Cottagecore inspired style for spring and summer

I’ll be honest: I didn’t know I was a cottagecore girl until Folklore came out: and I’m still not totally sure I am one, really. Most days, I don’t dress like this. No, most days I’d describe my style as ‘minimal‘ (You could also describe it as ‘basic’ or even ‘really freaking boring, Amber’, which would be true, but not very tactful of you…), especially since the pandemic, when you’ll most often find me in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt – maybe jeans if I’m feeling particularly fancy. 

But something about spring and summer makes me come over all romantic. It makes me want to dress like I’m the youngest daughter of a wealthy landowner (or maybe just an extremely well-off shepherd), who has nothing more pressing to do with her days than to wander around sunlit meadows, picking fresh flowers, reading romantic novels, and never having to think about how she has to get back in time for the afternoon school run and stick some fish fingers in the oven for dinner.*

(*We do not eat fish fingers for dinner.)

Unfortunately for me, however, I live in a (relatively) newbuild estate in a small village, and although we ARE surrounded by plenty of countryside – and really quite a lot of sheep, to be fair – the cottagecore look isn’t particularly practical for day-to-day life here: especially given that we’re in Scotland, where it rains about 360 days of the year. 

 

But a girl can dream, right? And that’s why my wardrobe is a tale of halves, basically. One the one side, you have all those winter clothes: the puffer coats, thick jumpers, leggings and boots. And on the other – the spring/summer side – you have a small selection of clothing far more suited to a humble (and yet still wealthy, because how else would she afford all those clothes?) shepherdess. 

(Yes, I’m aware that shepherdesses probably don’t dress like this: or even necessarily exist these days – I have no idea whether that’s still a legit job title, or if modern farming techniques have rendered it unnecessary for women to wander the hills with sheep these days. But this IS a complete fantasy, after all, so I don’t think it really matters…)

Because I’m not a ‘real’ cottagecore girl, all of the outfits I’m wearing in these photos are from the high street, and I’m afraid none of them were recent purchases, so I’m not able to link them for you, unfortunately. Most stores tend to stock a selection of floaty, floral dresses as part of their spring/summer collections, though, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find similar pieces — and, if not, there’s always Vinted!

These shots were taken in a field of purple heather for a brand campaign, and I got eaten alive by midges in the process. So hardcore, rather than cottagecore, basically…)

These ones, on the other hand, were taken in a field of camomile, and nothing bit me at all, so I have no notes. 10/10 – would recommend…