‘Bridgerton’ at the beach? Swimwear embraces cottagecore fashion

Selkie, a brand known for fairy-tale dresses, has expanded into swimwear with bathing suits full of ruffles, ribbons and ruching. Photo: The New York Times

These days, the word “cottagecore” may bring to mind several things.

It takes one back to the early pandemic, say, when the now-popular aesthetic first started to spread rapidly on social media – or conjure up images of flouncy dresses, floral motifs, delicate decor and countryside settings that largely defined the trend.