The ‘grandpa’ style staples that are back in fashion

Gentlemen of a certain vintage, your time has come. Gen Z have declared grandad style the sharpest way of dressing for autumn. As decreed in a recent story in GQ magazine, what hitherto were considered grandfatherly wardrobe staples have been discovered afresh by younger men. That trusted old cardigan, patched in the elbows and delightfully love worn, is a damn sight more stylish than a logo-emblazoned pair of trainers, it seems they have finally understood.

We’ve seen the rise of “allotment grandad” and “coastal grandad” as social media trends in recent years, so clearly the older man is finally having his time in the sartorial sun. It’s about time; look at the singular panache of 87-year old David Hockney, or the raffish style of author and interiors guru Nicky Haslam at 85.

“If we’re defining grandpa-core by chunky knits, loafers and soft shouldered St Michael blazers sourced from Vinted, then yes grandad style is prevalent everywhere right now,” 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 knit and trousers.”

Perhaps it goes hand-in-hand with how the fashion industry is reshaping the narrative on the older man; see 71-year old year old Pierce Brosnan as the new face of Giorgio Armani, Mr Armani himself fit as fiddle hosting 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 back in 2022. The latter brand’s influence is a case in point on the rise of the grandad as style icon in recent years. The celebrity-laden Spanish label has become known for the kind of clothes that your particularly eccentric grandfather might happily don (albeit luxified at stratospheric prices); shaggy knits in renegade colours and patterns, slip-on shoes and acres of corduroy and heritage fabrics.

So what typifies grandad style? First off, we’re not for stereotyping what the older chap wears these days – he’s as likely to don sharp jeans and trainers as he is slacks and slippers. That said, there are some pastiche-heavy tropes to what a grandad looks like and it’s telling that the younger generation of men have been keen to adopt them; sweater vests on Timothee Chalamet, crafty woven cardigans on Harry Styles, oversized trousers on Jacob Elordi. Grandad style focuses on excellent knitwear that’s a little bit more interesting that your standard, neat crew neck – big cardigans, Argyle-pattern sleeveless tops.

“Knitwear is key, and I have two knits that lean into grandad core,” says Maoui. “Not only is there something comfortable about grandpa style, but it’s also comforting to wear something that reminds you of your own grandpa.”

There’s also a softer version of tailoring; looser trousers, softer jackets, all rather lovely after he’s spent his working life in restrictive suits. See also shoes, which tend to be slip-on and less solidly “upright” and the fact that the shirt’s usually in a textured brushed cotton and donnish check rather than pristinely starched and sharp of collar. There’s a charm and softness to grandad dressing. That isn’t meant to sound patronising in any way; it’s about clothes imbued with character, that are delightfully comfortable, rather than designed to be deliberately showy or glossy. So what are the hallmark pieces?

Knitwear

Oh the joys of a chunky cable knit or buttery cashmere, swaddling you against this cruel world. Knitwear is a quiet wardrobe joy, and a sensory pleasure. There’s been a revival of the sweater vest in recent years, fuelled by 90s nostalgia, and it falls straight into the grandad playbook. See also the cardigan, which today is something of a sexed up status symbol; varieties of shaggy alpaca in bold intarsia or even on James Bond. The fuzziness of knits need a bit of structure, so pair with sharp jeans or under a blazer for a harmonious look.

Patchwork cardigan, £360, sheepinc.com

Plaid shirts

Again, a fairly run-of-the-mill wardrobe staple that’s been adopted as achingly cool by Gen Z. There’s a nerdiness to plaid shirts that’s appealing for your credentials and they don’t require the degree of fussiness that a crisp white shirt does. There’s also something a little “City boy” about wearing an ice-white shirt with chinos; plaid’s more downplayed and muted.

Brushed flannel shirt,  £29, charlestyrwhitt.com

Slip-on shoes

Sales of smart shoes have declined in recent years, due in part to the ubiquity of trainers with formalwear but also the preference for easier varieties that aren’t so painfully pinched and solid. See the slip-on in all its varieties; loafers, slippers and moccasins. There’s a sense of relaxed ease to them that’s inviting. Add “sockless socks” or, for extra kudos, go the opposite way and opt for chunky ribbed varieties. They’ll look eccentric and just a wee bit whimsical. Also, they are warm.

Boston oiled leather shoes, £110, birkenstock.com

Soft silhouettes

Maoui points to the rise of vintage as a key part of the grandad-core aesthetic; tailoring that’s less precise in its proportions and has a bit of give in it, particularly if it’s from the eras of looser styles, such as the 50s or 80s. Softer shoulders on jackets, a bit of slouch on the trousers, and a material with some texture and life to it – corduroy for example, or a heritage herringbone or check, perhaps. Forget the flashy suits, there’s abundant joy to be had in the pleasingly fogeyish instead.

Cord blazer, £110, marksandspencer.com