Royalcore Aesthetic
By Avani Sethi and Niko Adams
In the next article of Introduction to Aesthetics, we will be describing Royalcore, an aesthetic that like many others, found its way into the mainstream fashion industry early last year.
Despite its name, Royalcore does not appeal to the royal aesthetic of cultures all around the world. The standard aesthetic pays homage to late-Arthurian traditions and visuals, as well as the Tudor times, and modern West-European architecture. Much of royalcore is centered around elegance and the strictness of traditional values upheld by the nobility. Because of this, it makes for a terrible aesthetic for those interested to let guide their everyday lives. Laws for fabrics, laws for when to take tea, and how to style hair are all practices that have little place in a busy world filled to the brim with technology and fast-paced shifts in trends.
In addition to outdated fashion, royalcore is paired with other sub-aesthetics like knight-core and princecore, which are more traditional and value-based rather than visually guided. Princecore in particular has seen lots of love from the LGBTQ+ community, as the aesthetic has an unspoken focus on MLM ( not to be confused with multi-level marketing ) relationships, which contradict the values of the origins of the style. Some key pieces of entertainment include symphonies, classic waltzes, and orchestral covers of pop songs– which all dominate youtube playlists. The TV show Reign, in particular, is a key figurehead of the royalcore aesthetic and led the aesthetic’s comeback in 2020 paired with the release of the more mature Bridgerton. That, along with animes and comics like Violet Evergarden and Remarried Empress has fueled the fire of the growing aesthetic communities online.
With the rise of royalcore, fashion has also taken a sharp turn. Companies like Selkie– with their magical puff-sleeve dresses– designers like Linda Friesen, and the growing appreciation of corsets have made Royalcore less of a reach in the fashion world. The looks are definitely still for those of us willing to drop a couple hundred dollars on an outfit– and we can expect to not see any Elizabethan ruffles in the meantime.
While dressing the part for Royalcore may prove to be harder than other aesthetics such as Kidcore and Academia, impersonating other parts of the aesthetic may prove easier. You can listen to classical music or even the instrumental versions of some of your favorite pop songs like “thank u, next” by Ariana Grande and “Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift. You can have a light-hearted afternoon, tea party with your friends in the local park or have a fancy, formal dinner party at home. Go on your own “adventure” by hiking through the forest or going for a walk by the creek. If you have the time, try writing a personal, decorated letter to your friends and mail it. Dress up for your zoom classes and have fun! Remember as always with these aesthetics, it’s all about having fun and sometimes putting in the extra effort can feel really fun!