my favorite plants and vegetables while being the ceo of my own stand.

I hand my intimidating giant of a boyfriend an apron and say “you’re gonna help me with sales today”. He nods in compliance and takes the space to my right.

“Bless your heart Ghost, but you’re literally customer repellent” I remark as I prepare to ride my bike home against the approaching night. “okay well in my defense,” he puts his hands up “everyone was scared of me and I have no idea why” “I think it’s because of your height, but the way nobody came is kinda hilarious” I joke as I begin to peddle alongside my partner.

When we get inside, we immediately slump over the couch. Ignoring our stickiness, we turn on the tv and watch whatever entertaining thing is on. My boyfriend wraps his strong arms around me and starts drawing soft lines up and down my back. he whispers in my ear “I’ve missed you so much y/n. You truly have no idea” simultaneously placing small kisses on my forehead and neck, and I close my eyes peacefully. Glad he’s finally home.

[thesimpanions]

⭐️ N E W  V I D E O ⭐️ The Sims 4 | COTTAGECORE LOOKBOOK 💐 | + CC Links

 ▶️https://youtu.be/k6_L5O1nQAg

CC Links

Hair: https://simstrouble.tumblr.com/post/667868022914039808/elaine-by-simstrouble-a-half-updo-version-of-my

Gloss: https://xurbansimsx.tumblr.com/post/660964648017952768/cacao-liner-and-gloss-duo-urban-the-cacao-lipduo

Highlighter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/matte-smooth-48859126

Blush: https://www.patreon.com/posts/58952703

Nails: https://candysims4.tumblr.com/post/673011974628573184/cake-nails-a-french-tip-nails-using-transparency

Lashes: https://www.patreon.com/posts/3-d-l-s-h-e-s-v-38121134?epik=dj0yJnU9Y21xOUVLSnB2MElIbTB3TXNSSWdKNEE3YkNXNk5mOWgmcD0wJm49OVRJNnFnMmpvX3ZoX183azlXbTFZUSZ0PUFBQUFBR0o3cjZN

Dress: https://joliebean.tumblr.com/post/626451696451715072/strawberry-dress-by-joliebean-mm-version-of-the

Shoes: https://simtone.tumblr.com/post/179065116035/buckle-boots-10-swatches-more-cas-pictures

Socks: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-clothing-female-teenadultelder-everyday/title/trillyke-labyrinth-socks/id/1477630/

Earrings: https://alexaarr.tumblr.com/post/189234712746/bay-bee-cc-pack

Necklace: https://www.patreon.com/posts/euphoria-33-64185964

Rings: https://its-adrienpastel.tumblr.com/post/669882707312066560/irma-cc-collection-5-items-introducing

 LOOK 2

Hair: https://www.patreon.com/posts/meadow-winds-by-56710620

Lashes: https://www.patreon.com/posts/3-d-l-s-h-e-s-v-38121134?epik=dj0yJnU9Y21xOUVLSnB2MElIbTB3TXNSSWdKNEE3YkNXNk5mOWgmcD0wJm49OVRJNnFnMmpvX3ZoX183azlXbTFZUSZ0PUFBQUFBR0o3cjZN

Highlighter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/matte-smooth-48859126

Blush: https://www.patreon.com/posts/58952703

Nails: https://candysims4.tumblr.com/post/673011974628573184/cake-nails-a-french-tip-nails-using-transparency

Eyeliner: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-makeup-female-eyeliner/title/woodland-elves-eyeliner/id/1591269/

Gloss: https://www.patreon.com/posts/honey-gloss-48241576

Dress: https://myshunosun.tumblr.com/post/646278915251421184/hologram-set-addon-sweater-overalls

Shoes: https://madlensims.tumblr.com/post/675193028814733313/yasu-shoes-cute-mary-jane-pumps-coming-in-variety

Earrings: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims4-accessories-female-earrings/title/lo-earrings-christopher067/id/1452355/

 LOOK 3

Hair: https://simstrouble.tumblr.com/post/675996155756380160/tyler-by-simstrouble-base-game-compatible-24

Eyebrows: https://stretchskeleton.tumblr.com/post/186988284013/12-maxis-match-y-eyebrows-18-ea-like-swatches

