#Cottagecore: 13.8 billion TikTok views. #DarkAcademia: 6.2 billion views. These aren't just aesthetics—they're entire lifestyles, philosophies, and for millions of Gen Z creators, crafting identities.
If you've been searching for the perfect supplies to capture that rural cottage dream or gothic scholarly vibe in your journaling, you've come to the right place. This is your complete, expert-curated guide to crafting within 2025's two biggest aesthetic movements.
Understanding the Aesthetics: More Than Just a Vibe
What is Cottagecore?
The Philosophy:
Romanticization of rural, agricultural life with emphasis on:
- Simple living and self-sufficiency
- Connection to nature
- Domestic crafts and traditional skills
- Nostalgic return to "simpler times"
- Feminine, soft, peaceful energy
Visual Elements:
🌿 Florals, botanicals, gardens
🍄 Mushrooms, moss, forest elements
🐝 Bees, butterflies, small creatures
🥖 Baking, preserves, homemade goods
🧺 Baskets, linens, handcrafts
🌸 Pastels, creams, soft greens
Why It's Trending: Post-pandemic yearning for slower, more natural lifestyles. Cottagecore Pinterest searches: +240% in 2025.
What is Dark Academia?
The Philosophy:
Romanticization of classical education and scholarly pursuits:
- Intellectual curiosity and learning for learning's sake
- Classical literature and philosophy
- Gothic/Victorian university aesthetics
- Melancholic beauty and introspection
- Academic community and discussion
Visual Elements:
📚 Antique books, libraries, universities
🕯️ Candlelight, dim libraries, old buildings
🎓 Vintage school supplies, typewriters
☕ Coffee shops, study sessions, late nights
🗝️ Vintage keys, antique objects
🖋️ Fountain pens, handwritten letters
🏛️ Classical architecture, museums
Color Palette: Deep burgundy, forest green, navy, brown, cream, black, sepia tones
Why It's Trending: Gen Z reclaiming intellectualism as counter-culture during rise of anti-intellectualism. Represents depth, substance, timelessness.
The Overlap: Why These Aesthetics Pair Perfectly
Common Threads:
- ✅ Vintage nostalgia for pre-digital eras
- ✅ Rejection of fast-paced modern life
- ✅ Appreciation for handcrafted items
- ✅ Nature connection (rural vs. scholarly gardens)
- ✅ Slow living philosophy
- ✅ Artistic expression through traditional mediums
The Spectrum:
Many crafters exist on a "light to dark" spectrum, mixing both:
- Light Academia: Cottagecore meets Dark Academia
- Romantic Academia: Gothic romance + nature
- Vintage Academia: 1950s scholarly aesthetic
Essential Cottagecore Craft Supplies
1. Vintage Botanical Ephemera
Must-Have Items:
- Seed packet ephemera (1940s-1970s Burpee, Ferry-Morse)
- Pressed flower vintage prints (botanical illustrations)
- Garden catalog pages (especially spring catalogs)
- Vintage seed company advertisements
- Botanical field guide pages (wildflowers, herbs)
- Old gardening book pages
Where to Find:
- CoraCreaCrafts Cottagecore Collections (monthly themed boxes)
- 2025 Vintage Botanical Digital Calendar (printable botanical ephemera)
- Antique botanical book sections
- Estate sales (look for old gardening materials)
- Etsy: Search "vintage seed packets," "botanical ephemera"
Pro Tip: Authentic seed packets from pre-1990 have the most charm—modern reproductions lack the genuine aged quality.
2. Nature-Inspired Washi Tapes
Best Cottagecore Washi Patterns:
- 🌸 Floral designs: Roses, daisies, wildflowers, pressed flower look (try Apothecary Flower Washi Tape)
- 🌿 Botanical: Ferns, leaves, vines, greenery
- 🍄 Mushroom motifs: Toadstools, fairy rings
- 🐝 Pollinators: Bees, butterflies, dragonflies (check out Butterfly Post Washi Tape)
- 🧺 Homespun: Gingham, linen textures, lace patterns
- 🌾 Pastoral: Wheat, lavender, herbs (Blue Tea Washi Tape for garden tea aesthetics)
Color Palette: Soft sage green, dusty pink, cream, butter yellow, lavender, sky blue
3. Cottagecore Stickers
Trending Sticker Themes (2025):
- ✨ Mushroom stickers (the #1 cottagecore symbol)
- 🌻 Garden flowers in vintage illustration style
- 🐸 Cottage animals: Bunnies, frogs, chickens, bees
- 🏡 Cottages, gardens, window scenes (Cottages Sticker Sheet is perfect for this!)
