Go ‘Goblin Mode’ This Fall for the Perfect Autumnal Aesthetic

McKayla Coyle’s Goblin Mode is the in-depth guide to all things goblincore—an imaginative, cozy lifestyle that can be adopted by anyone, anywhere.

When you think of goblins, you probably don’t think of a lifestyle trend—it’s more likely your mind goes to fantasy novels, video games, or even Dungeons & Dragons. But goblincore takes those fictional worlds to reality. Adopting a goblin mindset means embracing all things comfortable, messy, and indulgent in your own home and beyond, while also sharing in a community of goblin-inspired friends. We sat down with McKayla Coyle, the debut author of Goblin Mode, to hear more about what sets the goblincore mentality apart from our other favorite lifestyle trends.

Goblin Mode—Coyle’s guide to living an imperfect, cozy, nature-infused life—delves into why we’re all a little goblin-esque, plus gives tips on bringing goblin energy to your clothes, home, neighborhood, and self-care routine. It features a chapter about how to authentically connect with nature, and later details what you can learn from critters like frogs and toads. Plus, you can find out which slimy creature best reflects your personality—Coyle says they most closely align with a snake or turtle.

What Is Goblincore?

The term “goblin mode” took off last year, even gaining the prized spot of the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2022 word of the year. Defined by Oxford as “a type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations,” the term resonated with people grappling with the lifting of pandemic-era lockdowns, and the return to “normal” life.

But goblincore, or deciding to go goblin mode, doesn’t mean being lazy or selfish at all, says Coyle.

“I don’t think it’s selfish to care for yourself, but I also don’t think that goblincore is about just doing things for yourself,” says Coyle. “It's important to take care of yourself. I think it was largely the fact that people were forcibly stuck in their homes and they were like, ‘Wait, does being in my home feel kind of bad? Maybe I can make it feel better.’”

In that case, what exactly is goblincore? According to Coyle, it’s really just about being yourself, leaning into all of your quirks and comforts, and connecting with the people around you. The end goal is always making your home (and life overall) as cozy and comforting as possible.

“A lot of the tips and things in the book are along those lines: being thoughtful toward yourself, being kind toward yourself, that kind of thing,” says Coyle. “I think that’s a really good place to start.”

What Sets Goblincore Apart?

There are so many lifestyle and decor aesthetics out there—from cottagecore and cluttercore, to whimsigoth and dark academia—that it can be quite overwhelming to choose which “-core” most closely reflects the way you’d like to express yourself. Luckily, deciding to go goblincore doesn’t put any limits on your lifestyle, and it’s up to you to pick and choose what parts of the goblin life work best for you.

“I feel like people always get nervous when they start to connect with a certain aesthetic because they think that they’re gonna have to change everything about what they do and who they are,” says Coyle. “But goblincore is very open to however you are—it's very come as you are, meet the aesthetic where you’re at.”

Coyle says that they’re a personal fan of cottagecore, and mentioned stowing “many little strawberry items” around their house. But at the same time, they say that goblincore pushes back against sometimes-constrictive trending aesthetics, and allows all of your design choices to meld. That means that there’s no need to discard the elements of your other favorite aesthetics when leaning into goblin mode—you can truly have it all.

Related: Cottagecore Is the Popular Decorating Style That's All About Intention

Another major element of matching the goblin mindset is finding ways to integrate nature into every aspect of your life. While you don’t have to love insects or other little critters to fit in, appreciating their roles in natural systems is absolutely the goblin way. Coyle says this aspect of the lifestyle trend resonates with them in particular because of their upbringing.

“Growing up in Alaska made me really aware of nature and our relationship to nature as people, and seeing every small thing as being connected to a larger thing,” they said. “And not being like, ‘Ew, worms and spiders are gross,’ instead of being like, ‘Those are really important.’ Except for mosquitoes, which I think were maybe just a mistake.”

Plus, leaning into the goblincore lifestyle might just make you some friends—community is a large part of going goblin mode, too. Whether it’s connecting with neighbors over communal gardens or talking with fellow goblin lifestyle lovers online, connecting with a community enhances the goblin experience for all.

“I think community is the most important thing in life in general,” says Coyle. “Especially with goblincore, I think it attracts a lot of people who are either community-oriented or looking for community. For neurodivergent people, LGBTQ people, disabled people, et cetera, it can be harder to find an easy-to-access community right where you are, so it’s nice to be able to go online and find people who are interested in the same things that you are.”

Where Should You Start?

If you’re thinking goblincore sounds pretty appealing, you’re not alone. Even so, it might be a bit difficult to know where to start. Should you immediately start gardening, or stock up on extra plush blankets? Should you knock on your neighbor’s door, or start building a collection of adorable knick knacks that reflect what makes you, you? Well, that all depends on what you think could improve your day and make it just a little bit more comfortable—it’s really that simple.

“Spending a little more time every day thinking about whether or not you’re comfortable in that current moment that you’re in is really big,’ says Coyle. “Especially if you’re working from home, if you put on an outfit and part way through the day realize that you're not comfortable in that outfit, then go change. You can at least change your pants. No one’s gonna see that.”

The bottom line is that going goblin mode shouldn’t be overwhelming—that’s not the point at all. Adopting the goblin lifestyle might be as simple as working in reminders for yourself to take care of your wellbeing, or finding time to relax.

“It doesn’t involve taking a ton of time out of your day or going anywhere or doing anything really,” says Coyle. “You could even set a reminder on your phone, and be like, ‘OK, today I’m gonna see what I could do to make myself feel better,’ whether it’s having some coffee or eating some breakfast or changing clothes or getting a blanket. I think that would be a good, easy way to start.”

Goblin Mode by McKayla Coyle is available for purchase now.

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