With spring being a time of new beginnings, it might seem odd that a trend centered around clothing pieces from the past would hold so much relevance. Some have concerns about the authenticity behind the trend, but overall, the Eclectic Grandpa trend has inspired audiences to curate outfits that welcome a blast from the past in interesting ways.
Running the fashion trend race
It is no secret that fashion trends change at a rapid pace, especially when they are created and promoted primarily through social media platforms. Just a short while ago, the Coastal Grandma style swarmed audiences’ profiles and filled their closets with pieces that helped them bring the aesthetic to life. This trend faded somewhat quickly as the Eclectic Grandpa rose to take its place.
In her 2024 article for Vogue, Hannah Jackson touches on the ever-changing nature of fashion trends and their impact on audiences. On the Electic Grandpa trend specifically, she expresses concerns about a disconnect from the trend’s true inspiration and the limitations it could put on style individuality.
“It’s not novel to disapprove of the the trend cycle’s rapid acceleration, but the eclectic grandpa fad seems uniquely expressive of the issue at hand: Not only is overhauling one’s wardrobe wildly expensive and unsustainable, it eschews the core value of grandpa style, putting a soulless replica in its place.”
Hannah Jackson
For Jackson, careful consideration of the rise of the Eclectic Grandpa trend is necessary. She contrasts the meaning of a style formed over the course of one’s life versus the aesthetic nature of attempting to dress in someone else’s unique style in a short amount of time.
How much is too much?
Essentially, the risk of these “microtrends,” as she refers to them, rising to popularity so quickly is the emphasis on quantity over quality. Jackson mentions that poor-quality knitwear has become more of a norm with the drastic changes in fashion trends over the years. She sees this as a contradiction to the better-quality and longer-lasting clothing pieces worn by those of older generations.
She also addresses the continuous cycle of copying others’ styles via social media, saying, “We are reaching a crisis point when it comes to personal style. As we all get our style inspiration from the same few sources, there is a deficit of singularity in fashion. With social media algorithms feeding us unrelenting fashion content, we’re poised to consume, consciously or not.”
A balancing act
Jackson’s article goes to show that while social media can be a source of inspiration for one’s style, consumption in moderation is key in order to not compromise one’s individuality. She reinforces the importance of having meaning behind one’s wardrobe and offers a wise word on implementing new fashion trends in a reasonable way:
“What we can really learn from our elders isn’t how to produce a lower quality copy of their clothing, but how to cultivate personal style though well-loved pieces that will last a lifetime—hopefully, long enough to pass down to our own grandchildren one day.”
Hannah Jackson
So what exactly is the Eclectic Grandpa trend?
Given the transition from Coastal Grandma to Eclectic Grandpa, there seems to be a theme in current audiences’ focus on past generations.
Celebrity influence gave the trend momentum when notable figures like Tyler the Creator and Gigi Hadid started wearing outfits fitting the Eclectic Grandpa style.
Tyler the Creator is one of the main figures associated with this trend, as his wardrobe often consists of the staple pieces associated with it:
As a leading figure in the fashion world, Gigi Hadid has also supported this trend’s growth by sporting the Eclectic Grandpa style:
Evident from their takes on it, a main theme and potential appeal of the trend is comfort from head to toe. The trend’s staple pieces include cozy sweaters, loose-fitting pants, and supportive footwear. The eclectic element comes from the uniqueness of which pieces one chooses to wear and how one pairs those pieces together.
Another major driving force behind the trend’s rise in relevance was Pinterest. Its 2024 predictions are one of the main ways that the style grew in popularity. This is not surprising given how Pinterest is one of the most notable social media platforms for creativity, with its surplus of ideas and opportunities for DIYs and mood boards that support and follow all kinds of trends with a simple search.
Seconding Pinterest’s influence on the style trends of this Spring was a January article from Buzzfeed that touched on the somewhat surprising trends coming in 2024, with Eclectic Grandpa making the list.
How to style the Eclectic Grandpa trend
With new trends come new possibilities for expression, and clothing recommendations are just the starting point for curating one’s own style closet. There is a smorgasbord of style inspiration for dressing like an Eclectic Grandpa across various online platforms.
Fashion articles
One relevant article on the style is Avidan Grossman’s GQ article which offers recommendations on specific pieces one needs to rock the grandpa-inspired style. Below is an Eclectic Grandpa-inspired outfit created from a few of the pieces featured in Grossman’s article.
Starting with the essential cozy sweater:
Then a perfect pair of trousers:
Both paired with the staple topcoat:
And to finish off the look, a pair of comfy yet stylish sneakers:
TikTok
Of course, a great place for style inspiration is the knowledge bank which is TikTok. One user offered a step-by-step guide on how to coordinate the perfect Eclectic Grandpa outfit:
Another user took a more humourous approach, saying they used the trend to appear more mature to their significant other:
These two users’ videos are just some of the plentily available resources on the app when it comes to style inspiration for fashion trends.
Last but not least, of course, is Pinterest. The platform has countless images following the eclectic grandpa-style aesthetic. It has also dedicated a page to places where one can find pieces fitting the trend.
If you are still unsure about sporting the trend, Pinterest also offers a fun way to engage with it without committing to any purchases by featuring users’ collages of images related to the style.
To echo Jackson’s sentiments a final time, it is vital to bring one’s individuality to any aesthetic and fashion trend. As seen through social media platforms like TikTok and Pinterest, the trend remains prominent despite some skepticism about its necessity. For now, the Eclectic Grandpa is Spring 2024’s go-to look, but who knows what vintage-inspired trend is next!
