Gentlemen of a certain age, your time has come. Gen Z has declared grandpa style the edgiest way to dress for fall. As decreed in a recent article in GQ magazine, what heretofore were considered wardrobe staples have been rediscovered by younger men. That trusty old cardigan, patched at the elbows and wonderfully worn, is damned more stylish than a pair of logo-printed trainers, it looks like they’ve finally got it.
We’ve seen the rise of ‘allotment grandpa’ and ‘coastal grandpa’ as social media trends in recent years, so it’s clear that the older man is finally having his time in the sartorial sun. It’s about time; look at the special panache of 87-year-old David Hockney, or the raffish style of author and interior guru Nicky Haslam at the age of 85.
“If we define grandpa core through chunky knits, loafers and soft-shouldered St Michael blazers sourced from Vinted, then grandpa style is indeed everywhere,” says Zak Maoui, style director of Gentleman’s Journal. “It’s a more laissez-faire approach, as opposed to a more structured and put-together look. Lots of big ties, soft knits and trousers.”
Perhaps it goes hand in hand with the way the fashion industry is reshaping the narrative about the older man; see 71-year-old Pierce Brosnan as the new face of Giorgio Armani, Mr. Armani himself as a guest at a grand soiree in New York last week at the age of 90, or 86-year-old Sir Antony Hopkins, cast as the face of Loewe in 2022. The influence of the latter brand is a good example of the grandfather’s rise as a style icon in recent years. The celebrity-laden Spanish label has become known for the kind of clothes your particularly eccentric grandfather would love to wear (albeit more luxurious at stratospheric prices); rugged knits in renegade colors and patterns, slip-on shoes and acres of corduroy and heritage fabrics.
So what characterizes the grandpa style? First of all, we don’t want to stereotype what the older guy is wearing these days; he’s just as likely to wear nice jeans and sneakers as he is to wear slacks and slippers. That said, there are some pastiche-heavy tropes for what a grandpa looks like and it’s telling that the younger generation of men are keen to adopt them; sweater vests at Timothee Chalamet, artfully woven cardigans at Harry Styles, oversized trousers at Jacob Elordi. The Grandad style focuses on excellent knits that are a little more interesting than your standard, neat crew neck – big cardigans, sleeveless tops with argyle pattern.
“Knitwear is essential, and I have two knits that echo Grandpa’s core,” says Maoui. “Not only is there something comfortable about grandpa style, but there’s also something comforting about wearing something that reminds you of your own grandpa.”
There is also a softer version of customization; looser trousers, softer jackets, all quite nice after spending his working life in restrictive suits. See also shoes, which tend to be loafers and less firmly ‘upright’, and the fact that the shirt is usually textured brushed cotton and fluffy check rather than an immaculately starched and sharp collar. There is a charm and sweetness in dressing grandpas. That is not meant to be patronizing in any way; it’s about clothes imbued with character, that are wonderfully comfortable, rather than designed to be deliberately flashy or shiny. So what are the signature pieces?
Knitted clothes
Oh, the joys of a thick cable knit or buttery cashmere, swaddling you against this cruel world. Knitwear is a silent wardrobe pleasure and a sensory pleasure. There’s been a revival of the sweater vest in recent years, fueled by ’90s nostalgia, and it fits right into the grandpa playbook. See also the vest, which is now a kind of sex status symbol; varieties of shaggy alpaca in bold intarsia or even on James Bond. The fluffy knits need some structure, so combine with nice jeans or under a blazer for a harmonious look.
Patchwork cardigan, £360, sheepinc.com
Checked shirts
Again, a fairly everyday item of clothing that has been adopted as painfully cool by Generation Z. There’s something geeky about plaid shirts that appeals to your credentials and they don’t require the level of fuss that a crisp white shirt does. . There’s also something ‘city boy’ about wearing an ice white shirt with chinos; plaid is more downplayed and muted.
Brushed flannel shirt, £29, charlestyrwhitt.com
Slip-on shoes
Sales of smart shoes have declined in recent years, partly due to the ubiquity of athletic shoes with formal wear, but also due to a preference for simpler options that are not so painfully pinched and sturdy. View the slip-on in all its variants; loafers, slippers and moccasins. There is a sense of relaxed ease that is inviting. Add ‘sockless socks’ or, for extra compliments, go the opposite way and opt for chunky ribbed options. They look eccentric and a bit whimsical. Plus they are warm.
Boston oiled leather shoes, £110, birkenstock.com
Soft silhouettes
Maoui points to the rise of vintage as an important part of the grandpa-core aesthetic; tailoring that is less precise in proportion and has a bit of give, especially if it comes from the eras of looser styles, such as the 1950s or 1980s. Softer shoulders on jackets, a little loose on trousers, and a material with some texture and life – corduroy, for example, or a classic herringbone or check pattern perhaps. Forget the flashy suits, there’s a lot of fun to be had in the pleasantly misty suits.
Corduroy blazer, £110, marksandspencer.com