Fairycore

Other names

Fairywave, Nymphcore, Elfcore (masculine)

Decade of origin

2020s

Creator/s

ameliamcdon (facilitator)

Key motifs

Wings, sparkles, pixie/fairy dust

Key colours

Pastel colours, yellow, pink, blue, green, white, cream, earth tones

Key values

Tranquility, appreciating old fairytales and folklore, remembering childhood

Related media

Tinkerbell
Maleficent
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
The Secret Garden
FernGully: The Last Rainforest

Fairycore, also known as Fairy Folk, is a fantasy themed aesthetic that centres predominantly around fairy (alternatively spelled faerie) and elf mythology. Visuals include nature, soft pastels, butterflies, magic, flowers, soft animals like bunnies, and the vibe of springtime. Fairycore usually features feminine visuals and styles, and the more masculine equivalent/subtype is Elfcore( as traditionally, elf is a masculine term and fairy is the feminine term).

Any and all fey-like creatures from mythology around the world are included. This ranges as far and wide as Celtic, Scottish, Nordic, German, French, Native American, Japanese, Chinese, etc. It includes the typical Fae and fairies (usually from Scottish Seelie and Unseelie) as well as various kinds of mermaids, elves, nymphs, shapeshifters (like swan maidens/men), and various ghostly figures.

It is most similar to Cottagecore, Pixiecore, and Goblincore. The term was coined by an unknown Tumblr user. The aesthetic is popular with fairykin, people who incorporate the concept of fairies into their personal identity.

Although it is similar to many nature based aesthetics, some say it is the feminine equivalent to Goblincore. This is debatable, because fairycore focuses on the beauty of nature, such as flowers, fairies, dresses, and femininity, while Goblincore is more based on appreciating the not so pretty parts of nature, like mushrooms, bugs, dirt, etc.

History[]

Since the mid-Victorian period, there has been a fairy fandom. During this time period, countless ballets, operas, books, poems, and an entire sub-genre of artwork (Victorian Fairy Painting) were spawned from this obsession with “Fair Folk” that lasted until World War II.

Yet while the stoic realism of years to come left a hole in the adult side of Fairy for a long time, the rise of fantasy during the 80s brought back the fandom.

Brian and Wendy Froud, Alan Lee, and Charles Vess were artists of massive importance in the scene, particularly for their influence on literature and film. Authors like Terri Windling, Charles de Lint, Emma Bull, Patricia A. McKillip, Diana Wynn Jones, Robin McKinley, Ellen Kushner, Neil Gaiman, and many others revitalized Faerie by taking it into urban environments.

A few key films like Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, and Legend helped change the view of fairies from tiny pixies into strange and inhuman creatures. Books like War For the Oaks, Jack the Giant-Killer, and Borderland took fairies out of their unknown realms and brought them into 80s era musically-inclined America and Canada, thus pioneering Urban Fantasy and Mythpunk.

This fandom moved into comic books in the 90s thanks to the teaming of Charles Vess and Neil Gaiman in Sandman: A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Stardust.

After a brief lull, the early 2000s brought Faerie back full-force. Faerie Magazine (now Enchanted Living) and Faeriecon brought fans of fairies, mermaid, and other related creatures together. YA writers like Holly Black, Julie Kagawa, Laini Taylor, and Maggie Steifvater, although their work was less literary and more teenage, revitalized the 80s scene for a whole new generation.

Kid's fare like Winx Club, Barbie in Fairytopia, Bratz Fashion Pixiez, and Tinker Bell/Pixie Hollow were mixed in their views of fairy. They either brought back fairies to the tiny Victorian ideals or embraced Urban Fantasy’s view of them as mysterious “Fair Folk” that could walk amongst humanity virtually unseen.

In more recent years, Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, and especially Sarah J. Maas have brought attention to the idea of “The Fae”, influenced by older Scottish and Irish mythologies much as the 80s authors were, only humanizing them.

Yet while this has influenced a massive amount of Fae-centric romance novels, there has been some mild backlash. More and more modern writers (like Erin A. Craig and Joanna Ruth Meyer) have been returning to the idea of Fairy as inhuman and embracing darker, horror-inclined themes.

Visuals[]

Photos used in this aesthetic are often edited to have soft but vibrant colours. A blur and/or sparkle effect is also very common. Small amounts of collaging may be used to paste wings, flowers, mushrooms, etc. onto the photo subject.^[1]

It’s important to realize that it is visually multifaceted. Some prefer the pastels, sparkles, and "The Fairies" while others are more into earth-tones, foliage, and "The Fae", and these are equally viable.

Motifs included in this aesthetic:

The forest
Trees
Fields, especially fields of flowers
Swamps
Tall, thick grass
Mushrooms
Fairy wings
Traditionally cute or gentle forest animals
Rivers, streams, and creeks
Flowers, especially tall flowers
Nature paths
Overgrown buildings
Gardens
Cozy cabins
Clotheslines
Butterflies
Picnics (baskets, jam jars, tea)
Throw blankets
Gingham
Vines
Fairy lights
Cute bugs (bees, butterflies, ladybugs)

Fashion[]

Fairycore fashion is inspired by artistic depictions of fairies, so outfits usually have a Ethereal vibe, with heavy Cottagecore and nature inspiration. Faecore fashion includes:

Wire-rimmed glasses
Bows and ribbons
Lace and sheer fabrics
Dresses
Glittery, shimmery, or glowing makeup
Slippers, open-toe shoes, or sometimes no shoes at all
Hair worn down or in loose hairstyles such as messy buns and quick/messy braids
Pastel painted nails or no polish at all, occasionally dirt beneath nails to reference gardening
Jewelry like long gold necklaces and moonstone/opal rings and bracelets
Corsets, especially green or white (more popular with people on TikTok who consider themselves fairycore)
Vests
Puffy dresses
Elf ears
Fairy wings (often DIY)
High knee socks
Fingerless gloves
Platform shoes
Leg warmers

Décor[]

Fairycore enthusiasts often try to decorate their habitat in line with the chosen aesthetic. Similar to fashion choices, they favour maximalistic approach with lots of knick knacks and rustic vibe^[2]. Common décor choices include:

Collections of crystals, stones, scented candles, dry-preserved butterflies and bugs, and dried herbs.
House plants, especially vining ones.
Flower garlands.
Plant terrariums.
DIY décor pieces, such as handmade dreamcatchers and windchimes.
Soft lights and string lights.