- 🧁 Baking & homemade goods (see Cozy Bakery Sticker Book)
- 🪴 Houseplants and herb pots
- 🦋 Butterflies and moths (Butterflies Sticker Roll for endless butterflies)
4. Cottagecore Stamps
Essential Stamp Designs:
- Botanical borders and wreaths
- Garden tools and watering cans
- Bees and honeycomb patterns (Bees & Insects Clear Stamp is cottagecore essential)
- Floral clusters
- "Homemade," "Garden Fresh," vintage typography
- Mushroom and toadstool designs
- Mason jar stamps
Ink Colors for Cottagecore: Sepia brown, sage green, dusty rose, cream, soft black (check out Aging & Dusty Inkpads for perfect vintage tones)
5. Cottagecore Papers & Textures
Perfect Paper Types:
- Kraft paper (natural, rustic base)
- Linen texture paper (woven look)
- Floral vintage scrapbook paper (1970s-1980s florals ideal - Arabesque of Flowers Rice Paper is stunning)
- Aged cream/parchment (tea-stained effect)
- Gingham pattern papers
- Dried flower inclusion paper (handmade with real flowers)
6. Embellishments for Cottagecore
The Must-Haves:
- 🌼 Dried pressed flowers (real or high-quality silk)
- 🧵 Vintage lace trim and ribbon
- 🔘 Wooden or pearl buttons (Decorative Brads Metal and Pearls add vintage charm)
- 🕸️ Natural twine or jute string
- 🌿 Dried herbs (lavender, rosemary)
- 🍃 Skeleton leaves
- 🦋 Vintage butterfly cutouts (Butterfly Transfer Sticker Sheets for delicate overlays)
7. The Cottagecore Starter Kit ($50 Budget)
Essential Purchases:
- Botanical ephemera pack ($12)
- 3-5 floral washi tapes ($15)
- Mushroom/flower sticker set ($8)
- Kraft paper journal ($8)
- Botanical stamp set ($12)
- Dried flowers or vintage lace ($10)
Or Subscribe: CoraCreaCrafts Vintage Craft Box often features cottagecore themes for $30/month—includes 7-8 coordinated items.
Essential Dark Academia Craft Supplies
1. Scholarly Vintage Ephemera
Must-Have Items:
- Dictionary/encyclopedia pages (especially aged, yellowed)
- Old library cards and catalog cards
- Vintage university ephemera (exam papers, report cards)
- Antique book pages (literature, philosophy, classics)
- Old handwritten letters and correspondence
- Classical architecture postcards
- Museum ticket stubs and programs
- Vintage maps (especially European cities)
Where to Find:
- Library book sales (damaged book sections)
- Antique dictionaries and encyclopedias
- University archives (reproductions)
- Academia Box (curated dark academia supplies)
- Academia Ephemera Book (vintage scholarly papers)
- Codex Ephemera Book (ancient manuscript aesthetics)
- Etsy: "dark academia ephemera," "vintage school supplies"
2. Dark Academia Washi Tapes
Best Patterns:
- 📖 Book spines and library shelves (Bibliophile Washi Tape is iconic)
- 📝 Vintage text and typography (Burnt Writing Washi Tape Set for ancient manuscript vibes)
- 🏛️ Classical architecture elements
- 🖋️ Calligraphy and cursive script
- 🎼 Sheet music and musical notes
- 🔑 Vintage keys, clocks, antique objects
- 📰 Newspaper/manuscript aesthetic
- 🌿 Botanical (dark green ivy, deep florals)
3. Dark Academia Stickers
Trending Sticker Themes (2025):
- 📚 Antique books and stacked volumes (Dark Academia Sticker Book has everything)
- 🕯️ Candles and candlesticks
- ☕ Coffee cups, tea sets, vintage mugs
- 🗝️ Skeleton keys and antique locks
- 🎓 Graduation caps, diplomas, academic symbols (Academia Sticker Strips for decorative borders)
- 🦉 Owls, ravens, scholarly animals
- 🏛️ Classical statues and architecture
- 🖋️ Fountain pens, inkwells, quills (Calligraphy Sticker Sheet captures this perfectly)
