is grandpa-core a thing?
because that's certainly how I want to dress these days
This past Saturday morning, I saw this photo on Instagram and immediately shared it to my Stories:
Seeing this photo filled me with joy. This is exactly the type of look I am gravitating towards this autumn.
Recently, I’ve been feeling more like myself when I am dressing down instead of dressing up.
I don’t mean in a sloppy, “letting myself go” type of a way. I mean I feel the most chic and put together when I am wearing something just as relaxed and casual as a well loved knit or a slouchy pair of jeans. I can only think of one reason why this is so: it’s because of the way what I wear on the outside makes me feel on the inside.
As someone who is constantly on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, I am always in awe of how a certain outfit looks on a specific person or body type. I try to emulate that same look with what I have, but I occasionally fall short, whether it is with a blazer, coat, or the way I tuck in a dress shirt. In the end, I feel a bit dejected and so frustrated because yes, while the clothes are somewhat similar to what I saw on someone else, it just wasn’t giving when I try to wear it the same way.
I recently did a purge of all of the old knits, t-shirts and trousers I no longer reach for, and I can’t believe how much stuff I’ve accumulated.
And as I purged, I realized something; all this stuff that I was trying to get rid of, were the very pieces that I thought would look good on me and make me happy, but it wasn’t really practical (and aligned) with who I am.
What I love about Jane Birkin’s photo is that you don’t see a single logo or revealing detail about what brand top or denim she is wearing. I mean the only “telling” detail about what she styled is the Birkin which is already an iconic piece. Perhaps this photo was heavily detailed or edited, maybe her outfit did take effort to give it that “effortless” look but my point is this: anyone can make this type of look their own and still be as joyful and comfortable as she does in that photo.
And honestly these days, I find myself not really wanting to spend too much time in front of the mirror or in my closet, wondering what I will wear for that day. And this leads me to reaching for the closest sweater within my reach that I lounged around in a few days ago.
my fall staples
Maybe it is the seasonal change, or a drop in temperature overall, but I’ve been gravitating more towards things that feel familiar and homey:
Cozy knits (a good crew neck is a neverfail)
Basic white (or black) oversized tee
Straight, relaxed jeans
Quality, everyday bag (nylon or leather)- I talk about bags here and here
Loafers or sneakers
Wearing the five above with repeat pieces always made me feel so much more put together than anything else.
anatomy of my ideal jumper
With the number of knits out there in the fashion space, it can be overwhelming to find the perfect cozy sweater. Instead of only throwing out brands, here is a breakdown of what I look for in an ideal sweater:
Slouchiness (with dropped shoulders)
Wide armholes
Can be easily styled up or down
Textures
Easy to cuff at the wrist
Though most of my sweaters and sweatshirts are crewneck, I love a good v-neck sweater (like this one) for when I feel like changing things up. Not exactly original, but it IS familiar, which is what I love anyway.
my sweaters and sweatshirt on rotation from this past week
my wishlist
Knits that I came across that I hope to add to my wardrobe one day1:
in other (very good) news…
American luxury label The Row is now valued at $1 billion
There is a paywall with the Business of Fashion’s article, but basically the owners of Chanel and L’Oreal’s Francoise Bettencourt Meyers have bought minority stakes in the brand, bringing its valuation at above $1 billion.
As an admirer of the Olsen sisters and the brand itself, I agree that The Row deserves their flowers. Their Instagram is chock full of drool worthy artwork and collections, their monthly Spotify drops are earcandies for my soul.
Though in the social mediasphere the term “quiet luxury” has less than favorable connotations, though it is no longer a buzzword, there is a part of all of us that adore quality pieces that don’t scream luxury or high prices with logos and motifs. I even thought about renaming my Substack for fear that nonreaders will misunderstand the intentions of why I decided to call it what it is (hint: this substack is not just for posting about fashion and labels).
But if I were to rename my Substack, I would be doing exactly what I don’t want to do; following the trends and wherever the algorithm takes you, instead of being steadfast and consistent with my content.
As we are so inundated by new drops pretty much every other day, what I do is create a little friction between myself and the said item by making a list instead of hitting that “checkout” button so quickly. What also helps is writing about it on Substack.
Grandpa core and dad core lifer!!