At long last, Sims 4 players can farm to their heart’s content. The new Cottage Living Expansion Pack introduces new crops and gardening features, animals like cows, chickens, and llamas, and even gives you the opportunity to live off the land. Of course, there’s much more to this pack than hens and roosters. In this Sims 4: Cottage Living CAS review, you can get a closer look at the new clothing, hairstyles, and accessories that you’ll be able to play with after downloading this pack.
Although Cottage Living clearly draws inspiration from the current cottagecore trend, the pieces here don’t look like they were designed by big-name brands like LoveShackFancy or Rodarte. While there are plenty of puffed sleeves and ruffles, virtually everything looks like it could be worn by someone in an isolated country town. Under the feminine tag, you’ll find plenty of lovely floral tops and dresses, as well as an overall set that’s too cute for words.
You’ll find fewer pieces under the masculine tag, per usual, but there’s more clothing here than you might expect. What I really appreciate about the new Cottage Living clothing is that it feels distinct from what we already have. Instead of the usual suits, sweatshirts, and t-shirts, you’ll find cozy corduroys, adorable knitwear, and outfits fit for a farmer.
While there few dressier shoe options tagged as feminine, including some block heel Mary Janes, most of the footwear here is practical. There are nice boots here, including a near-perfect dupe for the iconic Hunter rain boots. Not only will you be able to keep your feet warm and dry, but you’ll be able to protect your Sim’s head with some fun new hats.
Speaking of accessories, you’ll want to make sure you check out the brand-new jewelry. While the pearl necklaces are nice enough, it’s the earrings that really have me excited. The strawberry earrings are small, delicate, and available in a wide array of swatches, which means I’ll probably use them over and over again. There are also some fantastic statement pieces, like these amazing llama earrings.
If you’re looking for an up-do that will let you show off your new earrings, you’ll find plenty of options here. There are 12 new hairstyles tagged as feminine, and most of them leave your ears free. Although I’m not blown away by any of the new styles here, I do think they’re very well made. The textures look terrific, and I love the little details like baby hairs.
If you’ve ever dreamed of playing as a young Agnes Crumplebottom, you’ll have the tools to bring that fantasy to life. There are two hairstyles that include a tiny, Crumplebottom-sized hat. Unfortunately, the color of your hat will be determined by the hair swatch that you select. You’ll have to hope that you don’t hate the hat that’s assigned to your preferred hair color.
There are three new masculine hairstyles, as well as two new beards. While I think I’ll use all three new hairstyles, the new beards look really off to me. I’m not sure if it’s my model or my selected hairstyle, but both of these beards look like something a kid would wear on Halloween. I wouldn’t mind having some fake beards for my Sims to play around with, but sadly, these beards are for adults only.
While beards might be restricted, most adult hairstyles are available to kids, which is something I really appreciate. I was surprised to see that toddlers can wear these hairs as well. The Sims 4 is seriously lacking in toddler content, and I know I’ll wind up using all of these styles sooner or later. Some look a little odd on tiny Sims, but I’m always happy to create a goofy-looking toddler.
The new hairstyles may have been shrunk down to fit Sims kids, but EA didn’t do the same thing for clothes. I was really disappointed to see that my Sims kids couldn’t wear cute pieces like the new cow-print sweater or fox overalls. Why are Sims kids stuck with plain overalls while Sims adults can wear clothing that’s playful and fun.
That said, there are still some cute and useful pieces here. The farming gear will come in handy during story play, and I really like the new ruffled top and leggings set. The only kids footwear option is a new pair of boots, but that’s not too disappointing.
Kids may have gotten the short end of the stick, but there are some fantastic new options for toddlers. There’s only a smattering of new clothing, but it includes some of the cutest pieces The Sims 4 has to offer. There’s a new PJ set that comes in all kinds of new swatches, a sweater with an animal-shaped backpack, and cute outfits for hot and cold weather.
If new clothing and hairstyles are your primary motivation for buying packs, and you’re not desperate for more rural fashion options, there are better packs to pick up, like The Sims 4: Eco Lifestyle and The Sims 4: Tiny Living. However, if you’re genuinely looking forward to the new farming gameplay, these CAS items will be the glaze on your blueberry tart. From fruit-print dresses to fox-print sweaters, you’ll find plenty of pieces you want in your Sim’s closet.