4. Dark Academia Stamps
Essential Stamp Designs:
- Classical column/architecture borders
- Vintage typewriter fonts (Alphabet Stamp Set for vintage typography)
- Library "Date Due" stamps
- Old university crests/seals
- Quill pen and inkwell
- Book stack silhouettes (Academia Wooden Stamp Set is perfect)
- "Ex Libris" bookplate designs
- Academic Latin phrases
Ink Colors for Dark Academia: Black, sepia, deep burgundy, forest green, navy
5. Dark Academia Papers
Perfect Paper Types:
- Aged parchment (yellowed, aged look - Alchemical Manuscripts Paper Set is ideal)
- Vintage ledger paper (accounting books, lined)
- Graph paper (vintage grid for mathematical aesthetic)
- Music manuscript paper (staff lines)
- Marbled paper (Victorian bookbinding style)
- Deep colored cardstock (burgundy, forest green, navy)
- Dark academia rice paper (Dark Academia Rice Paper Pack for layering)
6. Dark Academia Embellishments
The Must-Haves:
- 🔑 Antique brass keys (charms or actual small keys)
- 🕯️ Wax seal stickers or actual sealing wax (Blue Wax Seal Stickers or Amphora Wax Seal for authentic sealing)
- 🖋️ Fountain pen or calligraphy supplies (Carousel Fountain Pen in blue, green, or pink)
- 🎓 Vintage brass charms (books, globes, hourglasses)
- 📎 Antique paper clips (brass or black - Clef Clip for music lovers)
- 🏺 Vintage stamps (classical art, museums - Antique Postal Stamps)
- 🌿 Dark pressed flowers (deep red roses, black pansies)
7. The Dark Academia Starter Kit ($50 Budget)
Essential Purchases:
- Dictionary/book page ephemera pack ($10)
- 3-5 dark academia washi tapes ($15)
- Book/scholarly sticker set ($8)
- Sepia/brown journal ($8)
- Typography/architecture stamp set ($12)
- Fountain pen or calligraphy pen ($8)
Or Subscribe: CoraCreaCrafts subscription with Dark Academia theme preference
Mixing Aesthetics: Light Academia, Romantic Academia & More
Light Academia
The Vibe: Daytime studying, hopeful learning, bright libraries, optimistic intellectualism
Color Palette: Cream, beige, soft yellows, light browns, white
Romantic Academia
The Vibe: Gothic romance meets scholarly pursuit, Victorian love letters, poetic melancholy
Color Palette: Deep reds, burgundy, dusty rose, cream, black
Perfect for this aesthetic: Dark Floral Musings Cards & Sticker Set
Goblincore (The Nature Counterpart)
The Vibe: Nature's "ugly" beauty—mushrooms, moss, dirt, chaos, collecting treasures
Color Palette: Browns, greens, murky colors, earth tones
Creating Cottagecore vs. Dark Academia Journals
Cottagecore Journal Page Formula:
Base Layer:
- Kraft or cream background
- Floral washi tape border
Middle Layer:
- Botanical ephemera (seed packet or flower illustration)
- Gingham or lace accent
Top Layer:
- Dried flower or mushroom sticker
- Handwritten nature notes
- Natural twine or pressed flower
Color Story: Soft, muted, warm pastels
Dark Academia Journal Page Formula:
Base Layer:
- Aged dictionary or book page
- Dark washi tape border (text or architecture)
Middle Layer:
- Handwritten quote or academic ephemera
- Vintage postcard or map fragment
Top Layer:
- Wax seal sticker or brass charm
- Fountain pen handwriting
- Coffee-aged accent piece
Color Story: Deep, rich, moody tones
Where to Shop for Aesthetic Craft Supplies in 2025
Best Overall: Subscription Boxes
CoraCreaCrafts Vintage Craft Box
- ⭐ Monthly themes often align with cottagecore or dark academia
- ⭐ Authentic vintage ephemera (not reproductions)
- ⭐ Coordinated supplies (everything works together)
- ⭐ 7-8 items for $30/month
