Imagine a grandfather who has travelled everywhere, kept everything and never once cared whether his clothes matched. He wears a mustard cardigan over a striped shirt, checked trousers, a knitted vest, a vintage watch and a pair of well-loved loafers, with a cap he picked up somewhere in the 1970s. Now imagine a 22-year-old wearing exactly that. That is the eclectic grandpa, the aesthetic Pinterest predicted for 2024 and the internet happily adopted.
What is the eclectic grandpa aesthetic?
Eclectic grandpa is a playful, vintage-inspired style built from pieces you might find in an older man’s wardrobe, combined in unexpected, slightly mismatched ways. Think cardigans, sweater vests, tweed blazers, pleated trousers, corduroy, knitted polos, patterned shirts and practical shoes, mixed with contemporary pieces and a lot of personality. It is gender-neutral, comfortable and full of character. The key word is “eclectic”: the charm is in the clash.
Where it came from
The term was coined by Pinterest in its annual Pinterest Predicts report for 2024, based on rising searches for “grandpa core” and “grandpa style”. Fashion and interiors media picked it up immediately, and the hashtag spread across TikTok in early 2024. It followed directly from the earlier coastal grandmother trend and from a broader Gen Z love of thrifting, where older men’s clothes are often what fills the racks.
The look had been building for years before it had a name. Tyler, the Creator, with his cardigans, cropped trousers, loafers and caps, is often credited as its biggest influence. Designers such as Emily Adams Bode, whose label Bode makes new clothes from antique textiles, and Jonathan Anderson at Loewe made the grandfatherly mix feel fashion-forward. Alessandro Michele’s Gucci (2015–2022), with its thrift-shop eccentricity, also paved the way.
The codes
- Clothes: chunky cardigans, sweater vests, Fair Isle and argyle knits, tweed and corduroy blazers, pleated and checked trousers, patterned shirts, quilted jackets.
- Colours: mustard, rust, brown, forest green, burgundy and cream, often clashing.
- Accessories: loafers and boat shoes, chunky socks, flat caps and baseball caps, vintage watches, reading glasses, a canvas bag.
- Interiors: vintage rugs, record players, collected objects, wood panelling, a well-used armchair.
- Labels most associated with it: Bode, Loewe, Gucci, Miu Miu, Drake’s, Wales Bonner and, of course, the thrift shop.
See the mood
IMAGES: PINTEREST. TAP ANY IMAGE TO SEE IT ON PINTEREST AND ITS ORIGINAL SOURCE.
The references
People: Tyler, the Creator, Harry Styles, A$AP Rocky, Alexa Chung, Emma Chamberlain and Jeff Goldblum. Carlton Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is a frequently cited ancestor.
Film: the cardigans and corduroys of Wes Anderson’s films, especially The Royal Tenenbaums; Up‘s Carl Fredricksen.
On the runway: Bode, Loewe, Miu Miu and Gucci’s autumn/winter 2024 collections all embraced the grandfatherly mix.
Why it caught on
Eclectic grandpa celebrates individuality and longevity. In a world of fast fashion and identical outfits, the idea of a wardrobe built over decades, full of pieces with stories, is appealing. It fits the sustainable, second-hand way many young people now shop, and it is genuinely comfortable. It is also fun: there are no rules except that things should not match too perfectly.
The debate
Some critics found it ironic that an aesthetic about authentic, collected style became a shopping trend overnight, with retailers selling brand-new “grandpa” cardigans. Others argued that real style cannot be a trend at all. There is also the question of who gets to look “eccentric”: older men’s clothes read as charming on a young model but are often mocked on actual older men. Still, as aesthetics go, this one encourages thrifting, mending and personal taste, which is no bad thing.
Indian readers will recognise the spirit in their own grandfathers’ wardrobes: the half-sleeve sweater over a checked shirt, the Nehru jacket, the safari suit, the leather chappals. A desi eclectic grandpa is waiting to be styled.
Where it is now
The name peaked in 2024, but the style has settled into everyday dressing, especially among people who love vintage. It also sits neatly beside 2026’s poetcore and the broader return of more maximal, personal dressing after years of minimalism.
Related aesthetics
Coastal Grandmother · Dark Academia · Poetcore · Normcore · Gorpcore
Learn more: hear from more voices
A fun analysis of the aesthetic, and a look at why everyone started dressing like a grandpa.
Sources: Pinterest Predicts 2024; Highsnobiety, Who What Wear, HGTV and The Zoe Report on the eclectic grandpa trend. Videos are embedded from YouTube and remain the work of their creators.
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