All About Aesthetics: Lovecore

Pink tea mugs with painted hearts. Lace ribbons and red Mary Jane heels. Love letters, bouquets of roses, lipstick marks, cherries, chocolate in various shapes, and lyrics about being in love. All of these are motifs people may encounter when the annual holiday of love - Valentine’s Day - comes around. However, these things are also key motifs of a rather unique aesthetic called lovecore. What’s that you ask? Well, put on your heart shaped sunglasses and come along as I explain everything there is to know about this endearing phenomenon.

Lovecore (also known as heartcore, cupidcore, valentinecore, or crushcore) is a consumerism centred aesthetic with strong emphasis on the visual culture surrounding love. Based on my research, the aesthetic seems to have been born in the 1960s, but started actually gaining recognition in Tumblr in the 2010s. Nowadays, lovecore has found its place on most modern social media platforms; for example, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. The aesthetic can be seen to highlight the sweet and affectionate parts about love, while leaving the more mature and erotic themes aside. It combines softness with hyper-femininity and nostalgia. While real-life crushes and relationships can be a part of the aesthetic, it can be argued that most people enjoy lovecore purely for its cutesy visuals and themes.

When it comes to visuals, lovecore includes common motifs tied to and about being in love. Examples of these are hearts and heart shaped items, angels/angel wings, cupids and cherubs, lipstick and lipstick marks, love letters, Valentine’s Day cards, bouquets of flowers, anime and cartoon characters with heart eyes or blushing cheeks, boxes of chocolate, lollipops and baked goods, quotes about love, and even love related attractions. The colours typically associated with the aesthetic are reds, pinks, and whites and the popular materials include things such as lace, silk, and satin. Nevertheless, various colours and textures can be present depending on the aesthetic’s subcategory.

As it often is the case with aesthetics, fashion is a central part of lovecore. Garments used often carry pictures or patterns of hearts, flowers, and stuffed animals and feminine silhouettes seem to generally be favoured. Other typical elements include, for example, satin dresses, oversized tops, bows, angel wings, love quotes, skirts and socks with lace details, dainty jewellery, puffed sleeves, and vintage pieces (such as heart shaped sunglasses!). Thus, the fashion can be seen to blend ethereal elements with items one would find on sale around Valentine's Day. Because of this, the fashion style can appear cheesy and tacky, or tender and sweet. As fashion is subjective, it’s all about perspective. Lovecore can also mimic the fashion seen in the cottagecore, softie/soft girl, romantic academia, girl-next-door, and Larme Kei aesthetics. The most common colours are yet again reds, pinks, and whites.

According to Aesthetics Wiki, there are also activities that can be associated with the aesthetic. Typical lovecore activities revolve around being in love and romanticising it. This includes things such as writing love letters or love poetry, crafting heart shaped items, baking, thinking about a crush or partner, going on dates, and cuddling. In addition, other sources list daydreaming, self-care, and any activity generally considered ‘sweet’ to be a part of the aesthetic. Lovecore enthusiasts also seem to enjoy consuming love related media, such as romance novels, love poetry, and love songs.

The number of subcategories or -aesthetics lovecore has seems to change depending on the platform and article, but I managed to find matching information on four particular categories. These are pagano-lovecore, Shakespearean lovecore, Victorian lovecore, and yandere (sometimes also referred to as yanderecore). Compared to the main aesthetic, these subcategories vary in their visuals and fashion style, but the focus still remains more or less on romantic love. I’ve written brief summaries of each of the four subcategories down below.

Instead of the commercialised love appearing today, pagano-lovecore focuses on romance specifically depicted in Greek-Roman mythology and the Italian renaissance. It highlights Greco-Roman love deities, such as Eros and Aphrodite, ancient love poetry, and both paintings and statues depicting love of the ancient world. When it comes to visuals, they generally are much more earth toned and rustic compared to the main aesthetic.

As the name suggests, followers of Shakespearean lovecore adore the romance written into William Shakespeare’s plays and poems. Because Shakespeare often wrote tragedies and romances filled with sorrow, these themes are also an important part of this subcategory. The most adored piece of media seems to be Shakeapeare’s Romeo and Juliet, with Juliet herself being an icon for many who enjoy this subaesthetic. To me personally, the visuals of this subaesthetic appear gloomy and dramatic, with the focus being on moody lighting and darker colours.

The third subcategory is Victorian lovecore. Once again, the name reveals basically everything there is to know about this subaesthetic: it focuses on the Victorian era and its darker romantic elements. This includes things such as Victorian era fashion and gothic art. Supernatural seems to be cherished inside this subcategory, with things such as vampires and ghosts being an interest for many. The visuals of Victorian lovecore seem to mainly highlight the fashion itself, which in turn can be described as a blend of Victorian era inspired items and alternative fashion styles.

Yandere is the last and perhaps the most obscure out of the four subcategories. Aesthetics Wiki states that the name comes from the Japanese words meaning ‘to be mentally ill’ and ‘lovey-dovey’, with the word itself referring to a character archetype with an unhealthy obsession toward their romantic interest. These characters can become violent and destructive if faced with disappointment or rejection, which generally makes them very unstable. Many of the articles I found explain that this subaesthetic has faced a lot of criticism due to its central motif of mentally ill characters and their abusive behaviour. Because of this, many of those who enjoy yandere have specifically started highlighting mentally ill characters who don’t wish to harm others in an effort to both spread mental health awareness and reclaim the aesthetic. Out of all the subcategories, yandere is the one with the most cartoon and anime focused visuals. Other typical elements seem to be mental health issues and depictions of both recovery and therapy, but also fetishes, gore (including blood), and for example knives.

In the current times when love and celebrating it can often feel difficult, it’s in the phenomena such as lovecore I myself think we find both the inspiration and the strength to do so. What better way is there to stay true to tenderness and enjoy the delightful little aspects of love than to embrace the visuals and themes highlighting it, thus incorporating it more into our everyday lives? If you readers enjoyed this article and wish to get more into the lovecore mindset yourself, here is a playlist I have verified to truly put you in the mood to daydream about whatever your heart desires:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7wTX0PYxTHtToSXI800VWH?si=e0aff6e70dd54087

Sources used:

● https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Lovecore

● https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Yandere

● https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/lovecore

● https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/lovecore-design-trend

● https://www.nylon.com/fashion/lovecore-is-the-internet-aesthetic-thats-all-about-romance

● https://catbroughton.medium.com/cupid-who-falling-head-over-heels-for-lovecore-bedd04f21816