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Cottagecore and Finding My Life and Style Aesthetic and Romantic Academia
I think I’ve shared some videos, maybe as a part of a things I love, but I was inspired to write a more dedicated post after watching this video by Ruby Granger about Cottagecore. Darling Desi also has a video about Cottage Core as well (and I recommend her birthday video on this as well). Also, I really enjoyed Mia Maples’ video about trying different aesthetics which included Cottagecore.
My Aesthetic
There are SO many elements in cottagecore that are so “me” and that bring together or overlap with lots of things I’ve always been interested in, or that I was interested in as a child or that I was becoming interested or re-interested in. Prairie style, slow living, rural living, handicrafts, milkmaid styles, vintage style, etc. I dislike the term though, “cottage” is a pretty word, but “core” is not. Someone on Darling Desi’s cottagecore video mentioned cottagecore being a modernization of “pastoral romance.” I could only find this pastoral literature entry, I suppose they meant that?
I like how Ruby talks about making the style your own rather than just copying it, and I also like that she included Cinderella 2012 in her list of movies. Because besides not loving the name, I also prefer brighter colors, Cinderella 2012 is just about perfect in combing the colors and the cottage/outdoorsy vibes and decor.
Also, I wish I could come up with a term for me. I like light academia and cottagecore and victorian and romantic and regency and vintage and ancient/classical and folk. It would be nice to have a shorter term. Romantic is rather vague, all of the other terms are too narrow. Perhaps Vintage Romantic Cottage Academia, which is a mouthful, but I think that is a pretty good summary. Or maybe Romantic Pastoral Academia? Or maybe just Romantic Academia, because I think nature featured a lot in the Romantic period, and then romantic is also a more broad term. Yes, I think I like that.
My Cottagecore Suggestions
I noted many of the books and movies and such that Ruby Granger shared it my video to try, and I thought I’d share (or reshare) any books, movies, etc. that I don’t think I’ve heard listed.
- The Borrowers which is the series that is the basis for The Secret World of Arrietty, a movie that I know several Youtubers mentioned.
- The 80’s Heidi. We always called milkmaid braids “Heidi braids.” I didn’t actually learn they were called milkmaid braids until my twenties I don’t think.
- The Grandma’s Attic series.
- If you are leaning really rural/agrarian, then Wendell Berry. Not idyllic rural/agrarian though. I’ve also got David Kline (Amish farmer) essay collections on my TBR which would also fit. I also have some books on shepherd’s lives on my TBR which would also seem to fit with this.
- Definitely romantic nature would be the Gene Stratton-Porter books.
- I think the tv series was mentioned, but I definitely recommend the Christopher Timothy narrated James Herriot books.
- Friendly Persuasion seems like it would fit the cottagecore vibes, the movie, maybe the book too, I never got into that though.
- Susan Branch. I just started her A Fine Romance.
- I’m thinking the poetry of Robert Frost as well.
- I also saw some suggested videos on Cottagecore and Tasha Tudor which I need to explore as well.
For Style and Instagram
- I love the styles of Adored Vintage. I don’t love the colors. This is a true cottagecore style shop.
- I found this Instagrammer through another, and her style is just perfection. Bright colors, patterns, textures and gorgeous romantic/folk inspired styles. I want SO many of her clothes. She blends several elements of style that I love.
- This Instagrammer has some super ruffly romantic styles that I love as well. More modern romantic style.
- Foraging Pages describes her style on her bio as “academic cottagecore.”
- JE Stanway. I think this might be cottagecore and light academia?
- The art of Lore Pemberton, I’ve several pieces, and I want more!
YouTube
Obviously Darling Desi and Ruby Granger, but also Hannah Lee Dugan, her personal style is cottage core I feel, and she literally lives in a log cabin and van. As well as The Cottage Fairy.
Lauren Johnson has some cottagecore inspired sewing videos.
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What I Watched May 2021
Movies
I’ve been trying to keep up with watching movies on the weekend. They’ve all been old ones this month.
Dial M for Murder. Grace Kelly. I guess worth a watch, not really that intriguing to me as it wasn’t funny or or mysterious. And the suspense wasn’t all that extreme either.
Listen, Darling. This was a cute for one watch. I wouldn’t rewatch.
My Favorite Wife. I did a post on this, I thought it quite funny and worth rewatching, tons of witty quotes.
My Favorite Brunette. A spoof of film noir mysteries. Too goofy a humor overall for me, but there were a few quotes I thought funny.
