BENGALURU: Whether it’s the oversized loose sweatshirts, chic cardigans or tweed blazers, it’s never too late to embrace the cosy and timeless elements of your grandparents’ wardrobes. Blending comfort with a retro aesthetic, grandpacore is a trend that is making waves with its slight touch of nostalgia. The trend encourages the adoption of items you’d typically picture a grandpa wearing, transforming them into stylish, gender-neutral ensembles.
‘It’s about finding joy in comfort above all else’, as Varsha Singhal, a freelance celebrity stylist and influencer in the city, put it. “Think retro streetwear, chic cardigans, sweater vests, vintage loafers, slouchy sweaters, tweed blazers and chunky sneakers. The key to embracing this style is the confidence that comfortable clothes bring.
Paired with confidence, you can’t go wrong with subtle rings, quirky socks, and stylish shoes,” says Singhal, who suggests that building a grandpa-core wardrobe involves wearing clothes multiple times. “Trying different combinations and exploring your preferred styles will foster a deeper connection with your wardrobe, boosting confidence along the way,” she adds.
While the trend is all about comfort, there’s also an element of retro styling involved. “There’s a hint of nostalgia in the trend but at the same time not forgetting that being comfortable is a key priority,” says stylist Manogya Chaudhary. The trend also promotes adapting to second-hand clothes and thrift shopping. “The pro tip would be to not discard any old clothing that is in good condition and most importantly search the last row of your grandpa’s wardrobe!” shares Chaudhary.
Jaya Kumari, a personal stylist, observes that grandpacore is particularly popular among the younger generation. “You won’t find this trend among people who are in their 30s or 40s. This trend is being followed by people who are younger than 26 and 27. You can see youngsters doing it around Church Street by incorporating certain elements of the trend like oversized cardigans.” The trend, Kumari says, is about incorporating the warmth and homely feeling even when you are dressed up. “This style also promotes body positivity with clothes that do not essentially highlight curves but still make people feel good about themselves,” she says.
While talking about the colours for the trend, Kumari says that the trend mostly incorporates earthy tones. “Mostly colours which we wear in winter, like mustard yellow, earthy tones like forest green and a lot of browns. But people are also incorporating other colours by using subtle accents like red,” she adds.
Gazal Kharbanda, a sportswear and knitwear designer agrees that unlike the ‘quiet luxury’ trend which promoted only the core dull colours, grandpacore is about ‘using retro colours including colours like yellow, orange, and green, but nothing too in your face.’ She further adds, “After Covid, athleisure became big and then there was an eventual evolution to this trend which includes knits that are not generic or mass produced knits.”
Kharbanda believes that the trend shows a mindset shift to find a space where one could reconnect with their roots, saying, “From the perspective of a designer, I feel that grandpacore stems from the fact that we have reached an era where we are almost at the peak of being modern with the evolution of AI, etc.
In every decade, when a generation reaches its peak, its reaction is to go back to the roots. Grandpacore is trying to encapture that. We aren’t slowing down and we really need to be like we used to so dressing in clothes like that makes us feel grounded and connected to our roots.”
