How to Enter Your Grandma Era This Winter: A Sustainable Guide to Grandmacore
Credit: TRT
It’s deep, sparse, unavoidable winter; Aquarius season is upon us, the warmth and excitement of the holidays have faded, and we’re instinctively nesting in our homes. If you’re part of the SB community, you may be entering your mid-20s, or gracefully leaving your 20s and entering your 30s, and finding that suddenly you’ve lost all interest in staying up past 9 PM, frequenting loud sweaty clubs in weather-inappropriate attire, and wasting your time with people who don’t deserve you. In fact, you find true joy in the single glass of wine you drink after (or with) dinner at 6PM. In spite of yourself, you pick up a new pair of crochet needles or spend hours knitting yourself a cozy scarf when it’s too cold to go outside. Your internal clock has adjusted so you wake up at the crack of dawn to make yourself a wholesome breakfast and soak up the few rays of waning sunshine we might be blessed with. You no longer find comfort in doubting yourself and have learned to nurture your body and honor its need for rest. It sounds like you might be…entering your grandma era. So are we!
You may have heard that many of the girls, gays, and theys are entering their grandma eras or aspiring to incorporate grandmacore into their lives. But what does it mean to enter your grandma era? And why should you in the first place?
When thinking of the grandma archetype, you might think of words like “wise”, “kind”, or “nurturing”. Grandmas have a wealth of life experience that allows them to approach experiences with confidence and an enlightened perspective. Grandmas are known for their ability to make others feel loved and valued. They have a unique way of making everything feel like home and will often laugh at your jokes even if they don’t get them. When we think of the kindest, most genuine, wholesome people in the world, we think of grandmas. Grandmas inspire us to be more compassionate, empathetic, and overall amazing people. Aspiring to be more like grandmas can help us to become more patient, understanding, and grateful for the people and things around us.
Credit: Nickelodeon
Grandmas are actually the original sustainable baddies. Have you ever seen one let a container go to waste? No, but really. Grandmas often live simpler lifestyles than most of us. Your grandparent has probably successfully grown their own food or may frequent local farmers markets on weekends. Because of the time period many of our grandmas were raised in, they understand the value of using resources more efficiently and are more mindful of waste. Repurposing and recycling items is their ish! Grandmas would never let their fruits and veggies rot in the fridge because they’d rather order take out. They are queens of cooking, preserving food, and reducing food waste. And they will be the first one to make sure that you’re eating a proper meal!
If you’re looking to enter your grandma era this winter (or at any time in your life) we’re here to guide you into the realm of susty grandma-era slayage with fun, wholesome intentions.
Good Grandma or Baddie Grandma?
To start off, it helps to define the type of grandma you want to be. The grandma era movement has a tendency to whitewash the idea of grandmotherhood or grandmacore. We’ve all taken note of the coastal grandma aesthetic and the eccentric cottage vibes that a Pinterest search of “grandmacore” will pull up. And there's nothing wrong with craving some east coast / west coast retired-and-thriving vibes or a warm little cottage in the woods. But many of us find comfort in the mild intensity of our ethnic grandmother's glare, the scent of the traditional meals we grew up eating, or those Chinese slippers with the flowers on them, and might prefer to adopt a more familiar grandma vibe. The choice is yours and you don’t need to be boxed into an idea of what “grandma” has been popularly marketed as. (Who would’ve thought grandmas could be marketed…#latestagecapitalism.)
Ask yourself, “what kind of grandma do I want to be?” Think of your own grandmothers, the iconic grandma characters you might aspire to be like, and maybe even your own momma. Are you the grandma who's been through three divorces and spent the last twenty years traveling solo? Are you the grandma who lives with their family and makes sure the next generation speaks your language and learns your traditions? Are you a woodland grandma who bakes sweet treats once a day and shares them with their neighbors?
For a final touch of inspo, head to Pinterest to create your grandma inspo board. Pinterest is a platform that still screams millenial/gen-z, but at its core is the grandma-est of platforms. Collage a grandma-era themed board that embodies the look and lifestyle you want to adopt as you begin your grandma journey. It may also help to dream up a few words that will define your grandma era. Sustainable baddies might look something like “compost queen,” “antique expert,” “born chef,” “breaker of generational curses,” “undeniably stylish,” “fun!”
Enter Your Chrysalis, Emerge a Grandma
If we had a dime for everytime we associated a cute person on the street with “grandma” from afar…well, we could finally afford that coastal grandma life. Despite this common conception, grandmas are some of the baddest baddies we know. To balance your burgeoning identities of “cute person” and “baddie”, you will need a wardrobe worthy of the grandma title.