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“Ronnie”
“Yeah”
“I think you’re a very brave man”
“I know a sniveling coward when I see one. ” Looks in mirror, “Hiya sniv.”~~~~~~~
“An hour later we were at the Poulet d’or, one of those real swanky cafes where they eat mink for breakfast.”
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TV
When I first heard of My Family and Other Animals I’d also heard of the tv show which is The Durrells (and heard it was rather vulgar) but forgot about it. It came to my attention again, and I wanted something to watch while I knitted, so I started it. The tv show is described as being fictionalized, and I only read book one, the only similarities I’m seeing that I remember are the main character names and some of their interests, but I think I want to reread the first and then read the next two.
While the show does have some vulgarity and coarseness (the worst is that captain, I mostly skip his parts), its mostly not too bad for me. It’s the soapiness that’s getting to me. I’m on season three and had decided to stop, and have skimmed a bit more. And since I can’t seem to stay away from Wikipedia synopses, I’m seeing more soapiness layered on. I thought maybe I’d skip and watch the absolute final episode. We’ll see. But, but, its a bit addicting. Edit: yes, I went back to watching, it’s just so bright and happy on Confu in spite of the attempts at drama, and the music is so cheery, also got another hilarious Spiros bit, this time fighting with Zoltan who is also funny (he would say the funniest). Also, I am skimming through stuff I dislike more.
Spiros is hilarious, I think a lot (most?) of the best quotes are from him. And the way he always calls them,”Durrells.”
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“What have you got against Sven?”“Nothing. Except he is not Greek and he is not British.”“Some people aren’t Spiros.”~~~~~~~During the massive storm, “Hello Durrells, welcome to England.”~~~~~~~“You know I love the British, but you make everything so complicated.”~~~~~~~(Zoltan to Margo) “You make the stars come out at night.”“What does that mean?”“It’s called poetry, Greek peasant.”“It’s called bull****, Turkish cretin.”~~~~~~~Speaking of soapy dramas. I’d seen Allen Leech in a Hallmark movie, so I looked up the Branson and Sybil bits of Downton Abbey. I’d only watched like 1.5 episodes nearly a decade ago in college (and felt like I’d lost IQ for that much) and what I’d seen of him in photos, his chubby baby face blonde boyish type hadn’t appealed to me, but in the Hallmark movie, oh, my. Well, I think he was rather tubbier in DA, and wow, the acting is horrifically bad. I watch Hallmark which is hardly superb acting, but I think because it’s light and fluffy, it’s fine to have fluffy acting. Also the DA acting is worse than the Hallmarks I like. So bad acting plus drama (which needs more solid acting anyway), yeah pretty bad. Not tempted to try any more of that.
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Fun Lately
I’ve felt I needed more podcasts for a while. I’ve caught up on my favorite so get an episode only once a week or once every two weeks. I think it was a recommendation or ad, that caused me to see The Friendship Onion which is a new podcast by Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd. I guess Billy Boyd’s voice is more of a distinctive one, but I don’t think that it was merely a lack of distinctiveness and memory that caused me to feel that Dominic Monaghan’s voice changed considerably while Billy Boyd’s is instantly remembered?
The Minimalists had Jeanette McCurdy (of iCarly) on again. And apparently she now has a podcast called Empty Inside. So I gained two new podcasts in a week, such luck.
I’m not on TikTok, I was afraid of a new time waster, and then at one of my jobs we had mandatory security training mentioning the security hazard the TikTok app is for anyone who uses it. I suppose that is another safeguard of my time, nevertheless, I feel like I’m missing out on the new Vine like I missed on the old one. I occasionally see hilarious compilations on Youtube which make me feel like I’m missing out. One of these was this video If Dog Breeds Were People.
My sister has an (she was told) Aussie Doodle (we see NO evidence of the Poodle, he’s copper and longish haired shepherd look). The Australian Shepherd energy was spot on.
She also has a chihuahua (there is NO mistaking the heritage of those piranha teeth), daschund (also hard to mistake that shape), possibly terrier mix. Her personality absolutely, to a T has those elements displayed in the video. They were killer. It’s so hard to pick favorites.
Now, my little Bjorn doesn’t match the pom, the Golden retriever one, however, that’s him.
Also, I feel like I shared this one, but I can’t find the post, and it’s too good to miss. If People Acted Like Korean Drama Characters. I’ve only seen part of one, but from that and what I’ve heard, it sounds like they run to type like Hallmark (Amy mentions how comforting formulas are in this post). The kiss scene in the one I saw was exactly like that, lol. And the end is just, genius.
