This Celeb-Favorite Clothing Brand Combines Fashion and Philanthropy

What is cottagecore?

Cottagecore is an aesthetic or style that is inspired by "cottage living" — imagine the English countryside in the early 1900's. The clothing style is very reminiscent of a Jane Austen-inspired era with lots of feminine and flowy silhouettes. You'll notice the styles having corsets, ruffles, florals, and bows, so just think very effortlessly girly!

What are the best brands to shop for cottagecore aesthetic?

The brands that immediately come to mind and encapsulate the "frolicking-in-the-english-countryside-while-waiting-for-your-star-crossed-lover" vibe are brands like Love Shack Fancy, House of CB, and Doen. I've personally shopped all of these and can attest that they are idyllic, gorgeous, and will have you feeling like the lead of a Bridgerton season in no time.

What should I watch to get inspired by the cottagecore aesthetic?

Period dramas are perfect to get into this vibe, and some shows and films that I love to watch are Little Women, Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Bridgerton(obvi), and anything from the Jane Austen-era! When you watch all of these shows, you'll get so much inspiration from the way they dress and styles they're wearing. I also love scrolling Pinterest to find inpso for what to wear in order to achieve this aesthetic!

Shop Cottagecore Aesthetic Staples Here!

LoveShackFancy Floral Dress

LoveShackFancy is a brand that does cottage-core SO well! They completely nail the ruffles, florals, and femininity that we're looking for in order to achieve the cottage-core look. This mini is adorable with the ruffles and short silhouette!

Melloday Smock Dress

Anything smock will definititely help you achieve cottage-core style and this smocked dress is such a cute one! I love the length and material of this one, as well as the strings on the sleeves! Such a fun detail!

Reformation Tagliatelle Linen Dress

How could you think of cottage-core and have your mind not go immediately towards the cool-girl brand of Reformation. They are the brand to shop at for any linen pieces to achieve your cottage-core style. Plus, you can never go wrong with a simple white dress! It's definitely a staple in every wardrobe.

House of CB Rafaella Dress

This dress just screams femininity and grace; exactly what we need for this Bridgerton-inpsired aesthetic! To be honest, this dress looks like it was taken right from a diamond of the season's wardrobe! Adding this to cart now!

Free People Feeling Bonita Smock Dress

Free People is a brand that does cottage core so well but in a more understated and casual way. Like this dress above, it exudes the cottage lifestyle but more casual than you may see on shows like Bridgerton or Downton Abbey. You'll definitely get so much wear out of this staple dress!

House of CB Emmelina Poplin Dress

I have this dress after trying it on in store and falling in looove with it immediately! It's stunning quality and tulle skirt will have you feeling like a princess! Just a note-- it runs quite small so make sure to adjust your sizing to a size bigger than normal!

Abercrombie Emerson Mini

This pattern just screams English countryside to me with the beautiful vintage colors and silhouette. I would definitely pick up this one to achieve the cottage-core style on a budget!

Charles Henry Bustier Maxi

Another affordable option to achieve the same look as the House of CB dress! It checks all the right boxes: floral, bustier, maxi, and so cute! We love this one!

Reformation Cherise Linen Dress

This dress is quintessential cottage-core, Bridgerton vibes to me! It looks so dainty and regal with it being a maxi and having the most adorable puff-sleeves and bow detailing. I say add a pair of white mary-jane flats and big white bow in your hair to top off the whole look!

All In Favor Midi Dress

At only $64, you're going to want to sprint to checkout on this dress that looks like it was taken right from my Pinterest board! I love how simple it is and the blue color is perfectly on brand for our theme as well. Plus, I love a corset moment!

House of CB Petticoat Dress

Petticoat dress? Say no more, we have found the most perfect cottage-core dress ever, readers! This dress would have Lady Whistledown, herself, wanting to know where it's from!

Abercrombie Puff Sleeve Dress

Lastly, a puff sleeve dress from our favorite and affordable Abercrombie because you can truly never go wrong with anything linen or puff-sleeved. I love this one with mary-janes like above or even with a pair of white pumps to dress it up!

Shop Sundresses Here!

