Craftcore has emerged from the essence of nostalgia. It pays homage to the yesteryear eras when slow living and grandma-approved techniques weren’t just seasonal trends but actual ways of life. The pandemic has forced people to stop, think, and apply conscience to their fashion choices. Especially, with the younger generation of millennials and gen-z kids who are actively looking at different ways to practice fashion without harming the planet. Enters craftcore, and as the name suggests, it’s all about DIY and upcycling old items to create not just new, but statement-making pieces.
Image via: Pinterest, Dolce & Gabbana
Here, DIY is not your basic paint-on-the-t-shirt drill because you’re bored. This involves intricate techniques like crochet, macramé, patchwork, quilting, beading and more. Everyone from Instagram influencers and TikTokers to the Olympic gold medalists like Tom Daley, who recently became a pop culture phenomenon because of his knitting-by-the-pool incident has jumped this cute-but-kitsch bandwagon. To break this trend further, here are the different ways in which you can incorporate craftcore into your current wardrobe.
1. Creative crochet
Image via: Pinterest
Hear us out, this is nothing like your ugly Christmas sweater, it’s the cool cousin that studied abroad and came back looking stylish and popular. Two rules of doing crochet right this season—bright, popping hues and unconventional silhouettes. Whether you’re opting for an oversized jacket, cropped vest, funky trouser, bikini top, or a bucket hat—you can incorporate it in multiple ways that suit your personal aesthetic and according to the season that is currently dictating your closet.
2. Picturesque Patchwork
Image via: Dolce & Gabbana And Oscar de la Renta
Patchwork doesn’t always have to be used to cover up the torn part of your outfit with a piece of fabric. Indie labels as well as established designers like Dolce & Gabbana and Oscar de la Renta have infused patchwork in innovative ways in their recent runway collections. As a technique, it’s a great resource to curb fabric waste by utilising everything to create a unique pattern. Patchwork dresses, skirts, and accessories are doing the rounds on our timelines currently;
whether you want to thrift or create your own, this is a good way of integrating the trend.
3. Modern Macramé
Image via: Instagram
Macramé is the art of knotting the fabric to create a design out of it. It is usually used as decor at homes, but in the earlier decades, it was also a major part of fashion. The twisted textile can be found in cropped tops, tote bags, cardigans, and sheer dresses. Suspiciously similar to crochet, this technique is known for its intricacy and boho-chic vibe. If you’re into that ’70s retro style, then make space for macramé in your closet.
4. Bold Beading
Image via: Instagram And Susan Alexandra
Beading is commonly associated with clothing, but with the resurgence of Y2K, it can now be found in quirky necklaces and arm candies – supporting the craftcore theme. Celebrities like Gigi Hadid and Dua Lipa have been sporting colourful beaded necklaces and boxy checked bags with the same material on their various getaways. You can make your own beaded necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings with old beads from broken jewellery and clothing embroidery to refurbish into something that the cool girls of the world are wearing.
Picture Courtesy: Pinterest