And finally, more poking fun at dramas, this time period dramas. I happened on this page and this page shared by other Instagrammers. I spent some time scrolling the first one and laughing, there are some amazing gems, and sending some of the memes to my sisters and sister-in-laws. The 2nd one had this gem.
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My Favorite Wife with Cary Grant
I’ve been trying to work on my movie lists, watching a couple every weekend. I don’t know if My Favorite Wife was on my list or it just popped up on Amazon (I think it was a $1.99 rental, but then maybe that was because I wasn’t looking on my dad’s Prime, but on my own account which isn’t Prime). I’m so glad it did, it was quite funny (this is no Bringing up Baby or Monkey Business, but it’s still one of the funnier Cary Grant movies I’ve seen, and I’ve seen quite a few), and Cary Grant is in his best role, as a kind-hearted, befuddled man at the mercy of quicker witted, quicker acting women. I kept stopping because there were so many hilarious quotes to take down, usually at his character’s expense. Obviously, they are funnier to watch, and you get the benefit of all the facial expressions and situational humor. I highly recommend this movie.
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“That takes a lot of love, you sure you don’t love her?”
“The moment I saw you downstairs, I knew-“
“Oh go on. I’m sure you say that to all your wives.
“I could strangle you.”
“Hey, that’s a way out.”
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“I feel sorry for the woman who marries him.”
“Why?!”
“Because he’s a heartbreaker, like you.”
“Go on, I’m one of the most faithful husbands that ever lived.”
“With a wife in every room.”
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“My husband hasn’t slept since he heard you were on the island with me. He’s arranged this clever meeting to trap us into a confession.”
(“What!” )(“Now wait just a moment.”)
“He’s a very clever lawyer so beware. I’m gonna be very foxy myself.”
“I’ve got nothing to hide.”
“I know, but he has; you see, Nick’s married again.”
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“So just make up your mind old man.”
“I’ll make up mind.”
“You’re not allowed to have two wives, you know.”
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“How long were you married to Helen before the island?”
“Four years, why?”
“Well I was with her for seven, so I claim her on the basis on seniority, so I’ve got you there.”
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Mystery Blogger Award
Elizabeth from Autumn Ink tagged me for the Mystery Blogger Award.What is the first pairing you remember shipping?Hmm, maybe Heidi and Peter from the 1980’s Heidi, but then I also had a crush on Peter myself. That at least was one of my earliest shippings.What is the weirdest, most unusual, or one-of-a-kind thing you own?Trying to catalog things I own in my head . . . I can’t think of anything unusual, but I have vintage clothes (don’t fit into them, but determined to eventually), all 70’s styles. I also bought some dresses from India on eBay, from this shop. I just found it randomly, and I’m going to have to get a few more for fall (I’d seen similar vintage styles on etsy, but these are new and a fraction of the cost).Here’s the one I wore for Easter. I love, love medium purple, and it’s hard to find these shades, especially in florals. It’s so light and flowy. I like the prairie/70’s revival/cottacore styles trending now, but I don’t like pale, warm tones they have. This is a nice 70’s feel with more of a boho vibe.
If you had a surprise birthday being thrown for you, what are 3 fictional characters you would want to be there and why? or (What fictional character would you pull a prank on someone with?)I’d like to watch Jack Sparrow pull a prank, a shenanigan, anything.If you could steal a costume or an outfit from a show/movie, which one would you take?Hmm, I’ve been really into the glamourous 30’s and 40’s gowns from My Man Godfrey, Holiday, and the Thin Man Mysteries. I’ve not seen The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, but I’ve seen the golden yellow silk dress, and I want it, but in maybe a blush or teal or maybe lemon yellow. The style, the buttons the silk, all soooo lovely.What was the last line in a book, line in a movie, or lyric in a song that hit you hard?Well, knowing me, it won’t be anything deep and meaningful, not that there aren’t those lines I like (I need to maybe get better and saving and organizing them, I usually just start a convoluted essay of my opinions that such quotes prompt), I’m just sure humorous ones are the ones I have most recently saved. I used my Kindle to find one, its from Mill on the Floss, a book I’m supposed to be currently reading.“Mr. Tulliver was on the whole a man of safe traditional opinions; but on one or two points he had trusted to his unassisted intellect and had arrived at several questionable conclusions, among the rest, that rats, weevils, and lawyers were created by Old Harry.”Profound, innit? -
More Humor
Anything Friends. This is a hilarious reproduction of a classic scene.