Lashes: https://www.patreon.com/posts/3-d-l-s-h-e-s-v-38121134?epik=dj0yJnU9Y21xOUVLSnB2MElIbTB3TXNSSWdKNEE3YkNXNk5mOWgmcD0wJm49OVRJNnFnMmpvX3ZoX183azlXbTFZUSZ0PUFBQUFBR0o3cjZN

Earrings: https://www.patreon.com/posts/heatwave-cc-pack-52645019

Gloss: https://xurbansimsx.tumblr.com/post/645789848276549632/honey-gloss-urban-this-lip-gloss-is-opaque-and

Liner: https://www.patreon.com/posts/cacao-liner-and-55532117

Blush: https://www.patreon.com/posts/58952703

Highlighter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/matte-smooth-48859126

Top: https://www.patreon.com/posts/55364154

Bottom: https://clumsyalienn.tumblr.com/post/651452074373021696/sincerity-cc-pack-bgc-all-lods-shadow-maps

Shoes: https://trillyke.tumblr.com/post/663465208461885440/heartbreaker-loafers-an-ad-of-these-loafers-kept

Nails: https://candysims4.tumblr.com/post/673011974628573184/cake-nails-a-french-tip-nails-using-transparency

[gritsandbrits]

Rewrite vs. Canon: Fate: The Winx Saga

Alfea is a castle set in the beautiful mountains and valleys of...somewhere lol

Bloom does start out wearing red but quickly switches to blue after meeting Stella and developing a bit more if a fashion sense. She's still wearing wattpad edgy clothes as she's explicitly the tomboy

She still has anger issued but actively takes steps to control her temper after she ends up experiencing a few humbling events

Aisha wears green&turquoise and is a princess, with a mission to find a way to free the Pixies. Due to her calm nature everyone thinks she has it all together and the group therapist but it's slowly taking a toll on her leading to a breakdown. Everyone helps her recover and resolve to face their own problems and help her

Musa is an air fairy but using them to control sound and wants to be a musician, against her father's wishes. She wears purple and red; her arc is learning to be more open with her emotions; and she and Riven are enemies who gradually become friends, not love interests

Terra is played by a plus sized Latina and a female Specialist. She wears yellow (as that's a color missing in the original set up) and has the power to control rocks and minerals. Her arc is learning to be more considerate of others and not take everything so seriously

Flora is Terra's cousin and her personality is similar to the OG though she has more of a Eco/Hippie side and controls plants and animals. She wears pink&green. Her arc is learning to be a better fighter without sacrificing her heart.

Stella is played by a Latina and her arc is about dealing with her parents' divorce and her estranged relationship with her mother. She uses fashion partly as a coping mechanism and must learn to find better ways of coping. Just like her OG counterpart she is very friendly and bubbly but also somewhat of a ditz and enjoys fighting than studying. There's also a mini arc where she trains Flora how to use her powers more defensively.

Tecna is the brains of the group (and played by a Black girl). Her arc is learning that just because she has low empathy doesn't make her a cold unfeeling monster. Because of her similar powers over tech she has a connection to Beatrix

Beatrix is the first arc villain and has ice, electric and shadow powers. After her defeat she gets split into three entities becoming that world's incarnation of the Trix

The newly formed Trix give themselves names and vow to take revenge by enlisting into Cloud Tower, kicking off the events of S2.

The events of S2 is pretty much the plotline of cartoon s1; which means season 3 would bring on Valtor and Darkar.

There are male and nb/xenogender fairies; the same for witches and Specialists

Most of the TV show characters are there

The specialists are more than just love interests with Sky learning to be more responsible & considerate, Brandon learning to not follow Sky so blindly; Riven learning to be more healthy and kind; Timmy learning to be more assertive.

Helia and Nabu aren't introduced until s2-3; Nabu going against Darkar to save his kingdom and find his betrothed who turns out to be Aisha.

Actually let's switch around the pairings the guys and girls have different love interests instead of dating each other just cuz (how does StelTim sound?)

THE FASHIONS are far more individual and not midlife crisis incarnate; Bloom wears comfy/tomboy, Stella is Y2K and sporty; Flora is cottagecore; Aisha is adventurer/mermaidcore; Tecna is light academia; Musa is urban/Butch and Terra is goth. It's not strictly to those themes but a good bouncing spot

Another subplot is there are evil fairies and good witches and that the war between them isn't as black and white as the history books.

