Granny Chic Is a vibe and here’s why we’re loving it

TikTok is currently buzzing with the phenomenon of the so-called ‘Granny aesthetic’ with ‘Grannycore’ ‘Grandmillennial’ and ‘Granny chic’ being coined to encompass the vibe. So what exactly is the obsession with all things granny? What does it mean? Should you embrace your inner-granny? Read on to find out more!

From flouncy tie-on scalloped collars right through to the rising coolness of hobbies like knitting and crochet, things that may once have been disregarded by anyone under the age of 40 as strictly for little old ladies, are being openly embraced.

Here at Holé we noticed a big change during lockdown. With people desperate to keep themselves entertained people took up new hobbies and thus more younger people seemed to find joy in things like gardening, crochet and countless other things traditionally associated with older folks.

Add to this the fact that social media (if you’re following the right people that is), and particularly the crafters, renegade gardeners and influencers embracing ‘dopamine dressing’ are preaching a message of acceptance, authenticity and encouraging others to find joy wherever they choose.

Do we finally have a generation of 20-somethings then, that are less interested in following conventional trends in the hope of fitting in, who are instead embracing the things that they truly enjoy wearing and doing? If so, this can only be a good thing!

Many of us only begin to shake off the shackles and beliefs that we need to dress a certain way, behave a certain way and like certain things, once we begin to approach middle age. Our late 30s and 40s are no longer to be feared as we realise increasingly, that old is simply a state of mind and as the current Lucy & Yak campaign portrays, acting your age is absolute meaningless nonsense.

You don’t suddenly reach 60 and think “right, I better switch to beige elasticated comfy trousers and loose every sense of style and individuality I’ve ever had because I’m now declaring myself old”.

Thankfully, we are now challenging notions of what’s accepted, particularly dress, hobby and attitude wise as we age and frankly, I’m more than OK with that.

The belief that only someone of a certain age could find joy in gardening is absurd. Ditto for knitting and crochet, activities that have not only been regarded as something older people do, but have also been heavily gendered, skewed towards women, but that’s all changing.

I love that there’s a mild subversiveness going on here, and the sometimes incongruous things I’m increasingly seeing on TikTok are some of my favourite sources of happiness, and with the bin-fire that is British politics and the economy, sources of happiness are hella important!

In terms of the incongruous, consider the ripped looking, handsome twenty-something you might expect to be a gym-brah or in a boy band, who’s actually an avid gardener and shares propagation tips? Or how about the 75 year old woman dressed like some kind of glorious, pastel Kawaii fever-dream? Or the 12 year old boy with mad crochet skills? Finally, how about the 60 year old female skate border who’s regularly shredding at her local skate park?

I find all of this so incredibly inspiring and I love how creators like this are challenging perceptions of how a certain age should look and behave.

Rocking the granny chic look

In terms of dressing, Granny chic or Grandmillennial style celebrates creating a whimsical and nostalgic look which is likely to include a blend of vintage and modern pieces, mixing old-fashioned silhouettes with more contemporary styling.

Often seen as a rebellion against mainstream fashion, it’s all about embracing individuality and a sense of personal style. It’s not about getting old before you age, it’s simply embracing whatever the heck you choose to.

Some examples include;

• Fussy crocheted tie-on collars
• Flat (and comfortable!) shoes
• Fussy floral patterns
• Detailing like rounded collars, lace and crochet textures
• Hand sewn, knitted or crocheted clothing and accessories
• Vintage finds
• Puffed sleeves and rouching
• Cardigans
• …and so much more!

Why is grannycore such a positive thing?

When I was in my teens I thought 40 was old and maybe if you’re in your teens or early twenties now, you might think that too. Perhaps as a member of Generation X adults back then really did act and dress older, or at least they seemed to? Or maybe it was just the somewhat simplistic perception of youth at play.

Either way, the adults I saw in that age group seemed dull, lifeless - all responsibility and no fun. They dressed in a way that set them apart from me and my younger peers and frankly I dreaded reaching that age!

"life is simply too short not to be joyously, authentically our true selves."

Granncycore and related aesthetics however have changed the narrative. No longer must we be destined to evolve into shadows of our former selves, losing all sense of style of fun along the way, in fact we're rapdily learning that aging is the polar opposite.

We become far less bothered by what others think and realise as time begins to slip away from us and we enter the second act of our lives, that life is simply too short not to be joyously, authentically our true selves. There can be no more a positive and inspiring message than that to pass down to the youth of today.

Instead of fearing aging let’s embrace it. Things we might once have labelled in a way that prevented us from embracing them is a nonsense. Embrace what you want to do, wear and BE at any stage in your life and have no fear of labels because they just don’t matter, but doing and being what brings you joy, really does.

So forget hot girl summer, go forth and joyously embrace your very own granny (or grandpa) era!

Whatever your aesthetic, look after your clothes with the addition of Holé button covers.