Castlecore Is Poised to be 2025's Reigning Aesthetic Trend
From medieval gowns to gothic castles, the castlecore trend is transporting fashion and home decor into a world of fantasy. Celebrities like Chappell Roan have helped usher in its reign.
Fashion is always reinventing itself, powered by designers' innovation and people's everyday choices on how to put an outfit together, taking beloved elements from past seasons and crafting them into new. Hyper-specific aesthetics have been all the rage in recent years, boosted by fanfare on social media. As of early 2025, the latest trend is already emerging online and taking center stage on platforms like TikTok: castlecore. With its romanticized nods to medieval life, from flowing gowns to rustic home decor, castlecore is an invitation to live out fairytale fantasies in style and spirit.
Many trends start on the runway or are inspired by celebrities. For "castlecore," fashion show moments and collections solidified its rise with recent Fall/Winter, Spring/Summer, and Cruise collections serving as the earliest indicators of what’s to come. Celebrities like Chappell Roan helped bring the castlecore look to life, too. All of this helped create the perfect start to the latest aesthetic shift.
Read on to learn about castlecore and how it's posed to be 2025's reigning aesthetic trend, from fashion to home.
Castlecore’s Early Signs in 2024
The seeds of castlecore were sown in 2024, particularly on the red carpet at MTV's VMA Awards. Pop singer and fashion icon Chappell Roan stole the show with her medieval-inspired ensembles, including a long, ethereal gown paired with a sword and a full chainmail look later that night. Similarly, Taylor Swift’s appearance in a Dior Cruise 2025 corset, rich with castlecore elements, brought the trend further into the spotlight. Veils, a recurring motif in medieval fashion, also gained traction, with Blackpink singer Lisa and Jazzelle Zanaughtti donning these pieces, exuding gothic romance. All of these elements—from snug corsets to chainmail, gowns, crosses, and veils—are synonymous with castlecore and medieval fashion, yet they make it new, too.
Castlecore Is More Than Just Fashion
Castlecore brings a lifestyle aesthetic that encompasses everything from interior design to event planning. Imagine homes adorned with tapestries, wrought-iron chandeliers, and mossy accents reminiscent of ancient stone walls. Party themes are infused with medieval elegance, featuring banquet-style dining and candlelit settings. The aesthetic evokes a sense of escapism, inviting people to embrace the past while finding comfort in its dreamy, otherworldly allure.
Beyond the fashion and design world’s embrace of castlecore, major pop culture moments from 2024 laid the groundwork for this trend. Last year saw a surge in the popularity of fantasy novels, particularly Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series. BookTok quickly became enamored with the medieval-inspired settings of the books, sparking a widespread fascination with castlecore aesthetics.
How to Achieve the Castlecore Look
For those eager to channel their inner royalty, achieving the castlecore aesthetic is all about details. Embrace voluminous dresses in earthy tones, layer with corsets and lace, and incorporate bold accessories like capes or veils. Prefer a more modern take on castlecore? Take inspiration from Chappell Roan by incorporating chainmail into your wardrobe.
Numbers speak for themselves on the trend. Pinterest data reveals its users are increasingly searching for inspired items like antique ruby rings, chainmail necklaces, and blue medieval dresses—which all help achieve the look, too.
For interior design aesthetics, you don’t need to jet off to an ancient castle in Germany or Scotland to achieve the medieval vibe. Instead, lean into antique-style furniture, natural materials, and dim, cozy lighting. Whether you’re planning a grand medieval-inspired wedding or simply looking to elevate your wardrobe, castlecore is your key to a modern fairytale.