More 90s/2000s aesthetics we're talking clear color tech, neon, platform shoes, chokers, Snack Wraps, mcbling, bean bag chairs, Click Gems, you name it

And the most important part... TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCE THE GIRLS DRESS IN GLITTERY OUTFITS AND HAVE ELEMENTAL WINGS

[greypetrel]

Alternate for all the DA OCs ❤️

Hello! :D

Thank you for asking!! oooh this is fun >:3

Tis the prompt list

alternate: What would your OC's alternate universe look be? If they're a fantasy character, what's their modern look? If they're sci-fi, what's their fantasy look? What AU would you want to see your OC in, and how would they dress themself? Bonus: Prompt an AU!

Alyra: Classy and minimal. Will sport tailleurs and suits, the most casual she'll go will be a turtleneck. She'll have a capsule wardrobe extremely cared for in a closed palette of warm greys, blacks and blues. Some brown if she's feeling casual. Will hate sweatpants with all of her might, she won't get close to jersey.

Raina: Oh she'd go for grunge. Flannel shirts, jeans and Doc Martens (the most expensive thing in her wardrobe). Just hand me downs and second hand because she's cheap and she'll stay cheap. She knits her own sweaters and scarves and hats, her favourite colour is red. She had an emo phase in her teen years. You bet she had an emo phase. She has one (1) suit she uses when she needs being fancy. She is very faithful to her father's old pair of RayBan Aviator.

Garrett: Cottagecore mixed to some grunge. Jeans and boots, band tees and flannel shirts. Lots and lots of sweaters and he loves his beanies (all knitted by Raina, some he bought). A pumpkin spice latte in his hand and he's good to go. Won't go crazy on accessories, he'll have a messenger bag if he needs to bring stuff around or just fill his pockets. I think he could have a galaxy fashion phase, yes. Begrudgingly likes ugg boots. But won't be against experimenting and trying skirts and heels, just for fun (he'd like heels).

Aisling: Ok, so. She had a severe phase as a teen between metal and punk (she listens to metal but dresses punk because there's more colour and she doesn't like black and white). She'll go to a more casual wear, lots of leggins and hoodies, tees she has from highschool (she's cheap too) and she stole from friends/family. For something more professional/formal, she'll have something more inspired by vintage fashion ('20s and '30s female fashion with pants). Will choose sandals in January because she still doesn't like socks and shoes. She's the one that will most likely dye her hair, and in crazy colours.

Radha: Something between dark academia -lots of tweeds and wools and dark colours- and something very sleek and very modern, minimalistic style. I don't remember the name of the aesthetic, it's something between Urban and Techno...? Well, still keeping on dark colours with ONE colour to lively it up. Won't be caught dress in white to save her life. One thing she keeps is jewelry: lots of gold! Will sport a new haircut every month, lots of undercuts and keeping it short.

For my own sanity it's better if I refrain from picking up any more AUs, but let's say I'm thinking of the paranormal investigators one and I would really like to write something more about it. 👀

[youarelikethegalaxy-blog]

Cottagecore script

This video describes the internet based aesthetic trend “cottagecore”, and discusses the concept of “escapism” when exploring the cottagecore aesthetic. the concept of ‘colonizer vibes’ is also explored as it is intertwined with cottagecore in online spaces. But we have to define the concept of cottagecore? From my research, I believe it can be described as a sum of its parts many but it is the aestheticization of cottage living, baking beautiful desserts, crafts with fruit, mushrooms, frog motifs, a flowery meadow, bright sunshine, long flowy dresses and most importantly the absence of men. This intention of this video to complicated the cottagecore aesthetic and place it within the legacy of ongoing settler colonialism. I argue that internet aesthetics trends can entertaining and enjoyable for many but cottagecore is deeply affected by its history and the tendency to tried and treat it as apolitical and ahistorical.

Pandemic

Cottagecore is one of many internet aesthetic trends created in the sometime in the last decade and was coined on Tumblr in 2018 (Jennings, 2020). This aesthetic is canonically queer and Sapphic, allowing lesbians and bi women a space free of the male gaze, from the heteropatriarchal society. The cottagecore aesthetic grew exponentially in 2020 as it functioned as a way to romanticize the conditions of pandemic living, social distancing and quarantining. Cottagecore as an aesthetic gained popularity on Instagram, Tumblr and TikTok as escapism from the realities of living through a global pandemic as well as the realities of being lesbian/Sapphic/queer/bi women in a heteropatriarchal society.

