Cosy core is taking over: is it the new winter fashion style

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Opening social media in the last few weeks has made one thing evident as temperatures have plummeted, people are dying to get cosy. Cosiness is the best antidote to the bleakness that comes with the beginning of winter and extends to every aspect of life. If you’re looking for a way to warm up a frosty November, give some of these ago.

To give your home a winter update, make it softer for all five senses: think warm lighting, a berry-scented candle and a few festive decorations. Perhaps it’s even time to grace the carpeted floors of your Crookesmoor bedroom with a rug. Starting the morning right will no doubt make it easier to get up for those 9ams when it’s the last thing you want to do.

It’s refreshing to see a more comfortable and attainable style coming into fashion this winter, enter chunky knits, pea coats and funky scarves. To make this work best, look in charity shops and on Vinted for good quality wool knitwear; too often, high street brands use synthetic blends that harm the environment and don’t insulate properly. We’re also seeing the return of trends such as the “frazzled English woman”, which gives you a chance to do your best Bridget Jones impression while running late to your lecture. Throw on a colourful scarf, button up your coat, and if you’ve got a paperboy hat, even better. Layering for winter offers endless pieces to experiment with and is the perfect way to show off individuality.

Trying new recipes is another easy way to welcome the changing seasons. Opening Pinterest now greets you with “cosy eats”, pumpkin spice recipes that look able to cure any autumn-induced malaise. If baking isn’t your thing, it’s a good job soup is in. If you’re plagued by a suspicious cough for the second week running, roast up some veg and make a soup. It warms the stomach, the soul, and makes your kitchen smell fantastic.

A rewatch of your favourite comfort films is also essential, especially if they feature falling leaves and a bittersweet, nostalgic vibe. Favourites include Dead Poets Society, the Harry Potter films and Fantastic Mr Fox. Baking with your friends or taking a hike in the Peak District are also perfect autumnal weekend plans. It’s important to keep tabs on your mental health too, as the colder months can be tough at university. Make sure to check in with your friends.

What draws us to cosiness the second it gets cold? The Danish concept of hygge captures what we start craving when winter sets in: comfort, community, atmosphere and shelter all combining to create an overall cosy mood. The trending interest in “cosy core” is simply a reinvention of this intentional, slow and warm way of living.

Edited by Phoebe Huzij