What Is Enyacore? Meet the Moody, Medieval Side of the Next Y2K Aesthetic

Have you experienced the medieval urge to recline on moss, and get your hair brushed by a changeling? Did TikTok’s recent nostalgia for the vibes of late 90s single moms—you know, the ones who ripped through Newports and smelled like nag champa—unlock some core memories? Then, like me, your aesthetic tastes may be ready for Enyacore: The moodier, more celestial side of the Y2K resurgence that will have you buying candelabras, browsing #castletok, and listening to Enigma’s extended trance mixes.

The past few years have seen a lot of 90s and 00s nostalgia, from Paris Hilton’s proto-influencer renaissance to Pamela Anderson’s return to the spotlight. While the bubble gum side of Y2K aesthetics has been rad to revisit, this writer has been noticing a vibe shift in the apartments of hot people around New York City; they’re evolving their Y2K-revival tastes beyond the daisy-shaped pillows and neon squiggle candles (god bless those lockdown era serotonin-juicers) of yesteryear, and curating a sultrier aesthetic that yearns not just for the 1990s, but the 1290s through a late 90s lens. They’re throwing it back to Enya’s “Orinoco Flow,” wearing more chainmail, and favoring Brutalist furniture materials with a medieval bent.

 Enyacore is adjacent to Whimsigoth, or “Whimsical Mystical Gothic Celestial,” as it was originally coined by the Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute (CARI), but with a slightly more neo-gothic Rick Owens energy. It, too, is filled with wrought iron, velvet, and a love of pre-Avatar Papyrus. But Enyacore leans away from the fussier Whimsigoth stylings of, say, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and towards a more spartan, adult take on the esoteric. Architectural Digest is calling it a shift to “Medieval Modern” sensibilities, and chalked its burgeoning popularity down to the late pandemic desire to feel utterly transported and ensorceled by another, more fantastic time. I also see it as another way in which we, as soul-searching millennials, might be trying to grow up while internally pining for Middle Earth—and there’s no better way to do that than a jaunt to the Renn Faire in your Tabi boots.

In the spirit of the modern Bushwick medievalist, we’re breaking down a few Enyacore essentials, including home decor, apparel, music, and anything else you need to lube your lute.

Go for primitive materials

Recently, I had a really stressful microdose day (a me problem; not a shroom problem) and ended up spending $104 on an antique wooden milking stool to try and ease my anxiety. And you know what? It worked. If you want to bring Enyacore furniture into your home, start by searching for primitive materials and design with an antique bent, such as this stool/plant stand whose legs harken back to the spindle furniture of the monastery, or a hand-knotted rug.

Velvet sofas had their own TikTok-viral moment this year, and bringing one into your living room can help anchor your space with a regal Enyacore vibe. Interior Define’s couches are some of the most comfortable, scratch-proof sofas your clams can buy, and its plush Maxwell sofa will feel antique (peep those carved legs) yet contemporary.

You know what else can blend really well with Enyacore? Japandi touches. West Elm’s Sintra coffee table has endless styling potential thanks to its minimalist, wrought iron frame; you can pair it with a candelabra, a Noguchi lamp, or a throw bedecked with tassels (tassels = very medieval).

A little more modern in its design, this stainless steel coffee table taps into the Enyacore aesthetic on an A24-Lady-Macbeth level. Did it come from the basement of a torture chamber? Was it set dressing on Buffy the Vampire Slayer? The mind reels while your Hildegard von Bingen album plays.

And while it’s a little beyond our budget, this chainmail chair is *chef’s kiss* perfection for the throne room.

Let there be light

When in doubt about your Enyacore options, just ask yourself: Is this an item that you could use to barter with Moors on the Silk Road? If the answer is yes, congratulations: You’ve probably filled your rucksack with arabesque candlestick holders fashioned out of iron, or brut golden rods that are perfect for creeping around corridors.

A worthy bedchamber

Don’t sleep on the Enyacore staples within West Elm—especially the collection of faux fur throws (which also makes for a great sex blanket), and the velvet bedding options. Nothing makes you feel richer/surrounded by dragons like a mossy velvet pillow cover.

Joan of Arc goes to the rave

If you’re on a Big Laird budget, invest in a Paco Rabanne (RIP) $850 chainmail purse to start accessorizing like you’re going to battle; if you’re hot and on a lowly serf budget (same), I deeply suggest layering a chainmail bra over a mesh turtleneck to pull babes and bards.

Take it from someone who owns several pieces of chainmail: A coif looks jaw-droppingly good on everyone; there’s just something about the way those steel rings hit your shoulders, frame your face, and rearrange your atoms. Plus, it’s the perfect gift for Elden Ring fans.

Enyacore is all about blending stark contrasts and brut materials; it’s about sipping your wine as you lock eyes with a rat, and knowing when to swap your chainmail for the softer, cascading drapery of a velvet top. Once again, Paco Rabanne comes in clutch with a luxurious, time traveling-worthy piece. Smash the order button while it’s 80% off.

The sounds of Enyacore

POV: It’s a rainy Friday night, and you invite your situationship over after drinks in a candlelit bar for a night of humping, grinding, and rewatching A Knight’s Tale. You have three options, regarding musical rizz: Enigma, Enya, or this 19-string lyre. Each one will transport you to a seaside castle that looks (almost) as good as Enya’s.

Now sit back, relax, and enjoy your Enyacore stylings. We’ll see you at the Renn Faire come summer.

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.