Centering queerness

As of March 10, 2021 The Tiktok hashtag for cottagecore boasts over 5 billion views as of March 3, 2021. For context it was in the 200 millions in June 2020 (Phelan, 2020). According to Slone (2020) the cottagecore aesthetic is very welcoming to queer people and allows queer people (mostly women) a place away from the heavy objectification and sexualized that queer people face mainstream media (Slone, 2020). As a lesbian myself I fully see the appeal of cottagecore as an escapism fantasy free from heteronormativity where queer women are allowed to be visibly queer and feminine without being perceived by the male gaze. Cottagecore offers a version of the world a place for queer women to be comfortable and at peace, even if that peace is an escapist fantasy. The appeal of cottagecore is that is in not a banishment or forced isolated it is instead a curated world, one that is joyful and free.

Escapism

The cottagecore aesthetic allowed some to escape an inescapable lockdown reality (Jennings, 2020). Everyday pandemic life was romanticized into something wholesome and beautiful (Jennings, 2020). The influence of cottagecore even comes from the 19th century art movement of Romanticism which began as a response to the Industrial Revolution (Jennings, 2020) The history of escapist fantasy is long, and for this video essay I focus on escapism from technology, urban life and commodified time, and the reality of living through a pandemic. Although everyone has the ability to live out this escapism it is important to discuss who is afford the luxury. Stitch (2021) states that all experiences of escapism are not created equally and that is attributed to racism. They explain that fandom culture is extremely white which is very similar to the just like cottagecore (Stitch, 2021). Tiktoker @gucciijesus explains that to them the lesbian beauty standard of cottagecore is all pretty white women and this aesthetic of pretty white women on picnic in a field had “colonizer vibes” and that one is not able to change their mind. Sying something has vibes tends to mean different things for different people but in this case it seems to represent to @gucciijesus on tiktok that cottagecore either holds colonizer values or appears to hold colonizer values. This tiktok servers the purpose of explaining that cottagecore is exclusionary, but also is deeply racist and troublesome. Smith (2010) argues that the despite the white queer attempts to reject or refute white supremacy white queers are fact complicit the status quo of white supremacy in a society based in settler colonialism (Smith, 2010, p. 49). This becomes very clear when recognizing and acknowledging the similar the aesthetics of cottagecore and the aesthetics and digital culture of tradwives.

Tradwives

Tradwives are extremely right-wing white women who advocate for regressive gender roles of the 1950s and 1940s. The main difference between cottagecore and the tradwife reactionary movement is that cottagecore does not serve the tradition gender binary and gender roles (Slone, 2020). However this difference is not distinct enough to separate it from the history of white supremacy. As Kelly (2018) explained there is something sinister behind the tradwife yearning for agrarian motherhood which is a front for the authoritarianism of the tradwife ideology (Kelly, 2018). The intend of the cottagecore aesthetic and the tradwives aesthetic are not at all the same. Cottagecore is canonically queer and always for an escapist fantasy without the presence of men. But both tradwives and cottagecore are niche digital subculture but the aesthetic overlaps with hyper-femininity, baking, romanticizing pastoral or farm life, and long flowy dresses. The cottagecore aesthetic of images of white women in pretty lace dresses is very similar to the tradwife aesthetic (Woolley, 2020). Woolley uses the term serendipitous to explain how cottagecore became a canonically queer aesthetic and digital subculture while the imagery of cottagecore could have easily been co-opted by tradwives and fascists (Woolley, 2020). The extremely right-wing digital culture of tradwives is abhorrent, racist and hate-filled. But similar to cottagecore this is also a form of escapism driven by the same things mainly technology, from urban life and commodified time (Kelly, 2018). The fact that this aesthetics are visually similar is a function of white supremacy. Cottagecore might represent itself as a curated world where queer women are allowed to be free to be queer and feminine without the male gaze. But what is a curated world other than a white colonizer escapist fantasy? It is therefore necessary to deconstruct the cottagecore aesthetic and its underserved treatment as ahistorical and apolitical.

