Whether or not you’re leaping for it, frogs are having a moment and it is our sacred duty to oblige. From Susan Alexandra’s frog-themed Passover collection to the Collina Strada x Redoux frog candle and these $510 frog shoes from JW Anderson and Wellipets, the frog motif is the new frontier in home decor. (There’s even a song on the new 100 gecs album called “Frog on the Floor” in case you’ve been seeking a replacement for all those Crazy Frog bangers that defined the aughts.) To me this trend feels like a natural progression from cottagecore as people feel inspired to further explore their most feral forest fantasies.
Did you know that there’s a “frog decor” tag on Wayfair? The hashtag for #frogcore has accumulated 90.3 million views on TikTok while Instagram has 137,000 posts and counting. As one of the tentpoles of goblincore, the frog is a mythical creature with origins that can be traced back to ancient folklore and fairy tales. According to Save the Frogs, a nonprofit organization dedicated to amphibian conservation, early Aztec civilizations “viewed the toad as the earth mother goddess, who governed the cycle of death and rebirth.” Based on what I could dissect from the Internet, these amphibians embody wealth, abundance, and loss prevention—seeing as to how we find ourselves in the midst of a recession, we could certainly benefit from more of that energy in our lives. Hillary Taymour, founder of Collina Strada, also notes that frogs symbolize “wisdom, intuition, humble power, and potential” in many cultures.
As someone who has always had a soft spot for frogs (Frog and Toad, Kermit, and Pepe before he was tragically seized by the alt-right), I’m delighted to see the frogcore aesthetic unfold. It’s no secret that I’ve kissed my fair share of toads in this lifetime, but you might be surprised to learn that I went through a frog phase during my childhood. I even had a pet tree frog named Tiny, a birthday gift I got when I was in the fifth grade. (I’m still devastated by the unsolved case of his disappearance which occurred while I was at the mall with my friends…. All signs point to my dad—only he knows what happened on that fateful day and he refuses to fess up.) While the moment was fleeting, the exhilarating feeling has never been forgotten—this pivotal scene from the Royal Ballet’s Tales of Beatrix Potter really captures the vibe. (Other fond memories include dining at the shuttered restaurant chain Rib-It which feels like a fever dream.)
I’m now convinced that my frog fascination was partially reawakened when Instagram started targeting me with memes from @frogwitch throughout the pandemic, and once you open that box, it’s a slippery slope! “Is reverse gatekeeping a thing? Because I would happily force my passion and love for frogs and toads onto everyone if given the chance,” says Mandee Klahn, the artist behind the popular “silly frog art” account. The Indiana native recalls how her “otherworldly” connection with the cute critters began during childhood when she would catch and release frogs in the retention ditch that separated her backyard from a cornfield.
“I don’t think anyone from the Midwest can deny that the sound of amphibians croaking was the unofficial sound of summer break,” Mandee writes in an email. “I don’t want to speak for all people, but I think a lot of humans—including myself—are currently craving the carefree feelings of childhood. Frogs and toads are just part of that.”
