Waldorf

Waldorf is a teaching style created by Rudolph Steiner in 1901. However, as the education movement has grown, it has also established itself as its own aesthetic. The Aesthetic is very much related to cottagecore but without the French Impressionist inspirations. Unlike the educational style, the aesthetic of Waldorf is for all ages and nearly universal.

Visual

Waldorf as a style is a minimalist movement in the style of forestcore, fairycore, or cottagecore. But a lot of the visuals can differ strongly, although some similarities overlap.

• Pastel colored walls; usually green, pink, or yellow.
• light colored natural wood furniture
• Crafts made by unskilled hands (Pieces with visible mistakes you can't buy at stores, but are proud of because you made)
• Wooden objects that still look like logs or sticks.
• Minimal decoration. Everything in the room has a use, even if it's for fun. Things that have a use can have decoration (i.e. a plant holder with a nice design on it or a sweater with a fair isle pattern). Minimalist but not cold and sterile. The environment should foster creativity.
• Everything that's used is hand made if possible. No cheap plastic objects or even antiques.
• Jewel tones and rainbows are used in moderation, but have their place.
• Colorful bookshelves
• salt lamps, not for health purposes, just because they look nice.
• Chalk boards
• Fake stained glass
• Handmade dream catchers made of things you found in the forest
• Interiors should kind of look like how you imagine a fairy house.

Things that overlap with other similar aesthetics:

• Quilts
• Everything is embroidered, knitted, crocheted, or woodworked
• Gardens and gardening
• An Eco-Friendly lifestyle
• Mushrooms
• Fantasy elements like fairies, witches, and most notably, gnomes.
• No modernness. Nothing is black and white and the use of technology is strongly discouraged
• Furniture that looks like it came from grandma's house
• Tea
• Healthy Eating (mostly)
• Baked goods and baking with imperfections
• astronomy and botany related visuals (and study) are encouraged
• glass prisms that hang in the window
• Woven Baskets
• European influences (mostly Nordic and German)

A Waldorf inspired room

Fashion

Waldorf, being based off an educational system takes on a very youthful look in fashion aspects, so keep that in mind. Clothing is not usually vintage, it can be but it's not common. Think more along the lines of hippie or bohemian.

Fabrics:

• linens
• wool
• alpaca
• cotton
• hemp
• fake silk

Colors:

• Jeweltones
• Pastels
• Browns
• patterned clothes
• NO BLACK, WHITE, OR GREY

Clothing Pieces:

• Overalls
• hand knitted scarves
• Ponchos and Cloaks
• skirts with leggings or tights
• short sleeve sweaters
• Hand made clothes of all kinds
• Fantasy being inspired clothing (look at witches, wizards, and gnomes)

Hats:

• crochetted or knitted beanies
• bucket hats
• straw hats
• gnome hats

Shoes:

• rain boots
• slippers
• Flats
• Mary Janes with no heel

Clothes for a more mature look:

• Maxi skirts and dresses
• wavy hair
• long shawls
• Shoes with a slight heel
• necklaces (beaded or pendant style)
• hand made earrings
• beaded bracelets
• actual rock and crystal accents

Philosophy and Educational System

Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy. Its pedagogy strives to develop pupils' intellectual, artistic, and practical skills in an integrated and holistic manner. The cultivation of pupils' imagination and creativity is a central focus.

Individual teachers and schools have a great deal of autonomy in determining curriculum content, teaching methodology, and governance. Qualitative assessments of student work are integrated into the daily life of the classroom, with quantitative testing playing a minimal role and standardized testing usually limited to what is required to enter post-secondary education.

Activities

A sample of Waldorf curriculum to help you choose suitable activities.

Many Waldorf aesthetic activities revolve around the original curriculum of the teaching style. Because it's based in creativity, a lot of activities are art or nature based.

• Botany
• Astronomy
• Singing
• Skipping
• Painting with watercolors
• Charcoal drawings
• Blacksmithing
• Leatherworking
• Sewing
• Knitting
• Crocheting
• Writing in a notebook
• Bookbinding
• Hiking
• Raising animals
• Gardenning
• Cooking
• Baking
• Learning a new language
• Reading classic literature
• Studying history
• Dance
• Reenactment of historical events
• Drama and theater
• Woodworking
• Geography
• Building fairy houses
• sculpting and pottery
• Drafting freehandedly
• Embroidery
• Basketmaking/weaving
• foraging
• Any sort of musical activity