Gender and race

White supremacy and heteropatriarchy are basis of settler colonialism. It is necessary to understand settler colonialism as an ongoing structure and not a single past historical event (Glenn, 2015, p. 52). Canada and the USA were built on settler colonialism and the ongoing structure of colonialism is still how race and gender are contextualized (Glenn, 2015, p. 52). the settler colonial structure of North America imposes ‘raciality’, sexuality and the relationship between the racialized and gendered other and the state (Tuck and Wang, 2012, p. 5; Arvin, Tuck and Morrill, 2013, p. 9). The aesthetic of cottagecore is based on a curated queer fantasy without the male gaze but that is impossible within the structure of ongoing settler colonialism. Settler colonialism is heteropatriachal and this quality is responsible for the sexualized indigenous people as well as attacked traditional familial and gender roles for the purpose of assimilating indigenous people into the structures of white settler societies (Morgensen, 2012, p. 4). One of the main facets of cottagecore is escaping heteropatriarchal society but the escape is a to an imagined and romanticized image of stolen native lands (Morgensen, 2012, p. 4)., Despite attempts to disavowal colonialism, the white queer is firmly rooted and complicit within the structure of present and future heteropatriarchal colonialism and white supremacy (Smith, 2010, p. 49). it is extremely important to therefore recognize and acknowledge that settler colonialism bases narratives of sexuality and gender based on native absence or disappearance (Morgensen, 2010, p. 120). It is subsequently necessary to understand the cottagecore aesthetic within by understanding the relational nature of colonialism, patriarchy and modern sexual regimes. Cottagecore aims to escape but patriarchy and modern sexual regimes but does not aim to deconstruct them therefore reinforcing the structure of settler colonialism.

Commodification

Cottagecore also has a problem of being highly commodifiable and being a part of the hyper-consumerism of modern capitalism. Elements of the Cottagecore was very noticeable in the summer of 2020, on high fashion runaways with sun-drenched and dreamy campaign imagery. It is likely this was an opportunity to capitalize on the summer that people did not get to have, based within this illusion of escapism to a cottage lifestyle, only this time it is being sold to everyday consumers (?). There was commodification of cottagecore within high fashion brands such as Gucci, Anna Sui, Ulla Johnson, Simone Rocca, and Cecilie Bahnsen and well as more affordable brands like H&M and Free People. This commodifiable of the aesthetic is based in the same romanticization of nature, beautiful landscapes while modern capitalism and hyper-consumerism is at the heart of the environmental devastation of these lands (Kendall, 2020). This is not only an issue of commodifying the aesthetic but also commodifying the aesthetic of escapism within games such as Animal Crossing and Farmville for a virtual experience of living in nature, in a cottage or on a farm. What started as a small online digital culture and aesthetic for queer women and youth becoming highly commodifiable, whether it is high fashion, fast fashion or video games.

Frontier

Ollivain warns in her 2020 article that one should be careful with in the romanticization of pastoral or frontier living because of it’s extremely dark history. Cottagecore’s base of women and queer people makes it easy to consider it wholesome and harmless but it is a shield. It is used to more easily disregard the sinister and harmful aspects of cottagecore which is the history of settler colonialism. The cottagecore aesthetic has the ability to both ignore the history of colonialism in favour of a fictionalized escapist fantasy and reinforce a re- romanticization of colonialization and frontier living. Arguments in defence of cottagecore often use its aesthetic as refashioning and reinvigoration which has been often difficult in living during a lockdown. It can be argued that it serves as an appreciation for nature this time in a digital space (Kendall, 2020). From a critical perspective is that argument valid? Slone argues that cottagecore depicts a wholly unrealistic life, that is so filtered beyond reality but that does not mean there no romanticization of frontier and pastoral living. I argued that cottagecore is and examples of what Gandy (2006) called ecological nostalgia for an imagined past (Gandy, 2006, p. 65). The cottagecore aesthetic is similar to the eighteenth-century concept of the semiwild aesthetic which was a fascination with a romanticized picturesque of idealized nature (Gandy, 2013, p. 1305). It was visual simulacrum as it the cottagecore aesthetic. Woolley (2020) explained that for some cottagecore is an idealized nature were queer people can be visually queer in rural spaces (Woolley, 2020). Cottagecore’s intend is not to preserve nature but instead to edit and curate nature for a beautiful imitation of the real just like with the semiwild aesthetic (Gandy, 2013, p. 1305). Morgensen (2012) stated that settler colonialism functions under its own ideology to project any “empty lands” as the newest frontier Morgensen, 2012, p. 2). During the pandemic physical space was hard to come by for most allowing for the exploration of the colonial frontier of virtual spaces in games such as Minecraft, Animal Crossing, Farmville and Stardew valley (Skotnes-Brown, 2019, p. 144). These terraforming games, allow players the ability to emulate and curate cottagecore styles of land cultivation through either the games own built in assets or community created assets. This allows for the continued romanticization of pastoral and frontier living and development and curate land for one’s self in virtual spaces (Skotnes-Brown, 2019, p. 144).