If People Did Everything in a Rush. I sent this to my family and named one sister. The 2 sec relaxing, looking at the view, playing . . . yeah that’s her. When we went to the San Diego zoo, she zoomed through everything. Meanwhile, I had us go to see the meerkat exhibit 3 times. They had babies, just about the cutest thing you could imagine.
When You Can’t Put a Book Down. The end, I’m dying!
16 Personalities Getting Triggered. I said I was the ISTJ and ISTP, actually I’ve been saying what the ISTP was saying quite often the last year. And that sister was the INFJ.
16 Personalities Getting Revenge. I think I’m ENTP. It’s not that I don’t plan revenge or want revenge. I’m usually the aggressive confrontational one in the familial situations . . . who ends up losing, so I tend to give up. If I tried to take revenge, I’d once again lose.
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Fickle, Faddish Beauty Standards
This is going to be rather rambling.
I for one, appreciate that have bigger bums and thighs are more in, no, my bum and thighs are not the Kardashian fake perfect. But back when I was growing up, I had more of a “mom” figure and needed “mom” jeans (a style that is coming back, but which was derided then, which wasn’t a style, it was out of style). The 00’s had those absurdly low cut jeans that didn’t taper to the waist at all and wouldn’t even fully cover my bum. So I definitely feel more normal now even though I’m now more overweight. I think part of this is people are repudiating somewhat the stick thin standards, something I also never was. HOWEVER,
For all the body positivity schtick going on, I still don’t really see average healthy looking women represented. Hugely overweight apple shapes are the unhealthiest. I am an overweight pear, I’m not healthy. I don’t appreciate even worse being promoted. I think being around larger people actually makes me too unconcerned.
I think also there are different global standards of beauty and different regional standards of beauty. We are in a more overweight area of the country and my mom has always been fit despite having 6 children. When we went to the Grand Canyon, she said she felt large next to all the non-American tourists. She wasn’t, she was just used to feeling small.
The fake blonde look lasted longer around here it felt like. I think the trend is dead for now, I think brunette is in. I’ve never wanted to bleach my hair nor to feel like I was frumpy when I didn’t. And when blonde is in, its not in in a way that everyone is doing it, but its done more uniquely and not just everyone doing it.
I do feel like the country pixie girl look is rather pervasive. For all our family has been here forever, we don’t have that look (some of my sisters have more of the pixie look, but it’s not this basic Southern look). I feel like there are just some Southern girls that you KNOW you’d never see in other states. Now, I don’t want to look so obviously, well, regional, but it ties in with just having that more dainty look that seems to be preferred, at least around here.
In the same vein, since I’ve always loved historical fashion, and since I followed a lot of people who were into vintage and vintage inspired fashion when I was trying to be more stylish, I’ve never been fashionable here, sometimes it’s been frumpy, sometimes just nerdy. Now, I do struggle with having actual style as well as trendiness, but now I think that there are more people who aren’t following mainstream trends, who are stylish in different ways (like Cottagecore and Light Academia kind of things which is trendy in some spheres 0nline). Now I think its easier to find people who know how to be both stylish and not following mainstream fashion, but still following a trend, but not in a mindless way. I’ve loved to see things that are more my style becoming more popular online, so I don’t feel strange. I’d kind of fallen into being as basic as it’s possible for me to me, and its just boring. I’m not wearing anything crazy unique now, but it is still back to more of my frilly roots with some more unique, at least for around here things.
I really appreciate when she says “You are not ugly, you are just not in season right now.” I think you could say also say, you aren’t ugly, you just aren’t in vogue HERE.
Oh, and I found her channel via this video when trying to find under all the basic modern design styles a more girly, Victorian, style of room. Interior design has trends too!
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Elinor and Marianne Take Barton
I finished rereading Sense and Sensibility with Hamlette’s readalong. So I’m going to be rewatching the films and right now, I’m rewatching “Elinor and Marianne Take Barton.” Remember the web series days? What happened? What a really quick trend.
This one is so adorable, I actually prefer the ones made by non-professionals, they actually feel more accurate and not so staged. The age difference between Marianne and Brandon is normal, so their romance is cute. Elinor and Edward are adorkable. Lucy is as evil as ever. Will is not believable though, he was supposed to be charming rogue, not an obvious louse, that is more a John Thorpe type.
