In the next incarnation of ugly-cool aesthetics, goblincore is a fashion trend appreciating the less celebrated facets of nature. Where cottagecore gives a nod to an idyllic natural beauty, artifacts of goblincore – such as mushrooms, mud, and bones – have an earthen realism about them. “Goblincore is cottagecore for those that actually spend time in nature," says one fan. "[We] know that nature is not sunlit wheat fields but gnarly forests and chaotic animals.” The hashtag is exploding in popularity on TikTok – with over 510 million views – and on Etsy, searches for goblincore themes increased by 652% from July 2020 to July 2021. The movement also looks beyond gender norms, with enthusiasts pointing to how mushrooms sometimes have thousands of sexes.

Goblincore, as with its wholesome relative cottagecore, can be seen as a desire to return to simplicity in the face of overwhelming digitization. More than this, these subcultures are a way of dealing with the unfair demands to meet a digitally altered standard of beauty in the real world – indeed, the pandemic has lead to a 78% increase in rhinoplasty and a 69% rise in facelifts. “I think, for the most part, young people these days are tired of being told what they need to do and look like in order to be successful,” says Katie, goblincore TikTokker. There have been similar efforts from fashion houses like Balenciaga to embrace the 'ugly' and celebrate the freedom it brings.