Castlecore Fashion Trend 2025
Fashion & lifestyle writers start each year with trend predictions for the year ahead. Considering the non-stop scroll of photos and videos that we see every day, it’s a wonder the style gurus can pick out a trend at all.
One fashion prediction that keeps on popping up for 2025 is a vaguely medieval-themed, “Castlecore”. This is a term coined by the photo sharing site, Pinterest as part of their Pinterest Predicts 2025 guide. Interestingly, in the same week, the New York Times fashion desk also predicted “a fresh fascination with medieval times”. What emerging clues have they been seeing that lead them to the same prediction?
Pinterest -- 'Castle House Plans' search results
In the case of Pinterest, the photo sharing site can claim a prediction with some statistics to back it up. Among the millions of photos posted on their site, they can quantify and group which genres of images are searched and shared. When Pinterest regally decreed that: “Gen Z and Millennials will take home décor inspiration from ancient castles” it's because – as unbelievable as it seems – there has been a 110% increase in searches for things inspired by the Middle Ages.
Natalie Portman in Dior chainmail dress. Photo: Getty
In the case of the New York Times style desk, they’re taking note of what’s appearing on catwalks, at shows and award ceremonies as predictors of what might go viral in the year to come. When Natalie Portman wears a gown inspired by Mary Queen of Scots, or singer Chappell Roan performs in drag-inspired Joan of Arc armor then this creates a bit of buzz. Fan-generated variations riffs appear on TikTok and then “Medieval Weird Core’ or “Weirdeval” becomes a thing. How much appeal the aesthetic has online, or home impact will it have on street style is the real test of whether it will become a trend.
Chappell Roan at MTV VMA wearing Joan of Arc Armor
Fashion houses, Dior and Rabanne recently released collections featuring chain-mail dresses; likewise Alexander McQueen seems to be releasing costumes straight out of the Middle Ages. These couture fashion creations get wide coverage at award ceremonies and red carpets and may help spread the aesthetic through mass-market copycat designs by lower priced and/or fast fashion brands.
Florence Pugh in Rabanne
Castlecore is a fantasy aesthetic that has always had a fan following among a narrow band of people who like Renaissance Fair and Medieval LARPing. The current trend could be broader than this group but its appeal won't be as intense and could be short-lived.
As goofy as the Castlecore aesthetic may appear, ironically, we may be living in an era that is closer to the Middle Ages than any of us realize. Some experts ominously describe our current age in geopolitical terms as the "neomedieval era". For now, I'll just stick to fashion aesthetics and leave any further politics readings to you...!
Sources:
InStyle - Natalie Portman Chainmail Gown
New York Times 12 Predictions for Life in 2025
Vellichor Literary Magazine - Tracing the Weirdeval Fashion Trends
Rand Corporation - Neomedieval World
Leave a comment