A baby boomer has become a viral sensation by sharing his thrifted discoveries and showing off his stylish ensembles.
Many social media users get their fashion inspiration from influencers, usually in their 20s or 30s. But at the grand old age of 78, Lawrence Lasher Pennington, who goes by Larry, has become a TikTok sensation after posting videos of his dapper outfits.
Pennington has always loved fashion, telling Newsweek that his parents "instilled a love of clothes" in him from a young age. So, whether it's a suit and tie (with a Windsor knot, of course), a checkered shirt with a bow tie, or even donning a fur coat to brave the weather, he's guaranteed to be dressed immaculately.
Indeed, while his wardrobe seems like a fashionista's paradise, many of the pieces were thrifted. Pennington, of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, estimates that around a quarter of his wardrobe was found in thrift stores, while almost his "entire house in Florida" was thrifted.
"I love fashion and crafting my own style and using things in new ways," Pennington said. "It's fun to be creative with your wardrobe. For me, having a large wardrobe allows me to mix match and be creative."
For this reason, Pennington, a baby boomer (people born between 1946 and 1964) started posting videos on social media (@larry.penninton on TikTok) to share his passion for thrifting. He didn't know what to expect, but becoming a fashion influencer was certainly not what he imagined.
His TikTok videos often generate tens of thousands of views, and one particular post went viral with 3.3 million views and 595,300 likes at the time of writing. Suffice it to say, social media users can't get enough of his vogueish fits.
Pennington said: "I had originally planned to share my thrifted house and decorating tips, and as an afterthought I began posting my outfit of the day. That has proved to be wildly popular.
"We dress every night for dinner, so it seemed logical to do a post each day. As people responded, I began to find things I wanted to share. When people liked the tie I had on, I realized I needed to start sharing more of them on the app," he continued.
The online response to his daily outfits is beyond anything Pennington could have hoped for, but he told Newsweek that he remains "amazed and very grateful."
He has been inundated with comments and messages, which he does his best to respond to. However, that has become increasingly difficult as his posts can generate thousands of responses.
With such a keen following, Pennington isn't stopping anytime soon. He plans to keep sharing his outfit of the day videos and his thrifted treasures, while even expanding to other social media platforms in the near future.
"I can't say enough about the wonderful people who have responded so kindly to my posts. I have no plan to stop sharing my outfits as it's easy and so rewarding. The amazing kindness that people show me is priceless," Pennington told Newsweek.
Many TikTok users have hailed Pennington's outfit videos online, leading to more than 8,200 comments on one his most viral videos.
One comment reads: "Our outfit inspiration for 2025."
Another TikTok user wrote: "My new fashion icon."
"You're my new favorite influencer," jested one commenter.
While another TikTok user responded: "WHO is THIS DIVA?"
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