Praerie Julia Dress

If you’re leaning into your Deeper Well era this summer, look no further than this flowy maxi dress that’s fit for Ms. Kacey Musgraves herself. Whether you plan to frolic through a field, embrace your inner coquette cowgirl, or simply want to lounge at home while feeling more luxurious than usual, this cotton schiffli piece needs a home in your closet.

Current Air Floral Puff Sleeve Dress

The 80s are back, baby! This loudly printed dress is bright and beautiful in all its puff-sleeved glory. You can dress it down with some sweet sneakers, but we do love a strappy sandal moment like above, too! This open back beauty is on sale from $125 to $100.

Hutch Bandeau Romper

If you are worried about chafing in a dress, or an unexpected gust of wind, this loose-fitting romper is a perfect alternative to a traditional sundress. Because it’s so flowy, it gives the illusion of being a mini dress and is offered in 3 different lively prints that are perfect for spring and summer.

Hollister Channeled Open Back Skort Dress

In more romper goodness, this little number from Hollister is everything. The open back makes it even more breathable, while the corset-esque top gives you that romantic, Bridgerton vibe that's so fun for the summer! Content Editor Haley Sprankle has this in blue, and she definitely recommends!

Knyt Studios Long Sleeve Scarlett Maxi Dress

After stumbling upon this sophisticated knit maxi dress, it was immediately added-to-cart. The material is airy enough that you’ll be cool enough to wear this gorgeous piece during the day, and the open back also contributes to temperature control, while also bringing a sexy element to this sundress which makes it the perfect day-to-night option.

Hollister Chiffon On-Or-Off Mini Dress

Hollister does it again with this versatile mini dress! Haley just recently wore hers in Paris, and it was the loveliest little dress to walk around all day and still look cute in! You can just grab your adorable arch-support Rothy's or your fave sneakers and go with this stunner!

Varley Maple Dress

Ever wish you could leave the house in only your favorite oversized tee and call it a day? Thanks to Varley, now you can — and in style, too. Made from the brand’s signature DoubleSoft fabric, you’ll experience unmatched comfort in this above-the-knee dress that also features a waist cinch with toggles, seam detailing, and pockets (score!).

Abercrombie Puff Sleeve Midi Dress

Another Haley fave, she told me this silhouette from Abercrombie is the most flattering of any dress she owns. This blue toile pattern is lovely for spring and summer, but they have other options like sage green floral or black-and-white polka dots.

Altar'd State Addison Floral Maxi Dress

Florals for spring? Groundbreaking! We love the details on this cheery warm-weather maxi; bow shoulder ties, a smocked bodice, and a sweetheart neckline have us dreaming of sun-kissed days and breezy nights in this dress.

Free People Feeling Bonita Midi

As the name suggests, this sundress will have you feeling bonita. There are truly endless ways to wear this backless midi dress; try it as a beach coverup, a casual lunchtime outfit, or as your uniform for vineyard visits this summer. With 7 different colorway options, there’s something for everyone.

American Eagle Puff Sleeve Button-Up Mini Dress

We love this dress for spring and summer jaunts – priced at $50 it won’t break the bank and the design of the silhouette is intentionally flattering. Buttons down the front and a shorter hemline give the illusion of long legs, while a tie at the back of the dress works to cinch your waist. This vintage-inspired number is so easy to feel dressed up in while maintaining comfort during long wear times.

Abercrombie Traveler Mini Dress

Attention all active girlies, you’re going to want this dress. Different than other workout dresses on the market, Abercrombie’s Traveler dress disguises itself as a sundress that feels a bit more formal thanks to elevated floral, polka dot, and striped prints. Whether brushing up on your pickleball skills or afternoon happy hours are on your summer bucket list this summer, the multifunctionality of this active dress with built-in shorts is unmatched.

Target Women's Maxi Sundress - A New Day

Affordable and size-inclusive, this sundress is only $40 and offered in a size range of XS to 4XL. Thanks to the supportive smocked bust, you can opt to go bra-less in this plunging, spaghetti-strapped maxi dress. Offered in classic black, and an electric green, we love the ease of this dress – did we mention it has pockets, too? Talk about bang for your buck!

Abercrombie Emerson Tie Strap Maxi Dress

In case it's not clear, we're big fans of bows over here — especially as a statement detail on a dress! This simple cut is great for all your springtime soirees and summer picnics! It comes in a black-and-white floral as well, but if a pattern isn't your speed, you can snag this in a bold red instead.