In terms of room décor, fairycore often overlaps with witchcore, cottagecore, and goblincore.

Hobbies:[]

Fairies, or people who are fairycore, often have nature-related or crafty hobbies such as:

Going for walks
Picking wild berries such as raspberries and blueberries
Pressing flowers
Making flower crowns
Playing harmless pranks on people, such as apple-pie beds, in the case of mischievous fairies
Scavenging or searching for shiny objects
Gardening
Embroidery, sewing, or knitting
Reading
Writing
Drawing
LARPing and RPG
Attending Renaissance festivals
Collecting rocks, seashells, and sticks
DIY projects, such as making book nooks, wood paintings^[3], etc.

Similar Aesthetics[]

Fairycore overlaps significantly with Cottagecore and Goblincore.

Cottagecore[]

Cottagecore is an aesthetic based off of country living, nature, plants, etc. On the TikTok platform, common themes are mushrooms, frogs, and forests, but is still slightly different from Fairycore though it's debatable; some say Cottagecore is the same as Fairycore but without the magic.

Similarities[]

Old/rustic things
Animals and forest creatures
Gardens and plant life
Picnics

Goblincore[]

Goblincore is a more grungy take on Cottagecore. It's based off of goblins and gremlins, which are fantasy creatures like fairies, but are more dirty and rough.

Similarities[]

A passion for shiny objects and mischief
A love for animals of the wild variety
Gardens because of the dirt and sometimes bugs
Fantasy/fairytale creatures

Subgenres[]

Dark Fairycore[]

Unlike Strega (closely related to Ethereal Goth), Dark Fairycore has no connection to the Goth genre of music. Like Fairycore, it's mainly a literary and artistic movement throughout the many facets of the fantasy genre. However, it is similar in its imagery and content.

Dark Fairycore typically encompasses the visual works of Brian and Wendy Froud, as well as the Victorian artist John Anster Fitzgerald. Books would include much of urban fantasy aka Mythpunk, particularly the works of Neil Gaiman and other 80s to 90s authors in the genre.

If Fairycore is Seelie, Dark Fairycore is Unseelie. If Fairycore is represented by Tinker Bell, Dark Fairycore is better displayed by Maleficent. Typically, the fairies of Dark Fairycore are human-sized instead of tiny. They are inhuman, a bit more antagonistic, and typically referred to as Fae.

Their imagery is darker, stranger, and moodier, like deep forests after rain or a tangle of thorns surrounding a single rose.

Mermaidcore[]

See also: Mermaid

Under Construction

Elfcore[]

Under Construction

Media[]

Screenshot of a woman laying peacefully in a light orange hammock. There is fog and leaves around her and flowers woven into her hair. — *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (1999)

Literature[]

The Faerie Handbook by Carolyn Turgeon
The Mermaid Handbook by Carolyn Turgeon
The Unicorn Handbook by Carolyn Turgeon
The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsay
Peter and Wendy by J. M. Barrie
Smith of Woonton Major by J. R. R. Tolkien
Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynn Jones
Jack the Giant-Killer by Charles de Lint
Fairy Oak series by Elisabetta Gnone
War For the Oaks by Emma Bull
The Changeling Sea by Patricia A. McKillip
Spindle's End by Robin McKinley
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Changeling by Delia Sherman
Maleficent: Heart of the Moors by Holly Black
Wondrous Strange trilogy by Lesley Livingston
Faery Rebels series by R. J. Anderson
Married to Magic series by Elise Kova
The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
Bohemian Manifesto: A Field Guide to Living On the Edge by Lauren Stover (features a guide to Fairy Folk)
The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer
A Tale of Magic… by Chris Colfer
The Complete Fairy Tales by George MacDonald
Rainbow Magic series by Daisy Meadows

Film[]

Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Ridley Scott’s Legend (1985)
The Dark Crystal (1982)

An example moodboard, featuring children's media that utilises the fairycore aesthetic. Includes Barbie Fairytopia: Magic Of The Rainbow (2007), Tinker Bell (2008), Winx Club (2004) and The Fairies (2005).
Ridley Scott’s Legend (1985)
Labyrinth (1986)
Rumpelstiltskin (1987)
Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
Thumbelina (1994)
FairyTale: A True Story (1997)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999)
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001-2003)
Barbie of Swan Lake (2003)
Barbie in Fairytopia (2005)
Stardust (2007)
Enchanted (2007)
Tinker Bell (2008-2014)
Maleficent (2014)
Rainbow Magic: Return to Rainspell Island (2010)

Television[]

Video Games[]

Dungeons and Dragons
Blue Rose: An ACE Roleplaying Game
Changeling: The Dreaming
Il Mheg in Final Fantasy XIV
Odin Sphere (Playable fairy character and fairy themes)

Music[]

There is no specific Fairycore music, as it is mostly a literary and artistic genre. Regardless, folk music particularly has a long history of chronicling fairy ballads of Ireland and Scotland, as does the work of Celtic singers.