When we think of aesthetics, polished, almost flawless imagery comes to mind. However, an online subculture is redefining how we view conventionally attractive visual motifs.
Enter Goblincore. If you look up its definition, you will find descriptions like “Messy, chaotic, and unpolished.” Yet, despite its rather unorthodox theme, it has a growing following. Goblincore even has a dedicated subreddit with 33,000 followers and counting.
If you want to know more about this particular look, check out this list, which we compiled from posts in the community.
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Someone Said You Guys Might Like My Elvish Lantern, Hope It Kinda Fits The Sub. (It's My Graduation Project For My Apprenticeship In Creative Metalwork)
Scarf I Made
My Little Goblincore Star, She Carries A Book Everywhere She Goes 🤭
Goblincore is widely known as the counter-reaction to Cottagecore, another popular aesthetic that came about in early 2018. The latter is all about pristine flower gardens, picturesque picnics, and usually highlights baking sourdough bread and embroidery.
My Favorite Piece From My First Pottery Course 🐌
Forrest Empress Dress I Made For Renfaire 2025
Look At This Amazing Chess Set My GF Handcrafted For Me!
On the other hand, Goblincore is more about nature's rougher side. It commonly features mushroom foraging, mismatched socks, creepy-crawlies, and amphibians that many wouldn’t be attracted to, such as toads, snails, and slugs.
I Make Frog Mugs
Make sure you add a frog in the bottom of the cup. 😉 Let's make it a thing again.
Possum Mermaids
Well Isn't It Great?
Goblincore fashion also became a hit among young people. According to The Guardian, Etsy Sellers like UK-based The Divine Occult Shop reported a “dramatic increase in sales” of elf ear cuffs. Similarly, Etsy store Palm Tree also saw a boost in sales of Moss quartz earrings.
According to trends analyst Sabrina Faramarzi, “Goblincore is cottage for those that actually spend time in nature.”
I Was Told This Sub Might Like My Carnivorous Bog, I Hope You Do!
My Fantastical Fairy Forest Nook, For Your Consideration! 🧚
I did a net canopy like that over my bed once. I didn't realize how much dust it was collecting until I took it down 6 months later. 😫 It looked awesome though!
Someone On The Doc Martens Sub Burned In The Cool Designs On These. I Figured You All Would Appreciate It
“(Members of the Goblincore community) know that nature is not sunlit wheat fields but gnarly forests and chaotic animals,” Faramarzi explained. “Often referred to as dark cottagecore, the aesthetic also picks up some of the occult.”
Faramarzi also noted that Goblincore obliquely champions anti-consumption, helping people realize what they need and what they don’t.
My Crochet Subs Sent Me Over Here Because They Thought You Might Like My Mossy Friends 💚💀
I'm Here To Tell You About Bread Frog
I Made A Mushroom Bag From Leather
“After long lockdowns, perhaps spending lots of money collecting and surrounding ourselves with a bunch of things we don’t need, wearing loose, neutral clothing and taking lots of walks, I think we all feel a little bit like goblins right now,” Faramarzi explained.
