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In 2020, a brief but influential cultural moment unfolded on TikTok, characterized by the viral “Strawberry Cow” cover of Mitski’s music, Lirika Matoshi’s strawberry dress, and the widespread embrace of the cottagecore aesthetic.
For many users, particularly queer women, scrolling through cottagecore content provided a peaceful escape from everyday challenges. The aesthetic offered a fantasy of living simply in a rustic cottage, removed from society’s prejudices and pressures. In these digital sanctuaries, many found comfort in a romanticized vision of rural living.
Yet today, this once-inclusive aesthetic has undergone a striking transformation. What began as a harmless celebration of simplicity has morphed into what critics describe as a “homesteading hellscape” promoting conservative “traditional values.” This shift raises important questions about how innocent aesthetics can be repurposed for political messaging.
Cottagecore’s roots can be traced to various artistic movements that romanticize nature and rural life. While it shares elements with Impressionism and Art Nouveau, it perhaps most closely resembles Rococo, the 18th-century French movement known for its ornamental style, femininity, and pastel palette.
Before exploding on TikTok, cottagecore emerged quietly on Tumblr in the late 2010s. Unlike its later product-focused iteration, early cottagecore centered on lifestyle aspirations, featuring idyllic landscapes and natural beauty.
The aesthetic’s co-option by conservative voices happened gradually through what media analysts call “hashtag hijacking.” By pairing cottagecore hashtags with “tradwife” content, conservative influencers infiltrated these spaces. The aesthetic overlap proved advantageous – cottagecore’s celebration of baking bread, flower arranging, and soft femininity aligned perfectly with conservative messaging about women’s traditional roles.
“By exploiting the visual similarities between these aesthetics, conservatives found an effective pipeline to promote their agenda,” explains media researcher Dr. Samantha Collins, who studies online radicalization. “Young women exploring cottagecore can unwittingly encounter content pushing the idea that women should be submissive homemakers focused on child-rearing.”
This transition is particularly devastating for the feminine queer women who initially found refuge in cottagecore. What began as their reclamation of traditionally feminine activities as forms of self-care has been weaponized to promote values often hostile to LGBTQ+ communities.
The cottagecore aesthetic represented queer longing for a more accepting world without systems of patriarchy and homophobia. Its appeal relied on a form of cognitive dissonance – viewing simple off-grid living through smartphones – creating the psychological distance necessary for fantasy and escape. When hijacked for conservative messaging, this illusion shatters.
The “tradwife” trend that emerged in 2020 exemplifies this shift. Initially a niche internet meme, it gained mainstream attention through influencers like Nara Smith and Hannah Neelman (known as Ballerina Farm). Smith gained popularity for making everyday items from scratch for her uniquely named children, while Neelman, a former Juilliard-trained ballerina, documented her life as a Mormon homesteader after abandoning her dance career.
Critics note disturbing historical parallels between tradwife ideology and past propaganda. Some scholars have drawn connections to the League of German Girls (Bund Deutscher Mädel), the female wing of Hitler Youth, which similarly emphasized cooking, cleaning, and homemaking as women’s highest calling.
“Fascist regimes have historically depended on women producing children to sustain power structures,” notes historian Eleanor Jameson. “Economic dependence limits women’s autonomy and options.”
Despite this co-option, many believe cottagecore’s original spirit can be reclaimed as an empowering aesthetic. In a society that often devalues femininity, embracing it can be a radical act when divorced from patriarchal expectations.
As social media continues to serve as a battleground for cultural values, the cottagecore phenomenon offers important lessons about how aesthetics can be weaponized. For those who cherish its original vision, reclaiming cottagecore means celebrating traditionally feminine activities while rejecting the conservative messaging that has attempted to define it.
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9 Comments
As someone interested in the intersection of art, culture, and politics, this is a thought-provoking read. The ability of an aesthetic to be repurposed for ideological messaging is a phenomenon worth unpacking. I’ll be curious to see how the cottagecore community responds to this shift.
This article touches on some fascinating sociopolitical undercurrents. The idea that an aesthetic movement can become a platform for promoting certain values is a complex and thought-provoking concept. It will be interesting to see how this narrative continues to evolve.
The transformation of cottagecore from a peaceful escapist aesthetic to a vehicle for conservative messaging is quite concerning. This highlights the importance of being aware of how cultural trends can be co-opted and reframed for ideological purposes.
This piece on the evolution of cottagecore raises some fascinating points. It’s interesting to see how a seemingly innocuous aesthetic can be co-opted for political purposes. I’m curious to learn more about the historical roots and artistic influences that shaped this trend.
The evolution of cottagecore from a harmless celebration of simplicity to a vehicle for conservative messaging is a fascinating case study. This piece raises important questions about the relationship between art, culture, and politics that warrant further examination.
The idea of using an aesthetic movement as a vehicle for political messaging is quite concerning. I wonder if the original cottagecore community feels that their space has been hijacked or if they’ve adapted to the changes. It’s a complex issue worth deeper exploration.
You raise a good point. The article hints at a divide between the initial, more inclusive vision of cottagecore and the more conservative values it has come to represent. It would be interesting to hear from the community members themselves on how they’ve experienced this evolution.
This is a fascinating look at the co-option of aesthetic movements for political ends. The article raises important questions about the role of art and culture in shaping societal values and narratives. It’s a complex issue without easy answers.
I agree, this is a nuanced topic that deserves further exploration. The ability of an aesthetic to be reframed and leveraged for political purposes speaks to the power of cultural symbols and the need to be vigilant about their evolution.