Jessica Spoto

Ever see a young woman in cat-lady-couch, floral-print-style clothing with big chunky brown loafers? Well, this is one of many styles that are included in a trend called “grandma chic.” Of course, anyone can sport this chic grandma style, but the trend is seen mostly in people in their 20s to early 30s. Grandma chic puts a modern twist on older pieces of clothing.

A lot of grandma-chic clothing comes from the ‘80s. The ‘80s had these horrible-looking, long, frumpy dresses with big white lace details and floral patterns that looked like that ugly couch you saw every time you visited your grandma. Although the patterns and details may be out of date, the fit and shape of the garment can be tailored to today’s style to make the clothing more modern. The long, grandma-style dresses can be shortened and fitted.

There are many great ways to add grandma chic to any outfit. Shawls are one way, as are chunkier, out-of-date shoes. The chunky shoes work best in brown for this trend.

Where can you find grandma-chic items? Thrift stores, of course! If you are really into digging for treasures, try Goodwill Buy the Pound in Gorham, Maine. You just have to pay the price of digging through large blue bins with the items mushed together and a large crowd around you. Other than that, the clothing is super cheap — pennies on the pound!

If you’re not into digging to find things, there’s always A Good Cause Thrift Shop, located in downtown Portland. It’s a fantastic place to find grandma-chic clothes.

Now that you know where to get these grandma-chic outfits, thrift like there’s no tomorrow!