Your Garden Girl Aesthetic Starter Pack

It’s finally that time of the year, when the days are longer and nature has fully bloomed. This is the perfect occasion to embrace the outdoors and the whole garden girl aesthetic with your decor, your makeup, and of course your style.

This summery blend of light fabrics, vintage denim, big straw hats, and lots of florals has been making the rounds on TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram in recent weeks, displaying that Gen Z is embracing its naturistic side and proving that the garden girl look more than just a fashion trend, it’s a lifestyle.

No, The Garden Girl Aesthetic & Cottagecore Are *Not* The Same

At first glance, these two popular vibes may seem like they are identical, but their roots come from different places.

Cottagecore started as a style used to celebrate the simple life, as if you were living in a remote cottage in the middle of a magical woods with no access to Wi-Fi (apart from posting your pics on social media). Content creators who were inspired by this calling began to wear long, flowy dresses with big puffy sleeves. The palette mainly comprised of pastels, and ranged from solids to florals to gingham patterns.

A lot of videos posted under the #cottagecore hashtag included TikTokers frolicking through a field, baking a sweet treat, or just journaling in a cozy spot. It’s meant to highlight a world outside of the noisy life many people live.

The garden girl aesthetic, sometimes referred to as #gardencore, stems from a love of nature and the ability to spend time interacting with it. Those who dress the trend can often be found picking flowers, planting vegetables, or strolling through a farmers market on their social media pages.

While it is whimsical and playful, it can also be a bit more rugged than cottagecore due to the inclusion of denim. Garden girls get down and dirty and can spend an entire day, as the name suggests, gardening. They also embrace the idea of sustainable thrifting to find items such as jeans and maxi skirts, all while carrying around a reusable tote to carry their finds in.

Just like cottagecore, gardencore has become a lifestyle. So how would one dress to fulfill this calling? Below, you’ll find a starter pack on where you can find the different ‘fits, fabrics, and accessories that are essential to the garden girl aesthetic, and which celebrities have been incorporating this trend into their wardrobes this year.

Start With Light Fabrics

Being outdoors in the sweltering heat can be exhausting, which is why garden girls emphasize wearing light and breathable fabrics such as linen, cotton, or poplin. These fabrics are not only high quality, but also perfect for the natural look of a garden girl ‘fit.

Linen shirts and cotton maxi dresses are easy choices to achieve this look. White is obviously a go-to, but don’t be afraid to play around with the color of these shirts, dresses, and skirts. Garden girls are never afraid to add a pop of colors you can find in nature to their ‘drobe.

Add A Vintage Touch With Denim

The garden girl aesthetic holds a sort of retro and rustic feel to it, which is why denim is easily incorporated. The Beyoncé-inspired cowgirl lewks helped pave the way, along with stars like Jenna Ortega and Emma Chamberlain in their casual denim attire.

Whether it’s overalls, jeans, dresses, or skirts, the denim look shows that while you can look put together, you are also not afraid to get dirty while in your garden. Anything denim is timeless.

Pair With The Perfect Garden Shoes

A simple yet fashionable shoe is the way to go for this aesthetic. As seen on it girls like Bella Hadid and Dua Lipa, cowboy boots and clogs are the shoes of the summer.

With the rise of cowboy boots, these have become the perfect shoe to pair with a long skirt or dress. A plain clog, on the other hand, works best with a denim look. Though, out of all the shoes in the world, nothing beats frolicking through a garden while barefoot.

Don’t Forget The Florals

With the Met Gala 2024 theme being “The Garden of Time,” it was only natural celebs would be showing off their best floral looks. Yes, quite groundbreaking.

These looks served as *major* inspirations for the entire garden girl aesthetic, making florals 100% in this summer. Going to a garden party or wedding? A floral dress is a must. For a trip to the market, pair your clogs with a flowy, floral skirt. The styling possibilities are endless.

Accessorize With Whimsical Faves

Megan Thee Stallion, Anya Taylor Joy, Beyoncé, and more are all embracing the playful accessories of a garden girl this summer.

Hats are back, thanks to the classic floppy straw hat. Silk scarves are also important to this aesthetic, as they can be worn in multiple styles, adding more dimension to a look. The cherry on top? Since garden girls are sustainable girlies, they carry a tote bag with them everywhere.