Billie Eilish attended the WSJ. Magazine 2025 Innovator Awards at MoMA on October 29, 2025 in New York City wearing her best grandpa-core pieces. The Grammy award winning artist was honored with the Music Innovator Award.
For the ceremony, she wore a navy jacket and matching midi skirt from Miu Miu’s Spring/Summer 2026 runway, styled with a colorful silk scarf tucked into a gray V-neck sweater. But what stole the show with her look was the knit socks held up by calf-high garters, leaning into the TikTok popular grandpa-core aesthetic that young people have been tapping into. She also wore a pair of brown leather bowler shoes with silver hardware, and embossed detailing, also tapping into that grandpa vibe.
People originally wore sock garters primarily to keep socks from slipping down, especially before socks had built-in elastic tops. They ensure a neat appearance by preventing socks from slouching or bunching around the ankles, which was important for a polished look in formal wear and business suits. Notably, most people can connect it to something their grandpa once wore, which is why it has that touch of older fashion that’s fun to play with in modern fashion.
Beauty wise, Billie Eilish kept her look very simple with rosy cheeks and a pinkish nude lip color. Beyond her grandpa-core aesthetic, Eilish’s speech at the awards made news for her callout to the billionaires in attendance. “We’re in a time right now where the world is really, really bad and really dark and people need empathy and help more than, kind of, ever, especially in our country,” Eilish told the star-studded audience. “I’d say if you have money, it would be great to use it for good things, maybe give it to some people that need it.”
Eilish has never been one to shy away from causes she loves, which is why everything about her feels true to fashion. So, if you’re thinking about leaning into quaint fashion nods with your current style, something as simple as sock garters is a fun touch to your everyday look. Never be afraid to mix something old with the new.