As a Power of Women honoree, Mariska was recognized in regards to her work as an advocate for sexual assault survivors. She took the stage and used her platform to discuss rape and assault conviction reversals, shining a light on the recent overturned ruling in Harvey Weinstein's landmark NYC case. Here's what she said:

Today I want to talk about reversing convictions, and more specifically I want to talk to you about how impossible it is to reverse mine. It’s impossible to reverse my conviction that survivors matter. It is impossible to reverse my conviction that what happens to us matters, and that our society must respond to survivors with a more a compassionate, holistically, deeper, and more nuanced understanding of what healing means.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that after a trauma, survivors can reclaim lives of hope, of possibility, of audacious risk, beautiful intimacy, and glorious, glorious abundant joy. And I stand before you as evidence of that statement.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that we must listen to survivors as experts on what justice means. It is extraordinary how little their voices are consulted, let alone incorporated, in the process of deciding how to repair harm. Justice is not a one-size-fits-all journey.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that patriarchal impunity has to end. Patriarchal impunity is when a male-dominated system exempts perpetrators from punishment. Studies show that only 20% of all rape cases in the U.S. are reported to the police, and that between 5 and 0% of all rapes result in a guilty plea or a conviction. So why do 80% of victims not report? Because they're met with a system that grants impunity to perpetrators; a system that blames victims; a system that accepts only those victims who are experienced as "real" rape; a system that completely misunderstands the neurobiology of trauma, which causes behavior in women that doesn't fit the picture of how a "real victim" would act.

Is that change needed that victims should just pull themselves together? Just buck up and report anyway? No. No, it's the system that receives them that needs to change

It is impossible to reverse my conviction — and the conviction of my extraordinary team, The Joyful Heart — that the backlog of untested rape kits can be brought to zero; that the testing of all new kits must be mandated; that we need a statewide kit tracking system; and that survivors have the right to access the status of their kits.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that grammar — yes, grammar — that we use when we speak about rape must change. In the sentence, "A woman is raped," there's a crime and there's a victim, but there's no perpetrator. Where's the perpetrator? Where is he? Statistically, as we know, most likely he's walking free. He's so free that he doesn't even appear in the language about the crime that he committed. Is that not extraordinary? It's extraordinary that in the very grammar, the perpetrator goes free. Reintroducing perpetrators in the language of rape will make some very unwieldy grammar, but that's the nature of change. It's unwieldy, it's messy, it's uncomfortable, but it's necessary.

Hargitay continued on in her prolific speech to describe that rape shouldn't be considered a "crime of passion" because it's "not simply the next step in the trajectory of his passion" when a man takes a consensual hookup too far and assaults a woman against her will. She stated that it's "an exercise of power," doubling down that the language we use is important.

The speech went on to address that rape is both about power and control, as a "construct" that was "built, and assembled, and reinforced over time." She noted that there are people with these positions of power — and she specifically called out those in the entertainment industry — that could make a difference and aligned themselves to victims and survivors.

After this and some other remarks, Hargitay specifically called out the Weinstein conviction reversal. She said:

I do want to say something about the Harvey Weinstein conviction, specifically about the reason that it was overturned: too many women's voices. Too many women's voices were allowed to speak. Hallelujah! Amen! I can't imagine anything more beautiful than that. The Daily podcast episode talked about how it was so risky for the prosecution to have that many women testify. Risky to let women speak? You're damn right it is!

Too many women speaking brings change. Too many women speaking shakes the establishment. Too many women means we get listened to more, and people might actually hear what we have to say. Look what happened when women started saying just two words, right? Me too — just as an example — a tidal wave of change. Me too.

And then of course, there was the response: the Me Too Movement. The backlash. The examination of whether the changes that have come are lasting, or are even positive. Of course there's a backlash! What did they expect? For women to speak repeatedly, loudly, together, with a purpose — for there to be no backlash? The backlash is evidence of how powerful those voices were, how powerful those voices ARE.

Watch Mariska Hargitay's Full Speech Here

Turns out that your TV heroes really can be your IRL heroes after all. Long live Olivia Benson! Long live Mariska Hargitay!