The “Castlecore” Trend Taking Over Fashion
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With only a few months into 2025, people have been wondering what the next major trend will be. In Pinterest Predicts, an annual release in which Pinterest predicts what will be popular each year, one of the aesthetics predicted is "Castlecore.” This aesthetic has been dominating runways and mood boards, and has also shown a rise in chainmail, tunics and long gowns reminiscent of the medieval era.
This style saw a surge in popularity last year in Chappell Roan’s Joan of Arc-inspired performance at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards and later at the 2025 Grammys, where Chappell wore a Henin, also known as a princess hat, during the ceremony. This rise is also attributed to nostalgia, noting the Disney Princess franchise and original Barbie movies influencing our fashion style. Nevertheless, this style has continued growing through TikTok users resonating with the aesthetic.
While some may not feel confident about heading out of the house in a complete set of armor or long princess dresses, recent high fashion has taken note of this trend. March 3 began Paris Fashion Week, which lasted until March 11. Dior released its Autumn-Winter 2025-2026 Ready-to-Wear Show, “Once Upon a Time,” featuring corsets, ruffs, gothic patterns and lace, long dresses and puff sleeves.
Celebrities have also showcased their “Castlecore” outfits during Paris Fashion Week. Supermodel Gigi Hadid wore an armor-inspired floor-length gown to the Le Grand Dîner du Louvre in Paris, using metal plates and golden tweed fabrics to create a gorgeous design. Dutch model Romee Strijd and Zimbabwean-American actress Danai Gurira wore armor-inspired dresses from Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2025.
The resurgence of medieval aesthetics comes from our fashion cycles, where trends from the past decade come back. In the past few years, we’ve been seeing a return to the ‘60s and ‘70s maximalist and bohemian styles through bright colors, crochet, and quirky patterns. During the ‘60s and ‘70s emerged the “Mid-Century Medieval” aesthetic, a subculture that took influence from the hippie and psychedelic movement for its flowy fabrics and whimsical designs. Later, this style would be adapted due to the increased popularity of Dungeons and Dragons and movies such as 1963’s “Sword and The Stone” and 1967’s “Camelot.”
Beyond simply being personal style, fashion has always been political: The Mid-Century Medieval notable came from political chaos amid the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and women’s liberation. During these events, using colorful clothing, flowing hair, and short skirts allowed people to show their disapproval of the existing powers. Today, we still face political strife in the U.S. government due to corrupt leaders and the never-ending fight for equity. Fashion, back then and now, has been a method for the masses to use counter-culture clothing to express their beliefs about the political climate without fear of censorship.
Fashion also serves as an escape from the uncertainty we are going through in society. Amid the turmoil of our modern lives, many find comfort in the “castlecore” aesthetic for the fantasy aspects that remind us of childhood. The fascination with princesses and knights in this eccentric fashion trend brings back memories of fairytale movies and fond bedtime stories, letting generations relive their childhood memories. Even if this new resurgence of interest in the Middle Ages does not last long, it’s a much-needed break for people to express themselves in a fun way without shame.