Now, this doesn’t mean going out and buying an entire new wardrobe. When was the last time your grandma bought something new? Although, we aren’t opposed to thrifting a new cozy sweater that you’ll likely wear day in and day out. Create a color palette for your wardrobe, pick out a few pieces that are comfortable and embody your grandma persona, and mix and match them to create new outfits. Don’t forget to include all your heirloom jewelry!
As you transform into a grandma butterfly, take some time to turn your home/room into a grandma-worthy space. Your home should be a reflection of your truest self. A space that is literally a decorative embodiment of you and is full of warmth, love, and all the little knick knacks you’ve collected over the years.
To support your new grandma arc, here are three different grandma archetypes we’ve curated (this is just inspo, do you gorl!!) and some brands each grandma might enjoy.
Cozy Vintage Grandma
Funky Artiste Grandma
Wealthy Single Grandma
Vintage Designer from the RealReal
Get creative, and remember that all grandmas have an entire life's worth of influences and past selves that they can draw inspiration from. Don’t be afraid to tune into your younger self for outfit inspo.
Just Grandma Tings <3
It’s time to partake in grandma activities. Grandmas are pioneers of engaging in activities that are fun, healthy, and sustainable. Here is a non-exhaustive list of grandma activities that will enrich your grandma era:
Gardening: Connect with nature and learn to nurture and grow fresh flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
Knitting, Crocheting, and Mending: top-tier way to relax and reduce stress while also creating handmade items (that can be used or gifted to others) or mending your clothes to extend its lifetime.
Cooking and Baking (+ Composting): prepare meals using fresh and locally-sourced ingredients and share them with your loved ones. Then compost your scraps to reduce your carbon footprint!
Volunteering and Community Service: give back to your community by volunteering. Make a positive impact on the world and make new friends in the process.
Deep Cleaning: deep clean your home to relieve stress. Play your favorite music and declutter your space to keep a clear mind.
Watch An Old Film: put on your favorite nostalgia film and invite friends over to tell them how much the film impacted you in your youth.
Antiquing: Spend the day perusing antique stores and maybe even bring home something with a life as lived as yours! Don’t forget to sage them.
Each of these activities can help you, a newly-minted grandma, to stay busy, active, healthy, and sustainable!
Leisurely Strolls: The Original Hot Girl Walks
Contrary to popular belief, influencers did not create the hot girl walk. The first hot girl walk occurred when a neighborhood grandma decided they would never again miss out on a daily walk. Grandmas really put us onto going on little walks. Walking is a great way to move your body, get out of the house, and get back in touch with nature and the outdoors. Not to mention, walking is a low-impact form of exercise. Thank me later bones! Your daily walk can be taken alongside a bestie grandma friend, a doggo friend, or your favorite podcast.
Credit: ABC
If you’re feeling brave like a grandma, spark up a conversation with another person on their daily stroll. Grandmas get to talking to anyone when they go for walks! It’s a great way to socialize and interact with others. Morning Walker’s Clubs are a time-honored grandma (and grandpa!) tradition. You have been called upon to continue the walking tradition, get in your ten-thousand steps every day, and appreciate the Earth and your surroundings.
Commit to the Ways of the Grandma
We would give grandmas the world if we could, and now that you’re a grandma, why wouldn’t you give it to yourself? If you’ve been blessed to have the love of a grandma in your life or even learned what that love may look like from the media and others, put that love back out into the world and towards yourself. There truly is no love like a grandma's love <3.
As S.A.D. season intensifies, many of us struggle to feed or care for ourselves to the extent that we should. Part of your grandma arc should be treating yourself the way your grandma would treat you! A grandma would tell you to make sure you're getting enough rest and eating well; make sure to get plenty of sleep and to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. They would remind you to stay active and to find ways to move your body every day; whether it's through exercise, hobbies, or just going on your hot grandma walk. They would remind you to take time for yourself and to do things you enjoy. They would probably also tell you to stay in touch with loved ones (answer those unread texts 😩) and to make time for the people who matter most to you. So make yourself a special meal, a cup of hot cocoa, call your bestie for a long chat, and write out a bedtime story that is an oral tradition in your family. Oh, and drink plenty of water!
Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
No matter how you envision your grandma era, make sure love, acceptance, and kindness are at the center of it. Nurture your spirit, and you’ll soon find yourself with a lifetime of wisdom you’re ready to pass on.
How will you be entering your grandma era?