Conclusion

The aesthetic of cottagecore, paired with pandemic living, and a predominantly queer base demographic allowed for an interesting exploration into Sapphic escapist fantasy. Despite "escapism" being a central tenet of this aesthetic movement, Cottagecore is unable to exist within an ahistorical and apolitical fantasy world as it is a part of the same legacy of settler colonialism which it inherits from its Romanticism origins, as well as its uncanny similarity to tradwife aesthetics. Cottagecore’s attempts to escape the heteropatriarchal binary gender roles without attempting to decolonize therefore allows settler colonialism ideals to persist within the aesthetic. As such, Cottagecore has fashioned itself into a seemingly apolitical and escapist aesthetic which, especially in the midst of a pandemic, has made itself an extremely viable digital experience to commercialize. Its most notable commercial presence is within various terraforming games. Through these games, the players can live out their pastoral living fantasies which works to translate settler colonial visions from the real and practical world to the digital realm. This video seeks to raise questions about pertinent issues surrounding the cottagecore aesthetic and to address the way in which ongoing settler colonial ideas continue to pervade contemporary aesthetic movements. I have neither the formal background nor experience in applying de-colonial practices, nor do I want to risk my privileged position placing my voice over that of another (Arvin, Tuck and Morrill, 2013, p. 25). I am hoping this video presentation, and any criticisms that would arise after the viewing of it, covered the breadth of the topic effectively enough to create a space to question and experiment with the colonial legacy surrounding the cottagecore aesthetic (Arvin, Tuck and Morrill, 2013, p. 25).

Bibliography

Arvin, M., Tuck, E., & Morrill, A. (2013). Decolonizing feminism: Challenging connections between settler colonialism and heteropatriarchy. Feminist formations, 8-34.

Gandy, M. (2006). Urban nature and the ecological imaginary. In the nature of cities: Urban political ecology and the politics of urban metabolism, 63-74.

Gandy, M. (2013). Marginalia: Aesthetics, ecology, and urban wastelands. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 103(6), 1301-1316.

Glenn, E. N. (2015). Settler colonialism as structure: A framework for comparative studies of US race and gender formation. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, 1(1), 52-72.

Jennings, R. (2020, August 03). Once upon a time, there was cottagecore. Vox. Retrieved February 1, 2021, from https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/8/3/21349640/cottagecore-taylor-swift-folklore-lesbian-clothes-animal-crossing

Kelly, A. (2018, June 01). The Housewives of White Supremacy. Retrieved February 20, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/01/opinion/sunday/tradwives-women-alt-right.html

Kendall, Z. (2020, May 27). How cottagecore became this season's most idyllic trend. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/k7qam9/how-cottagecore-became-this-seasons-most-idyllic-trend

Morgensen, S. L. (2010). Settler homonationalism: Theorizing settler colonialism within queer modernities. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 16(1-2), 105-131.

Morgensen, S. L. (2012). Theorising gender, sexuality and settler colonialism: An introduction. settler colonial studies, 2(2), 2-22.

