What Was Once Granny Is Now Chic

February 6, 2024 Danielle Romanetti

What was once granny is now chic. Granny squares and quilted garments honor our past and the value of handmade.

The pandemic had a significant impact on fashion, for sure. Our local boutique owners, including us at fibre space, could write novels on how the pandemic changed the demands on their inventory and forced them to pivot. One of the trends that started midway through the pandemic that I found most exciting was the emphasis on sustainability, upcycling, and slow fashion.

Giving a second life to garments is green, but I believe we became more focused on this habit during the pandemic because it carries a certain romance and nostalgia of the times and people before us. We became more appreciative of the value of time during lockdown. We were nostalgic about the good old days when everything was crafted at home and when we made time for handmaking things like our food and our clothing. (Remember when we shared sourdough starter on local “Buy Nothing” groups?!)

As people started repurposing old vintage pieces, the fashion world was producing new ones that gave a nod to the 60s and 70s retro looks. Crochet dresses, tops, skirts, and jackets were the first to surge into the runways in Spring 2021, and they never left. Ulla Johnson’s spring 2023 collection included many handmade crochet items that brought me so much joy to see at The Hive.

As the dull days of winter hit Alexandria this year, my shop, fibre space, saw a surge in people learning to crochet and making granny squares as household items and garments. The classic granny square adds so much playful color to a look. Granny squares are bold but casual and laid back. They are showing up in jackets, skirts, tops and more on runways around the world for both winter and spring. (And there were plenty of crochet patchwork bathing suits in everyone’s resort collections).

Celebrities and TikTok influencers are embracing the “granny” look, which is helping throw these retro pieces back into the spotlight and into a place where they can truly be appreciated again.

If you are a crocheter, here are two patterns that our team loves right now for the granny square jacket look. Throw together your best bold retro color combination!

It’s not just crochet and granny squares making a comeback right now. Patchwork, piecework or quilted garments and bags are also enjoying a new appreciation. Plenty of celebrities have been spotted wearing Bode and other designer piecework garments as well as up-cycled or vintage ones.

If you have sewing skills, making one of these patchwork jackets is doable! Even if you don’t own a machine, you can rent time at Stitch Sew Shop in their maker space. They also have two gorgeous patterns in their store for quilted jackets:

Making your own means that it can be custom-made to fit your body—a bonus for those of us whose shape doesn’t fit into the molds of major fashion standards.

Here at fibre space, an amazing customer came by last year wearing a stunning jacket made of upcycled quilts. We were so excited to find out that she sells her items through her company! We now stock small pouches and larger totes from m.a.b.e.l.style. Of course, they have been a huge hit with our customers, but these totes for spring are…unique and exceptional. Every single bag is one of a kind. Stop by the shop and browse them all! ($80-$150):

If you aren’t someone who wants to make your clothing, but still want to jump on the “granny” trend, plenty of new items will be hitting the stores for spring. Be sure to check the origin of anything handmade in a retail store to ensure it was made under fair wage standards. I wrote a bit about this last year on Stylebook. If you are lucky enough to score a handmade item in a thrift or secondhand store, stop by and see us for washes appropriate for caring for handmade knit, crochet, and quilted garments so that you can continue to enjoy them for several more decades.