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Some Laughter
Back to things Irish, I first learnt of Foil, Arms, and Hog channel via Catherine from When It Does and Based on the Book. They are hilarious (the style is like an Irish studio C, with skits and recurring characters and such), I just watched Last Minute Vaccination Call today, it was a scream. My dad did actually drive around my sister’s vaccination site in January or February before his tier opened because she told him they call people near to use them up, that is how he got his).
And the checking the vaccine types, that is hilarious, people put any other vaccine, food, whatever in their bodies that certainly have more side effects but are now checking and listening to selective statistics for one vaccine.
I watched all of the skits for this The McCormack Family, and I’m working through Oisín & Parents currently. Quarantine Maths Class Disaster is hilarious also.
This regional accent bit is hilarious too even though I’m sure I miss lots of the jokes.
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March Inklings 2021: Mirror Scene in Friendly Persuasion
I’m once again joining Heidi’s Inklings linkup. This time it is a mirror scene, Harry Potter of course popped into my head, I used that for the first and also thought of it for the 2nd and will apparently continue to think of it first, but I’ve used my allotted amount. In reading Heidi’s for some reason that prompted me of the scene in Friendly Persuasion (I love this film).
It’s such a quick scene, but so perfect in detail. This movie is full of such scenes, of normal things with an undercurrent of humor and quaintness, it’s such a comfort film even with the war featuring a bit at the end.
Mattie is a Quaker girl in love with a handsome Union soldier who is obviously NOT Quaker. Her mother is a very strict Quaker, so Mattie doesn’t have much to do to get ready for church (on the way to which she just might happen to see and be seen), but when her little brother Jess comes to tell her to hurry up, she is pretending to be a fine lady in her “boudoir” finishing her “toilett-y.”
When Little Jess comes in, she is looking at herself critically in the mirror much to Little Jess’s amusement, and she asks him if he thinks she’s pretty. He considers this very carefully for a moment, and then delivers his assessment in perfect youthful dead seriousness, “Thee isn’t ugly.”
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What I’ve Been Listening to Lately
What We Said. I’m all caught up (I skipped a lot of the earlier interviews, don’t care for those), I wish they had 2x a week with a Patreon or something, I’m missing binging. Life advice and girl from a pair of hilarious best friends. Hilarious secret spilling episodes (so much for avoiding gossip), and I just found this via Spotify lists.
What Next? I found this on my Spotify suggestions. It’s not a super favorite at least not yet, for one thing I prefer more humor and two hosts.
It’s funny, both Jaci Marie Smith and Michelle Reed are Youtubers, but I found their podcasts first.
I’m not a huge music person, a song has to catch me from someone, its hard for me to “try” music. And I’m so picky, one song that I love doesn’t mean that I will love the rest unfortunately. And really, I prefer quiet most often. Both of these I heard on Instagram, the first on an ice skating story from Vintage Facade, and the second on I thought a post from Foraging Pages, but I can’t find it.
Primavera by Ludovico Einaudi. Its still melancholy, which is another reason I shy from music, its always mostly melancholy or unhappy or mean (pop particularly).
Soldier, Poet, King by The Oh Hellos. This is just, oh perfect. I love folk, true folk, and this feels like the old real stuff with just a sparkle of modern.
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What I Watched in February 2021
New to Me Movies
While You Were Sleeping. Eh.
Cheaper by the Dozen 1 and 2. Eh . . . except Tom Welling is so handsome (and I can say that, he was in his twenties), maybe I should watch Smallville . . .
Ramona and Beezus. Super cute, and I teared up. This is one of those movies that really gets kids, sees through their eyes and emotions rather than showing them as one dimensional little brats (although, honestly some of them are). Such a cute family story.
Rewatch
Miracle. 3rd watch, SUCH a good movie. The real story is fascinating (Mom and Dad remember this), the acting, the cinematographic, the dialogue, the emotions, the sport details. Oh, and lots of handsome guys. Let’s be real that is a huge reason I joined in the first time, and then got the real treat of the entire movie.
The Magic of Ordinary Days. Hallmark Hall of Fame (don’t confuse this with the fluff that is on nowadays). SO sweet, so interesting, touches on so many different details of the time period so compassionately. And her outfits, can I have them all?!!!
TV
WandaVision. I went into this blind which I highly recommend. I was a bit bewildered at the beginning, then fascinated, I loved the time period changes. Then with Agatha we took a turn into Wicked and then I guess the Blair Witch project. Okay, and I don’t like Wanda being in the wrong, but she wasn’t initially. I just wished that could be handled beter.