With the rise of TikTok, Gen Z continues to be key player in deciding today’s fashion trends. They’ve brought back sweater vests and made it clear that straight-leg jeans were cooler than skinnies, and although some of their picks may feel a bit less familiar, they’re still worth taking note of.
The Fairycore trend, for instance, is here to welcome you to a world much dreamier than that of sweatpants, as we look ahead to a future of dressing up and experimenting with clothes again.
Diving deeper into adjacent fandoms, you’ll find a variety of aesthetics to explore, whether it’s dollcore, unicore, mushroomcore, and, one of the most recent to materialize in mainstream fashion, cottagecore. Fairycore — or faecore, or faeriecore — feels a bit similar to the latter with heavy references to nature and a pension for a few of the same design elements, including embroidery and relaxed dresses. However, this aesthetic also comes with a knack for mystery and fantasy, and those willing to go the extra mile may even pair a set of fairy wings with their outfits.
There are a ton of nail the look, so don’t sweat following a hard list of do’s and dont’s. Somewhere between whimsically sweet and grunge, fairycore fashion instead feels more centered around where an outfit transports you to — think pastel colors that remind you of springtime, or earthy colors reminiscent of forests or a cozy cabin getaway. Then, there are pieces that paint a picture of a magical picnic: Sheer fabrics, puffy dresses, or gingham prints.
With an aesthetic so intricate, much is left to the wearer’s interpretation, so it’s no surprise the TikTok crowd has a pretty good hand on the art of layering, too. With faecore, it’s not uncommon to find a billowy maxi skirt topped with a midi dress, topped then with a vintage-inspired corset or sweater.
Of course, you don’t have to be a member of the fairy fandom to enjoy the pieces it favors. Turns out, as unintentional as it may be, the fairies have actually hit the nail on the head for some of the season’s biggest trends, such as mushroom embellishments, nap dresses, corsetry, and 2000s reminiscent beaded jewelry. After the marathon of lounge sets that was 2020, there’s truly never been a better time to experiment with fashion.
Orignally published by InStyle
