In the mid-2020s, a lively, dynamic version of grandpa-core snuck onto runways before proliferating into the masses. Here’s everything you need to know about it!
As a society, we’ve come around to seeing dad style as not only acceptable but pretty cool. Aspirational even. Those old photographs of your ‘pa you that used to make you cringe are now sources of sartorial inspiration. This year, it’s all about what your grandpa wears.
Well, it’s a remixed, contemporary version of what he wears. You can think of it as a unique, fresh take on vintage style.
The eclectic grandpa style was popularized by celebrity street style. Harry Styles and Gigi Hadid might come to mind. However, it’s one of those trends that’s actually quite easy to participate in, even if you’re not into trends.
In fact, I think the focus on structure and knitwear can benefit most guys’ wardrobes, regardless of personal style. For you more classic guys, just Google image JFK Jr street style. He’s been doing the look long before Gen Z discovered it.
And unlike fads that aren’t rooted in vintage sensibilities, pieces from the grandpa aesthetic are sartorially transferable. Even if this trend ends tomorrow, you can always save that tweed for next fall.
What Is Eclectic Grandpa Style?
The eclectic grandpa aesthetic involves looks that you’d stereotypically associate with an older gentleman. Think tweed, higher waists, cardigans, and slacks. That’s the grandpa part of it. However, the eclectic part of it comes in the form of bright colors, incorporating trendy cuts here and there, and wearing old-school pieces in new ways.
Find any black-and-white movie and check out what the men wear at home. It’s less about the suit-and-tie approach and more about the weekend or man-of-leisure approach. There’s a cozy factor to the style. After all, grandpas like to be comfortable, and they don’t like to be cold. Hence, layers are important elements.
Ways To Be Eclectic
Again, leisure is a big part of this school of style. Sometimes, it goes so far into the leisurely side of the spectrum that the eclecticism almost 180s it into youthfulness.
For example, you might wear a cable-knit sweater vest, a tweed jacket, slacks, and a pair of penny loafers. Then, as many grandpas do on the weekends, you might throw on a baseball cap.
Does this look more like an eclectic grandpa or more like a preppy teaching fellow? There’s certainly overlap. Now, let’s say that the cable-knit sweater vest and your socks are neon orange. That definitely leans more toward the trendy eclecticism.
Mixing in lively colors is a common practice in bringing new life to grandpacore. Brands are even making items like alpaca cardigans and tweed pants in shades of pink, orange, and lime green. Sure, this is likely to cash in on the fad, but that’s what fashion houses do. Moreover, you never know.
Certain trendy shades might end up going in and out of style enough that they’ll eventually qualify as a classic.
As mentioned, another way to achieve the eclectic part of the formula is by wearing grandpa garments in new ways.
Instead of wearing a button-down under a Fair Isle button-up vest, you might go for a T-shirt. I’ve even seen celebs wear sweater vests as shirts. (Not sure what a Fair Isle pattern is? Find the answer in our guide to Fair Isle sweaters.)
Going for more current fits and cuts is another way to bring new life to vintage styles. You might wear an oversized tweed jacket or do a half-tuck with your button-down shirt. Mixing and matching different fits, classic and trendy, is a big part of how the style is being implemented today.
Grandpa Style Clothing
Let’s put together a toolbox of garments you might consider to achieve the grandpa aesthetic. Figuring out what counts as grandpa style clothing requires figuring out some quintessential grandpa qualities.
Here are a few characteristics and some pieces of clothing associated with them.
Good ol’ grandad is probably old-fashioned, so you might consider:
- Vintage clothing
- Old wire frame glasses
- Classic patterns and weaves, like houndstooth and Glen check
- Flat caps
- Classic, not athletic, coats and outerwear, like trench coats and peacoats
- Saddle shoes (another example of the overlap between youthful styles and eclectic grandpa styles)
- Larger, longer shirt collars
- Pleated pants with higher waists
He’s either retired or has a flexible schedule. This might mean he has a lot of:
- Golf clothes
- Polos
- White sneakers
- Summer hats made of straw like Panama hats or boater hats
- Loafers in leather or suede
- Tweed, corduroy, and thick knits in general
People dressed more formally back when he was a youngster. After all, men used to wear ties to the airport. So casual clothes should still be elegant. Consider:
- Pull-overs
- Cardigans
- Button-down shirts
- Slacks
- Blazers or sport coats
- Always wear a classic, analog wristwatch
As the patriarch, he’s likely proud of his family and legacy. This can be expressed sartorially with:
- Family heirlooms, like watches or lapel pins
- Monograms
- School sweaters and baseball caps
Grandpas need to be cozy. It’s not good for older gents to get cold. This is why grandpa sweaters are paramount to the look. In fact, you can arguably throw any of the following sweaters over any neutral outfit, and it would grandpa-ify it:
- Faire Isle sweaters
- Cable-knit sweaters
- Cashmere sweaters
- Sweater vests
- Argyle sweaters
- Jacquard sweaters
- Nordic sweaters
- Fisherman sweaters
- Mohair sweaters
Grandpa Aesthetic: Some Examples
Remember when I mentioned that incorporating this trend into your closet can be beneficial for any personal style? To prove that the eclectic grandpa look can take many forms, here are some examples I’ve gathered from that machine we call the internet:
I’m sure there’s at least one thing on the list above that you can pick out, even if you’re not into this particular aesthetic. Even more, shopping vintage or classic often means avoiding fast fashion. By following this trend, you might end up with some high-quality, timeless, and well-loved pieces.
Conclusion: Contemporary Vintage
Eclectic grandpa style is just one way that younger generations are starting to appreciate the best practices of the past. Also, we tend to write off the most recently discarded trends, but we tend to reembrace the ones that have been gone for a long enough time.
This approach combines that reality with the fact that there are timeless pieces. There are pieces that, though they’re not always at the forefront of chicness, never look out of place. Eclectic grandpa just takes those pieces and livens them up with fit or color.
What do you think of eclectic grandpa style? Let me know in the comments!
