An Overnight Style Sensation at 79

Larry Pennington, a fashionable former educator, was looking to share some advice on home décor and thrifting. He became an unlikely social media darling.

Larry Pennington’s style recalls a previous fashion era, when everyone dressed up for occasions like meals and airplane travel.

His TikTok account has struck a chord with young people — “My new mantra is ‘What would Larry do?’” a fellow TikTok creator, Traveling Terry, recently observed — who are drawn to his timeless style and home décor taste and are impressed with his social media savvy.