The Eclectic grandpa aesthetic: How to style it and what it represents
We’ve said it before and we’ll probably be saying it for years to come: aesthetics can be exhausting. It feels like every other week we’re covering new ways to categorize fashion and simultaneously combatting the feeling that we need to buy more to keep up with the trends. It is easy to feel pressured to “fit in” to one aesthetic and to base your style entirely around that one vibe. So, it seems ironic that this post is once again, about an aesthetic. While I’m not claiming that the eclectic grandpa aesthetic is somehow different from other fleeting microtrends, I do think it has characteristics indicative of the progression of the fashion community’s values.
What is the Eclectic grandpa aesthetic?
The eclectic grandpa aesthetic is full of items you would expect to see the kooky, yet beloved old man in your community wearing. Think knit vests, loose-fitting trousers, quirky patterns, well-worn leather loafers, and seemingly mix-matched accessories calling back to past eras.
The significance of the eclectic grandpa:
At this point in the post, I would typically show you which specific pieces we are loving as we embrace this new aesthetic (and I still will because let’s face it, we want to dress like our cute old grandpas too), but for the eclectic grandpa aesthetic, this feels contradictory to the essence of the trend. The eclectic grandpa is ultimately someone we imagine to be comfortable in their clothes, unaware whether they’re trendy or not, simply wearing items they have collected over a lifetime of personal evolution. In trying to “hop on” to this trend, we ignore the nature of the eclectic grandpa because we are trying to embody deeply personal style, without incorporating anything that is truly authentic—anything that is truly our own.
eclectic grandpa aesthetic Essentials:
To find great pieces to fit this vibe, start with your thrift and secondhand stores—you’re much more likely to find pieces designed to withstand the test of time there! With that being said, here are the essentials of the eclectic grandpa aesthetic, please, feel free to add your own touches.
KNITWEAR
SHOES
WATCHES
COLLEGIATE ATTIRE
It would be remiss to end this post without underlining one of the key differences between the real eclectic grandpas and those of us trying to replicate their vibe: fast fashion. Simply put, eclectic grandpas have clothes that have lasted them decades, if not a lifetime, because of an emphasis on intentionally buying fewer, higher-quality pieces.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of our guide to the eclectic grandpa aesthetic next week: building a wardrobe to last a lifetime!
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