Ollivain, C. (2020, September 8). Cottagecore, colonialism and the far-right. Honi Soit. Retrieved February 1, 2021, from https://honisoit.com/2020/09/cottagecore-colonialism-and-the-far-right/

Phelan, G. (2020, June 22). What is cottagecore and why is everyone so obsessed with it? Retrieved February 1, 2021, from https://fashionjournal.com.au/life/what-is-cottagecore-and-why-is-everyone-so-obsessed-with-it/

Skotnes-Brown (2019). Colonized Play: Racism, Sexism and Colonial Legacies in the DOTA 2 South Africa Gaming Community Penix-Tadsen, Phillip (2019) Video Games and the Global South. Carnegie Mellon University. Book. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/8148680.v1

Slone, I. (2020, March 10). Escape into Cottagecore, Calming Ethos for Our Febrile Moment. The New York Times. Retrieved February 1, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/style/cottagecore.html

Smith, A. (2010). Queer theory and native studies: The heteronormativity of settler colonialism. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 16(1-2), 41-68.

Stitch. (2021, January 28). Who Actually Gets to "Escape" Into Fandom? Teen Vogue. Retrieved February 1, 2021, from https://www.teenvogue.com/story/who-actually-gets-to-escape-into-fandom-column-fan-service

Tuck, E., & Yang, K. W. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, education & society, 1(1).

Woolley, S. (2020, February 12). Cottagecore is the pastoral fantasy aesthetic taking over TikTok. Retrieved February 3, 2021, from https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/g5xjgj/cottagecore-aesthetic-lgbt-teens-tumblr-tik-tok?utm_source=stylizedembed_i-d.vice.com&utm_campaign=k7qam9&site=i-d

[happyheidi]

[irradiate-space]

A coalition against hukou in the USA

The USA doesn't have bureaucracy to exclude general classes of people [1] from moving to desirable neighborhoods.

Instead, communities in the United States generally have:

limits on the density of housing that can be built

limits on the number of occupants that can live in a structure

requirements that all people living in a dwelling unit be related

prohibitions on subletting

a lack of non-car transportation infrastructure

These serve to drive up the costs of housing, which excludes poorer people. Because of a long history of discrimination on racial lines, the poorer classes are more likely to be Black or Latine. The poor are less likely to fit the WEIRD culture of the middling-upper classes. The poor are more likely to have illnesses and disorders that richer people can afford to have treated.

Exclusionary zoning is the USAmerican alternative to hukou.

The Californian experiment in by-right construction of denser housing aims to drive housing costs down. In doing so, it removes the primary mechanism that communities use to keep out undesirable residents.

@eightyonekilograms predicts that this sort of land-use reform will lead to a cross-partisan coalition seeking to prevent internal migration within the USA. I say: There will also be a cross-partisan coalition in favor of migration and housing density:

landlords, property developers, and construction workers

the orangepilled[3], the NUMTOTs[4], the sensible eco-warriors[5]

familial conservatives and identitarian leftists in expensive areas who don't want their progeny to be driven out or impoverished by rising housing costs

socialists, social democrats, and welfare supporters

libertarians and property-rights conservatives

----

Notable exceptions include those convicted of a sexual offense, the unhoused, undocumented immigrants, and, in planned communities for the elderly, those under an age floor.

WEIRD: White, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic

orangepilled: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQE_5MFCekg

New Urban Memes For Transit-Oriented Teens

sensible eco-warriors: ones who look at the numbers and don't end up high on a deathist supply of cottagecore, anti-nuclear, anti-density, anti-growth, sustenance-farming defeatism

[sumerakandapola-mga2023mi5014]

Idea #3 An encounter with the unknown Artstyle and aesthetic

I'm going for a horror folk tale inspired artstyle, with murky colors and unsettling features The aesthetic will be inspired by dark cottagecore to fit the theme of an urban legend in the forest

The story The story is set in a rural home in the middle of a forest, there is an urban legend of a creature that lives in the woods, that wanders beyond on days with a full moon. On these days, people traditionally let out every bit of light in their home, to avoid the creature being attracted to the light. However, two children and their pet dog left home alone for the night forget this one rule, and leave their porch light turned on, and the creature arrives.

I do not want to specify any particular location in 1900's usa, which is the time period I'm taking inspiration from for the atmosphere and environment. It's meant to be a fictional forest in the outskirts, where there are a few houses of hunters and farmers strewn out. The family which the story happens to will be such a family of hunters.

[marcopollio]

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[poshjschaefer]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Urban Outfitters Cream Pointelle Knit Cardigan, S.

[micro-expressions]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: $329 Frye Carson Ankle Zip Black Minimalist Casual Summer Leather Ankle Sandals.