Grandma Core Is Taking Over 2025 with These 12 Vintage-Inspired Looks
Forget chasing the next big thing—2025 is all about slowing down, sipping tea and raiding grandma’s closet (with style, of course).
From pearls that whisper secrets of the past to sweaters so snug they might sing lullabies, these 12 looks are rewriting fashion with a wink and a cup of chamomile.
1. Floral Dresses
Wearing a floral dress is like walking through a botanical garden—minus the allergy meds.
These throwback beauties are blooming all over 2025, and they’re bringing more than just petals to the party.
Think garden tea vibes meets Instagram-worthy flair.
Whether you’re headed to brunch or pretending you read poetry in the park, floral dresses add just enough drama to keep your admirers guessing.
Toss on a pair of retro sunnies and vintage pearls and you’re not just dressed—you’re a whole aesthetic.
Bonus points if you smell faintly of rosewater and nostalgia.
2. Knitted Cardigans
This isn’t just knitwear—it’s a fashion hug.
Grandpa might’ve worn it to read the newspaper, but you’re wearing it to slay the sidewalk.
Layer them over a slip dress or your favorite denim and suddenly you’re sipping oat milk lattes like you invented the concept.
Feeling chilly? Your cardigan’s got you.
Feeling sad? Your cardigan still has you.
It’s basically therapy with buttons.
3. Pearl Accessories
Pearls have gone from “grandma’s jewelry box” to “must-have TikTok trend” faster than you can say, “pass the tea.”
These glowy gems are showing up everywhere, and no, they don’t require an invitation to brunch.
Throw them on with a blazer or a denim jacket and you’re giving main-character energy with a side of vintage mystique.
Forget the royal weddings—these pearls are here for grocery runs, wine nights and chaotic group chats.
4. Lace Blouses
A lace blouse is basically poetry you can wear—soft, intricate and slightly dramatic in the best way.
These delicate tops add just the right amount of romance, minus the tragic love stories.
Tuck one into high-waisted trousers, and you’ve got a look that says, “Yes, I write handwritten letters,” even if your idea of calligraphy is just choosing a new font in Canva.
Bonus: lace whispers secrets. Probably about how fabulous you look.
5. Vintage Handbags
Carrying a vintage handbag is like bringing a tiny museum exhibit everywhere you go—except this one holds gum, receipts and an alarming number of lip glosses.
Each bag has a story and you’re the glamorous plot twist it never saw coming.
Whether it’s a structured leather beauty or a beaded clutch that could moonlight as a disco ball, these handbags do more than carry your things—they carry vibes.
And if someone asks where you got it? Just smile mysteriously and say, “It found me.”
6. Crochet Tops
Crochet tops are the kind of wardrobe pieces that make people think you own a charming beach cottage and casually grow lavender.
Pair one with denim cutoffs or a swishy skirt and you’re ready for everything from farmers’ markets to impromptu photoshoots by a sunflower field.
Your grandma may have crocheted one in the ’70s.
You’re bringing it back with better lighting and Wi-Fi.
7. Embroidered Scarves
An embroidered scarf isn’t just an accessory—it’s wearable art that says, “Yes, I appreciate craftsmanship and I look fabulous.”
These beauties are stitched with love, flair and maybe a few secrets from the sewing circle.
Drape it over your coat like a fashion cape or twist it around your neck for that “I’m starring in my own indie movie” vibe.
The best part? It turns even the plainest outfit into something that looks curated by someone who owns an antique mirror and knows the meaning of hygge.
Probably.
8. Vintage Brooches
You haven’t truly accessorized until a brooch has entered the chat.
These sparkly little relics are basically personality pins—tiny declarations that say, “I dress like I might host a dinner party or solve a mystery at any given moment.”
Stick one on a blazer, a scarf, or even your tote bag and suddenly you’re not just showing up—you’re presenting.
Each brooch has flair, history and just enough drama to make your outfit gossip-worthy.
Sherlock Holmes could never.
9. Grandpa Sweaters
If your outfit doesn’t look like you borrowed it from a man who drinks black coffee and reads hardcovers, are you even doing 2025 right?
Grandpa sweaters are here to remind us that oversized and slouchy is the new cool—and also, maybe you should call your grandparents more.
These knits are like comfort food for your torso.
Wear one with boots and jeans, or over a slip dress to confuse the algorithms.
You’ll look like you listen to vinyl, smell like cinnamon and give great life advice.
10. Polka Dot Patterns
Some prints whisper. Polka dots giggle.
These peppy little spots are back and bouncing all over everything from skirts to scrunchies—and honestly, we’re not mad about it.
Just pair them with a confident smirk and let the retro energy do the rest.
If your look doesn’t say “pin-up meets power move,” go bigger on the dots.
11. Vintage Sunglasses
Throw on a pair of vintage sunglasses and you’re instantly the lead in a French film—or at least someone who knows where the good thrift shops are.
With frames that come in shapes you didn’t know existed, these shades are proof that eyewear can have a personality.
Cat-eye? Drama. Oversized aviators? Icon. Tiny round frames?
Poetry major on a coffee break.
Whether you’re dodging paparazzi (or just your ex), vintage sunglasses are your glamorous shield from reality.
12. Patterned Knitwear
This isn’t your average sweater.
Patterned knitwear is what happens when cozy collides with creativity.
These pieces come with attitude, color and maybe a few compliments built in. (Seriously, strangers will stop you.)
Throw one on and you’re immediately the most interesting person in the room—probably someone who journals, knows their birth chart and has very strong opinions about oat milk.
It’s wearable warmth with an artistic edge and it’s ready to steal your heart—and closet space.