Why LAURA ASHLEY is the Queen of Cottagecore 💐 Vintage Laura Ashley History

Before #cottagecore was all over TikTok, there was Laura Ashley! 💐
With their dreamy catalogue imagery, historically inspired dresses and a little bit of help from Princess Diana, Laura Ashley has cemented itself as a truly iconic British brand.
Victorian Era inspired floral prints, 1920s drop waists, and running through the Welsh countryside in prairie dresses - does it get anymore cottagecore than that?!

Featured in this video ⤵️

Other vintage Etsy items I used as examples in the video:

What to WATCH NEXT ⤵️

Timestamps ⤵️
00:00 Cottagecore
00:52 The Rise of Laura Ashley
01:42 Prairie Dresses
02:39 Jane Ashley's Photography
03:43 Sailor Collars
05:09 1920s Inspiration
06:05 Catalogue Styling
06:52 Laura Ashley Bridal Collection
07:34 Homewares & Sewing Patterns
08:29 The Princess Diana Effect
10:27 1990s & Decline
11:51 Laura Ashley today
12:26 Collaborations
14:30 Should Laura Ashley make a comeback?

Why LAURA ASHLEY is the Queen of Cottagecore 💐 Vintage Laura Ashley History
#cottagecore

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[_diet_coke]

I still love Laura Ashley. Patiently waiting for their comeback...

[kayemcmullen]

“Oh be still my beating heart” - because yesterday when I was young: white kid shoes, white tights and black dresses with white lace collars. Thank you.💐💐💐💐💐

[louisemifflin]

I was very sad when the Laura Ashley stores closed down in Australia, I hope they come back.

[velvetplans]

I agree that it's surprising they didn't take on a re-launch of their fashion line. So sad. This style is just the most beautiful, classic, flattering fashion. I hope cottagecore never loses its appeal. Do you think this is a fleeting fashion trend or will it stick around? I just found your channel, I immediately subscribed. You're so lovely 😊

[wandajarabo]

Wow what a surprise seeing Princess Diana at the L A factory in Carno, Wales. I saw her later when she visited my town, she had a small paint or dye splash on the skirt of that pale blue suit from her visit to the factory. Amazing to see her again. Bought a blue shirt style dress from their little shop in Shrewsbury not too far from Carno. It was expensive for me at the time, we papered two bedrooms in their blue twee flowery paper in late 70's. This video was excellent and spot on historically. Well done.

[AniMerci]

Thanks so much for this video. I was a total devotee of LA in the 80's. I had a closet full of her dresses, skirts, blouses, and sweaters. They were heavenly to wear. I decorated every room with LA fabrics, bedding, and soft furnishings. I even had a LA bathroom. It was English Country then, not Cottagecore. I used to look forward to each seasonal catalog, for fashion and decor, and saved them for many years. My only regret is that I didn't keep everything. It was a very special time and place that only Laura Ashley could have created. This is a lovely tribute. Thank you again.

[joettaxoxo]

I had Laura Ashley bedding when I was in high school (early-mid 2010s). At the time the style was called shabby chic and it was very popular on Pinterest and Tumblr.

[LadyAlchemyy]

Love this, , sadly it all ended when she passed. 😌 As a 56 yr old I remember everything, including its last days in Australia in 2018, I believe it's back in 2022, but unfortunately it's not the same or as popular by demand sadly 😞, but im in love with it all.

[Mitchellfw]

I adore the older Laura Ashley homewares. We bought two of the new sets and it shows that they have outsourced to China, it really just doesn't have the same quality of construction and material anymore (yet it's still quite expensive).

[Prepwithane]

Great video. Although I was a classic prep in the 80s, I wore nothing but Laura Ashley in the 1990s. I learned about Laura Ashley after watching the movie, Drop Dead Fred, where Phoebe Cates wears Laura Ashley dresses throughout the whole movie. The last dress I bought was in 2000. Then the Ft. Worth store closed. I wish I photographed me in all my Laura Ashley dresses. Opportunity missed. I also use to collect all their clothing catalogs. Wish I still had those too. Thanks for making this video.

[wendywhitley]

My wedding reception dress in 1993 came from Laura Ashley. I loved her stuff. I was just too poor for everyday Laura Ashley.

[lillianbowen]

I was the maid of honor to my friend. She was married in Canada 1988. I bought and wore the dress pictured at 7:32 in burgundy. I loved that dress

[mariae]

Seeing the lovely cottagecore top you're wearing here, maybe you could do a video on recreating Laura Ashley style outfits? I always love your videos where you put together outfit ideas for different aesthetics.

Great content as usual❤

[uizpyth]

Just bought a Laura Ashley dress. I can't wait for it to get here.

[wildflowerwind]

You put so much work into these videos. A+. I was in my 20's in the 1980s. I loved the Laura Ashley stores so much. They were very pricy.

[ew_barf]

For my birthday my roommate took me to a local thrift store so o could pick a some things out. While I was there I found an amazing 1980s Laura Ashley dress it's ankle length, short butterfly sleeve, dress shirt like collar, covered buttons down to the natural waist and large pleats in the skirt, with a pocket on the right side. The dress is red, with creme orangish flowers. In the back the pleats get small when it comes to the basque waist, which sounds kinda weird it being in the back but wow, it makes my (one of the world's flattest) behind look great. Believe it or not it was only $20 (Canadian)

[Ilovevintage]

As a young child my mother would dress us in Laura Ashley and Jessica McClintock frilly bibbed floral frocks with white stockings or little lace trimmed socks with darling buckled Mary Janes I hated it as a kid bc I felt very “young” at 14 still dressed this way. But looking back it is very darling

[tracyeast]

I loved this as it took me back to the 80's. I am Canadian and it was not as big here, but my husband is British and we would go back to England lots at that time. I got married in 81 and had a Laura Ashley wedding dress. Everytime we went back I got some Laura Ashley dresses or homewares.All this time later I still have all the Laura Ashley cataloges from the 80's. Such fun to look back at the memories!

[julieedwards]

I worked for Laura Ashley in the 80s the fabric was printed in house in Carno, a lot of the designs were inspired from the inside of old books and were over 100 years old so no copyright problems .
I personally think the decline of Laura Ashley started when they floated the company which was the same time that she sadly died .

[cristagalli]

Oh my god I love using the "army pants and flip flops line" like you did it's so iconic and hilarious