Fuelled by celebrities like Alexa Chung, the Olsen twins and Kelly Osbourne‘s purple rinse, granny chic is proving to be a widespread modern (or should that be old-fashioned?) trend. But how exactly do we go about emulating the granny style without looking like Miss Marple?
First up, I suggest sticking to a basic silhouette of tailored pants, fitted shirts, or streamline dresses, before layering on the octogenarian accessories and knits. You want to look fabulous, not frumpy, so keeping your clothing simple will stop you from looking like an overstuffed country cottage sofa.
For fall, Cecile Benac Knitwear has the perfect cable knit sweaters, which look so comfortable that you’d think granny knitted them herself. This turtleneck ribbed shrug over a long cardigan comes in a decadent deep blue and is handmade with hours of love. It’s simply perfect for those frosty November mornings.
Image via cecilebenacknitwear.com
Next up is fairytale jewellery (why grandma, what big pendants you have!) from designer Paula Gonzalez, the hands behind Phaulet. Her nostalgic collection feels like it’s been pulled from your granny’s jewellery box, with complementary stories to go along.
Images via phaulet.com
“Oh, this necklace, it’s a picture of my Granny when she was a star on vaudeville. The white flowers were given to her by Valentino,” says the Colombian born jeweller. Okay that might be far-fetched but the two-sided earrings, necklaces, medallions, brooches, and rings speak to things lost and found and the allure of sepia-toned illustrations.
Finally, granny chic doesn’t have to mean quasi-orthopedic shoes. The Bay is currently showcasing a selection of smoking slippers that, yes, slightly encroach upon grandpa’s territory but the androgynous look is here to stay. The women’s version is being shown in the same silhouette and with many of the same materials as the men’s version with the exception of an outdoor sole underneath.
Pour La Victoire Slipper; Steve Madden Croquet Flat; Sam Edeman Slipper via thebay.com
Phaulet ranges in price from $20-$80 and is available in Vancouver at Gentille Alouette and Bird on a Wire, in Alberta at the Art Gallery of Calgary and Different Strokes Art Gallery, and at markets across BC and AB. Cecile Benac knitwear ranges in price from $150- $295 and is available in BC, AB, SK and MB.
