The Young Hippie History of Granny Square Crochet and its impact on Hippie Couture fashion

History Of The Granny Square & Its Relationship With Hippie And Couture Styles

A walk down history lane including the relationship between the classic granny square and the incredible world of boho fashion

Boho fashion is known for exuding a chill, desert-like vibe, including loads of mindfulness and nature-based accessories and pieces that create a unique look. But what does this have to do with a crochet technique? You’d be surprised to know that granny squares hold a lot of bohemian styles that date back many decades ago, and this article will tell you all about them. 

Below you can find an informative—but super trendy and fun—post about the origins of the granny square and how it has influenced bohemian style over the years up until what we perceive as boho fashion today. What’s more, trendy granny square clothing items you must invest in to expand your closet and discover a new way to wear your bohemian pride. 

 

 

Photo by JOONY on Unsplash

 

Granny Square Explained

The all-time famous granny square is a term used to describe a crochet pattern and form which uses three double crochet stitches that are worked into the chain spaces of the previous round.  

You might question why they're called granny squares in the first place. They chose this name for several reasons. Grannies were the ones who manufactured them the most, and you don't need good eyesight to do so.

Granny squares appeared in 1891 in the book “The Art of Crocheting” but it wasn't until 1897 that it was published as a written pattern. You can say that the granny square has been around for quite a few years, and it keeps its foundations somewhat intact. What did change, though, has its shapes and styles used. 

Nowadays, we’re constantly seeing incredible crochet pieces that use the same technique as the granny square but in different shapes, such as a circle, rectangle, and more. But the classic granny square is still the easiest and most found in stores, with typical but beautiful designs used in boho ponchos, patchwork cardigans and even matching tops and skirts.  

Certainly, the granny square hasn’t changed that much, but fashion did take a massive turn and allowed this ancient crocheting pattern to reinvent itself and become a valuable fashion asset. 

 

Granny Square & Fashion: A Look Through Boho Style

If you’ve ever set foot in a boho store you’ve probably found one or two crochet pieces made with fun colors and the magic ingredient: the granny square. Now that you know that the common knitted squares together (and other shapes too) are part of a century-old tradition, you might be interested in how it became a fashion statement in current days.  

Granny squares are simple, inexpensive, well-known, and portable, and they let you play with different colors and stitches. They also allow you to experiment with different color and stitch combinations without committing a lot of time (and yarn) to a project only to discover that you dislike a stitch when worked in a certain color or dislike a particular color combination. 

We all know that certain trends tend to arise years after their peak, such as the 90s, but how did the granny square become a boho statement? The true origins of boho fashion are not really defined, thus some believe they originated in Bohemia, an area in the Czech Republic where the citizens were called like this, while others trace bohemian influences back to after the French revolution were poverty stroke and people were forced to wear old and unfashionable clothes. 

This last one has a close relationship with the granny square actually, thus years after France reinstated its glory and people were able to acquire fabrics and other materials, yarn was beginning to grow popular. The granny square served as an easy and inexpensive way of assembling clothing that did not require much work and that could be done in small sections. Fast forward to this day, the trend is still a major part of boho fashion that not only bohemians were but almost everyone, and some even without noticing it. 

Today, many crochet pieces made from granny squares are a hot trend among celebrities, such as boho turtlenecks with long sleeves and crochet kimonos. 

 

Best 2022 Granny Square Trends In Fashion

2022 is the ultimate granny square year, and if you haven’t read about the upcoming trends with this crochet pattern, here’s the rundown for you. 

Perhaps the most awaited clothing piece has to be the granny square boho tank top, very popular on social media at the moment due to the chill and unique look it exudes as well as the inexpensive price compared to other tank tops made from fabrics. Apart from this, we have the boho-meets-beach girl granny square skirt that has become extremely popular after the Coachella season thanks to several celebrities posting pictures on their social media accounts.

Matching sets are very trendy for this upcoming year, and you should definitely take a look at this boho granny square cropped top and skirt to add a unique outfit to your wardrobe.  

 

History Of The Granny Square Sum Up

This article aims to spread some knowledge about the history of the granny square and its connection with the bohemian style. We began talking about how the granny square appeared on the scene to later introduce the link between itself and boho trends, dating back to post-French revolution times (a few decades after).

It is quite intriguing how a simple crochet pattern can have a huge impact on a fashion style as it is boho, and how much history a technique can carry throughout time.

 

We also included some upcoming granny square trending pieces to help you build the closet of your dream, filled with unique and comfortable (and super cozy) clothing that will allow you to become your true self. Feel free to take a look at the rest of our catalogs to include statement jewelry items that will go fantastic with all your granny square outfits. 

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