Cottagecore kinda blew up during lockdown. The idea of living a bucolic life in the country is tempting as hell when you’re stuck in a studio apartment. A large log cabin in the middle of the woods. A roaring fire, chickens roaming around the yard, and no neighbors for miles can be really appealing.
The cottagecore for men trend’s exploded all over Tik Tok and then Instagram. Watching videos and scrolling through photos of people strolling through fields or having tea while sitting on a tree stump is visually appealing. It’s romantic. There are some people who claim that David Beckham’s Instagram feed, which is filled with photos of him wearing tweed in the country, really created a thirst for the cottagecore for men lifestyle. There are those who call cottagecore for men “grandad style,” or the “county set style.” If your grandad wore wellies or Chelsea boots, lived in slightly baggy old tweed jackets and had a ton of chunky-ish sweaters, turns out he was a trendsetter.
How do you wear cottagecore for men anyway?
When channeling cottagecore for men, think of yourself as a gentleman farmer, or a hermetic woodsman. Therefore, you’re looking to fill a wardrobe full of flannel shirts, tattersall shirts or vintage paisley patterns. Those shirts could be layered under Nordic, argyle, cable knit, or Fair Isle sweaters. Look for anything corduroy. Toss on chore jackets, vests, plaid scarves, and lots of tweeds. You can also throw on a collarless shirt and layer a vest over that to get that vintage-y cottagecore vibe.
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For visual inspiration, think the clothing from A River Runs Through It, what the landed gentry wear in any of the Midsomer Murders episodes, Ralph Lauren ads, or David Walliams wardrobe in the Partners in Crime series.
Wearing clashing patterns is okay to do when doing cottagecore for men. A cottagecore men’s outfit could consist of a tweed blazer over a plaid or tattersall check shirt that’s worn with a vest and dark khakis. Another outfit could be a quilted vest over a corduroy blazer that’s layered over a turtleneck with a sweater or cardigan, jeans and finished with chukka boots.
Ready to add some cottagecore style to your wardrobe? Starting from the ground up, we’ve got everything you need to pull off cottagecore like a Beckham.
1. L.L. Bean Stonington Chukka Boots
Remember that cottagecore men’s style consists of a low-key aesthetic wherein things you’d wear for a long hike are what you’d toss on for the everyday. L.L. Bean’s chukka boots will take you through the nearest field and a walk through suburbia, too.
2. Hunter Men’s Original Tall Side Adjustable Rain Boots
Ready to muck out your mythical stall? Then you’ll need wellies that can go through mud and squishy grounds and will still look good afterward. Hunter’s wellies or rain boots can stand up to the worst rains, blistering snows and marshy marshness.
3. L.L Bean Cresta Fleece Lined Hiking Pants
Whether you’re indulging in the cottagecore for men’s pastime of long hikes, or need something warm to wear to the corner store, honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything from L.L. Bean’s cold weather section. These fleece-lined pants have a nylon shell that gives 50+ SPF sun protection. The pants also have a zippered pocket on each leg, in addition to front and back pockets.
4. SHEIN Men’s Corduroy Pants
Soft, velvety corduroy pants are an alternative to khakis, jeans or chinos. Delving into the cottagcore for men trend, they’re the perfect mate for the oversized sweaters the trend adores. Made with a cotton blend, these straight leg pants have two front slash pockets and two back patch pockets.
5. Original Penguin Men’s Tattersall Button Down Shirt
The tattersall check is a classic menswear pattern. Up close it looks like tiny plaid gone mad. From far away, it gives the appearance of checked graphs. It’s a pattern that’s more versatile than you’d think of an old-fashioned look. Try it with dark jeans, neutral khakis or tweed trousers.
6. Amazon Essential Men’s Regular Fit Flannel Shirt
We’ve written about the resurgence of plaid, and we’re including a plaid flannel shirt for our cottagecore men’s roundup too. Yes, it’s a winter perennial. Yes, it also fits within the cottagecore aesthetic. And yes, you can wear it even when the trend dies down.
7. PJ Paul Jones Herringbone Tweed Vest
Ahh, tweed. This nubby fabric is the cornerstone of the cottagecore for men trend. Vaguely Edwardian styled, this slim-cut vest has an adjustable tabbed back and two real pockets on the front. Try it over the tattersall check shirt in this roundup, the aforementioned cord pants also in this list, or over at turtleneck sweater and jeans.
8. SHEIN PATTERN SWEATER
When it comes to the cottagecore for men look, patterned sweaters seem to be a must-have item. This folkloric print sweater fits right in with any winter activity and any style trend. This acrylic regular fit sweater has a touch of stretch in it for ease of movement.
9. Uniqlo Corduroy Jacket
Blazers can lend a touch of formality or “finish” to even a tee shirt and jeans combo. With the cottagecore for men aesthetic, it’s a must-have item. If you opt-out of cottagecore, add some edge while wearing it over a graphic tee shirt.
10. Amazon Good Threads Men’s Barncoat
No, you don’t have to be in a situation where you’re picking straw out of your clothes to toss on a barncoat. Barncoats, like chore jackets, are the cottagecore men’s preferred style of jacket. It has the air of something that’s used to walk through fields, up hiking trails or near the moors.
11. Legendary Whitetails Journeyman Flannel Lined Shirt Jacket
Ruggedness, being outdoors for long periods of time, are things the cottagecore man enjoys. To stave off a chill, that cottagecore guy would wear this flannel-lined shirt jack over a cotton turtleneck or button
12. Brooks Brothers Wool Tartan Scarf
Whether you’re braving windy city streets, or cottagecore-ing it out in the woods, wrap up against the weather with this Italian wool tartan plaid scarf. Worn in blue (or red), it gives any outfit a jaunty air. One of the very nice things about the cottagecore for men trend is that what falls into this trend, also works with anything you own.
13. Mucros Weavers Irish Tweed Flat Cap
If you pop on over to David Beckham’s Insta, you’ll see him wearing a tweed flat cap. You can always use a hat during colder months, so even if you’re not going to go full cottagecore, you could add an accessory from the trend. Made in Ireland with authentic Irish wool, this flat cap will last for years to come.
14. The Hat Depot Cotton Canvas Bucket Hat
Now, we’ve talked about bucket hats before. The 90s staple came back into style recently, and isn’t it cool that it also works for those who live in a cabin in the woods? And for the price, you could pick it up in the olive hue below, or any of the other 10 shades.
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