The Coastal Grandmother Fashion Trend Is So Easy To Pull Off by Hayley Prokos

At the top of the list of things that one might least expect today’s youths to be yearning for is Ina Garten’s wardrobe. Like a brooch or pair of suspenders, the idea of dressing like even the most well-respected domestic types feels dated. And yet, this exact sartorial aesthetic — called “coastal grandmother fashion” as of late and pretty similar in concept to writer Harling Ross’ expression, “menocore” and content creator Christina Majjar’s “rich-mom energy” — is the latest development in the grandmillennial craze for vintage style. The coastal grandmother term pertains to the laid-back-yet-luxurious lifestyle habits of well-to-do retirees who live in sleepy, beachside towns in places like Nantucket or Monterey (think Big Little Lies). It went viral when TikToker Lex Nicoleta began posting videos about how such a persona lives.

In addition to fashion, the videos cover everything from inspired food and cocktail recipes to a lifestyle “starter pack.” (The latter includes a home with coastal views, a garden, and several hundred ginger jars to scatter around said home.) Nicoleta even made a Spotify playlist filled with songs that may have you “standing on your porch in a cashmere cardigan, clutching onto your morning coffee for dear life.” In terms of fashion: button-down shirts, straight-leg pants, Provençal market baskets, linen caftans, and pashmina shawls are essential to encapsulating the coastal grandma outfit. And, as Nicoleta also points out, being a grandmother is not a prerequisite to embrace the mood.

Indeed, “[these pieces] not only give a relaxed vibe but still have you feeling polished,” J.Crew’s Head of Women’s Design, Olympia Gayot, tells TZR. Though, unlike true grandmillennialism, this trend is a tad more minimalist, as it leans into neutral hues and eschews elaborate pattern-mixing.

For further inspiration, one might study the outfits of some heroines who live in filmmaker Nancy Meyers’ movies from the early aughts, like Erica Berry (Diane Keaton) in Something’s Gotta Give and Jane Adler (Meryl Streep) of It’s Complicated. Keaton, whose character often drifted about her Hamptons beach house in chinos and knitwear that matched the washed-out decor, even posted a tribute to coastal grandma chic on Instagram. A day later, Anne Hathaway, who starred in Meyers’ 2015 film The Intern, also declared her penchant for the trend, posing in pale separates and a bucket hat for an Insta photo.

“Everyone wants to completely detach [from reality] and wrap themselves in comfort. We’ve earned a summer uniform that doesn’t consist of tight clothes and stilt-like heels. Instead cardigans, relaxed button-downs, and khakis let us live a chill summer of leisure,” adds celebrity stylist Cindy Conroy. “Think ocean breezes that lull you into the best naps, beach strolls at sunset, and gardening. All the good stuff.”

Keep reading to see, and shop, the exact pieces you need to pull off the coastal grandmother look. The fashion aesthetic is set to replace hot girl summer style.

Poplin Pajamas

A pajama set is arguably the most dignified sleepwear one could wear and, thus, a coastal grandmother essential. (Can you think of even one notable coastal grandmother who would wear a years-old college T-shirt instead?) Cotton versions are classic and cozy. To be extra indulgent, you might opt for a set that includes a robe as well.

Kule The Long PJ Set $178 See On Kule