Okay, before you get super stressed reading that headline, don't worry: cluttercore is not as chaotic as it sounds.
Like cottagecore that came before it (that's the aesthetic of a peaceful, pastel-colored life in a charming cottage), cluttercore is a very specific type of style.
Let's explore what it looks like, and I'll do my best to explain this Gen Z/Millennial definition of a very, very full life.
It's a very specific way to describe a style that otherwise wouldn't have a name.
Basically, it's the Gen Z way to express their interior design taste. I vibe with it, tbh.
The style heavily relies on very traditional patterns, nature, pastels, and other nature-adjacent aesthetics.
This picnic moment perfectly exemplifies it, right down to the checked dress and woven basket!
It's not the opposite of cottagecore, since I think they could probably go hand in hand.
But it is the opposite of what Marie Kondo has been teaching us for the last few years.
We're talking stuff. A lot of it. All over the place. On the shelves, on the walls. Sometimes, it's even on the floor. And it's basically a way to express individuality through interior aesthetics.
Lots of plants really help bring the cluttercore vibe out here, paired with the very on-display dish and cookware. Cluttercore is all about not hiding the things you find beautiful.
Gallery walls that feature all clean, neat lines and crisp frames are not the vibe here. We're talking different, unexpected shapes, outlandish frames, and shelves that are stuffed full of knick-knacks.
There's a place for everything, it's just that those places might be unexpected. Basically, it's a purposeful mess.
Think about thrift shops as the epitome of cluttercore. There's a method to that madness.
The mess is purposeful! It's clutter, not garbage. When you run out of space, the stuff doesn't just lie abandoned on the floor. If it's on the floor, trust and believe that it's supposed to be on the floor.
If you're an avid collector of... well, anything, then cluttercore might totally be the style for you. There's no reason you can't put all the things you love on display!
Unlike minimalism, which I think we all know can get just a bit too stark, cluttercore wants you to be comfortable, cozy, and at home at all times.
For some, this style just opened up a whole new way to define their taste. For others (like me), this style is their worst nightmare. However, there's no denying that it's cute af!
