Coined by TikTok user Lexi Nicoleta, the coastal grandma aesthetic is a laid back preppy style, a la many of the moms you may have seen in ’90s films (the mom in The Parent Trap is a good example). It’s not as uptight as prep and not as nostalgic as the ’90s. It is beachy and it is minimal. It is the kind of aesthetic that fits readers, as it invites slowing down, journaling, reading on the beach or in a hammock or on the veranda after working in the garden and tossing veggies on the grill. It is a trend that is not trendy. Is it kind of ridiculous to see 20-somethings wanting to live the imagined leisurely life of 50- and 60-something white ladies? Yes. Is it also an aesthetic that encourages being leisurely, comfortable, and not trendy? Yes. In a world that has spent too long chasing trends, has been under the reality of pandemic, continues to see children and elderly people killed for going about their day to day lives…let’s let the young people enjoy things like this and let ourselves do it, too. Life is too short and I’d rather pop open a bottle of wine in my thrifted linen button down while listening to a cozy audiobook, barefoot in my garden, planning out my next morning’s trip to the shore to beach comb. Coastal grandma is, at its core, tired adult just trying to indulge in self care. I’ve taken a spin on this aesthetic today, much like for cottagecore and dark academia. These bookish goods are for those who love that coastal grandma aesthetic and who want to invite some of that ease and softness into their homes and lives.
