(The Shopping List)
I Never *Loved* This Grandpacore Staple — Until It Got A Preppy Upgrade
Even Gigi Hadid’s a fan.
No offense to avowed celebrity fans like Gigi Hadid, but I never quite understood the allure of “grandpacore.” Characterized by knit fabrics, throwback color schemes, and boxy, oversized silhouettes, it just didn’t reach out and grab me the same way this year’s other assorted aesthetics did. Unsurprisingly, though, it was a TikTok rabbit hole for a different trend that ultimately changed my mind. While obsessively scrolling through videos dedicated to East Coast preppy styles, I noticed tons of collard cardigans peeking out from underneath blazers, coats, and scarves. Plenty had that signature too-big fit that helps define grandpacore, but the variety of different collars — be they whimsical and detailed or straight and simple — anchored it with standout detail.
The fun about cardigans is how widespread the category really is. Yes, there are the grandpa cardigans and the prim, ‘50s-style versions, but with dozens of others in-between. If it’s a sweater split down the middle, it’s a cardigan — and that includes cropped, neon, knit, color-block, and furry styles, too. Factor in variations on the cute collar, and the hard part will be forcing yourself to wear anything else this winter.
Ahead, shop the 10 cozy-chic styles I’m currently shopping this month.
