WTF is an "Eclectic Grandpa"??!
Remember the Coastal Grandmother? Somewhere in Nantucket, she lies, adjacent to a shingled summer home, in a muted tone tomb. May she rest in peace. The microtrend hungry grandchildren of today must not fear though, because a new grandparent is in town, the “Eclectic Grandpa,” as the fashion community has coined it.
The Breakdown: How to Achieve the “Eclectic Grandpa” Look
The basis of this look is to build around items that are meant to last a lifetime, such as wristwatches that have seen wars, sturdy and unique knitwear, reliable loafers, and versatile boxer shorts like the Handover Ex-Boyfriend hallmark that rising style influencer Hadley Greene really should have gatekept. These aren’t items that are produced with the intent to be shared on TikTok, they are pieces one collects to contribute to their capsule wardrobe that will be in use for years to come, maybe even one day, passed down to their own grandchildren— eclectic as they may be.
By no means is this style report a plea to run to find the nearest chunky knit sweater, as the production value of knitwear and other essential eclectic grandpa garb has significantly decreased with each decade. Rather than purchasing low quality replicas of these personality pieces, follow in our forebears’ footsteps to develop your own sense of style through investing in cherished pieces.
While Microtrends Must be put to a Halt— We’re deeming this Aesthetic as the Most Refreshing in Ages
Don't you feel just a little bad for our Coastal Grandma? Nancy Meyers was excited. This was her time to shine. Yet, the Coastal Grandmother croaked the minute Miu Miu’s Spring 2022 Collection was revealed, and a new side to prep— in deconstructed uniformity, and pleats gone awry (low-rise)— was discovered and clearly favored. Just as House of Sunny’s moment under the sun was short-lived as this fad proved chopping the typical 20-year trend cycle in half was doable. Much like ballet core was booted out the minute its cousin coquette became more of a meme than a moment in fashion. Instead of deciding on a day to day basis whether we want to drape ourselves in Diane Keaton–inspired linens, or masquerade as a 90’s supermodel strung out on coke (embodying this look through clothing not consumption of course), we commit — to our new vibes, our new aesthetics, and our new online shopping purchases — on a monthly basis. Which gives us just enough time to become so infatuated with and so tired of a trend all within a concise timeline. This inability to trust personal style nor divert to diverging vibes spurs a wardrobe refresh every month, and feeds into this pestilential notion of microtrends.
Thus, microtrends must bite the dust, but the “Eclectic Grandpa” doesn’t have to head to hospice quite yet. While I think the term in itself of “Eclectic Grandpa,” aligns with the definition of “microtrend” in the sense of the buzz and media attention those two amusingly strung together words will receive, I believe that if this trend is approached in the manner it was intended to be, it will essentially combat the behavior micro trends usher in. In essence, people will explore their closet and be encouraged to invest in pieces.
The “Eclectic Grandpa” embodies the maximalism approach to style the fashion world is heading towards. TikTok and Instagram have served as a hotbed for the “Clean Girl,” aesthetic, which I present to you as an antithesis of our eclectic elder. This novelty lasted longer than other coined crazes due to the term’s cascade into conterminous categories other than style. The “Clean Girl” covered all the bases and therefore served as a valuable fad for marketing purposes– ranging from style, fitness, mindfulness practices, and more. In my personal opinion, the “Clean girl,” aesthetic in all its forms, is bullshit. That girl, down to every fiber of her Olaplex treated hair, does not intrigue nor captivate me. I am left with zero questions for our friend with the Bala bands around her ankles. I’m all for developing a skincare routine, plopping “hot girl,” in front of the practice of putting one Hoka in front of the other, and sporting the clean silhouettes that have existed since before your 2002 time— but are those the revolutionary practices we are allowing to shape our presentation of self? That slick back is deteriorating your hairline, and your sense of authenticity when it comes to style.
Rather, I want to be a grandpa, eclectic in nature. My grandpa is the most interesting person I know. He holds a weekly ukulele circle, has antiques in his home that have more story to tell than the Colleen Hoover book I read last month, and he ensures he sports a different collared shirt-suspender combo each morning he gets dressed.
This king…
The “Eclectic Grandpa,” look is meant to represent someone who has lived– who has curated a collection of beloved items that echo one's own individuality. Thus, this is not a microtrend that requires an overhaul of your closet. Through comfort in clashing patterns and bold colors, even the charm necklace craze, there's opportunity for meaning to be embedded in how we dress. The dual-metal wristwatch my mother wore at her wedding, those checkered boxer shorts I stole from that one boy, the Notre Dame class ring my grandmother wore as a promise ring, all have such personality. More personality than the heather gray TNA sweatsuit to which we've all fallen victim to. Thus, this look embodies the effortless chicness of the “Model off Duty,” appeal, while providing a veracious magnetism and pushing us out of our comfort zone when it comes to contemporary casual dressing.