- ⭐ Can skip or cancel anytime
Pros:
- No decision fatigue (curated for you)
- Discover new supplies monthly
- Build collection over time
- Best value for authentic vintage
Budget Options:
Dollar Stores (Dollar Tree, Daiso):
- Basic florals and kraft papers (cottagecore)
- Black pens and notebooks (dark academia)
- Twine, ribbon, basic embellishments
Thrift Stores:
- Old books for page sourcing (dark academia goldmine)
- Vintage postcards and ephemera
- Pressed flower books
- Antique keys and embellishments
2025 Aesthetic Trend Predictions
What's Rising:
Solarpunk Academia 🌞
- Optimistic future meets classic learning
- Sustainable technology + nature
- Green architecture ephemera
- Light, hopeful, eco-conscious
Witchy Cottagecore 🌙
- Herbalism meets cottage life
- Apothecary ephemera (Apothecary Labels Sticker Tin and Alchemy Labels Pack)
- Moon phases and celestial elements (Celestial Wonders Paper Set)
- Darker cottagecore with mystical edge (Ancient Pharmacy Box perfect for this aesthetic)
What's Staying Strong:
✅ Core Cottagecore - Florals, mushrooms, pastoral life (not going anywhere)
✅ Classic Dark Academia - Books, libraries, gothic scholarly (timeless)
✅ Light Academia - Growing as optimistic alternative
✅ Goblincore - Gen Z's chaotic nature aesthetic
Beginner FAQs
Q: Can I mix cottagecore and dark academia in one journal?
A: Absolutely! Many crafters blend both ("romantic academia," "dark cottagecore"). Use transitional elements like deep green (forest—both aesthetics), vintage books about nature, or scholarly botanical illustrations.
Q: What if I can't afford lots of supplies?
A: Start with one aesthetic, use free printables, and thrift for old books. A $30/month subscription box provides curated supplies without expensive initial investment.
Q: How do I choose between aesthetics?
A: What resonates emotionally? Cottagecore = nature, peace, domestic bliss. Dark Academia = learning, melancholy beauty, intellectual depth. Try both and see what feels like "you."
Q: Can I be "too old" for aesthetic crafting?
A: No! While Gen Z popularized these terms, the aesthetics themselves are timeless. Many 30s-50s+ crafters embrace cottagecore and dark academia. It's about what brings you joy.
Start Your Aesthetic Crafting Journey
Whether you're drawn to soft cottagecore mornings or moody dark academia evenings, the perfect supplies await.
Ready to craft your aesthetic?
📦 Subscribe to Monthly Aesthetic Supplies
CoraCreaCrafts delivers themed vintage craft boxes. Cottagecore one month, Dark Academia the next—or request your preference!
- Countryside Romance Sticker Book (quintessential cottagecore)
- Alice Box (whimsical cottagecore fantasy)
- Academia Bundle (complete dark academia starter)
- Book Lovers Rice Paper Pack (perfect for bibliophiles)
- Cabinet of Curiosities Ephemera Book (spans both aesthetics)
💬 Join the Aesthetic Community:
- Discord: CoraCreaCrafts Guild - Find your aesthetic niche
- Instagram: @coracreacrafts #CottagecoreCrafts #DarkAcademiaCrafts
- Pinterest: Aesthetic Inspiration Boards
- TikTok: @coracreacrafts (aesthetic tutorials)
Related Aesthetic Guides:
- Ultimate Guide to Junk Journal Supplies (All Aesthetics)
- Vintage Ephemera 101: Finding Your Aesthetic Materials
- Why Gen Z Loves Vintage Aesthetics (The Full Story)
- Self-Care Through Aesthetic Crafting
Updated for 2025 based on TikTok aesthetic trend analysis, Pinterest search data, and Gen Z consumer behavior research. Supplies curated for authenticity and aesthetic accuracy.
