Move Over Dark Academia School Year- It’s Time for a Coastal Grandmother Summer
This past school year, I reveled in the dark academia aesthetic. I would light my Diptyque candle while reading classic European literature under the covers, hide between the heavy bookshelves of the library to write stories on aged cream paper for my fiction course, and dress up to study at the local coffee shop in reformation loafers and a thrifted cable-knit sweater. As finals came to a close and the temperature in Los Angeles began to rise rapidly, I had the realization that my dark academia semester had come to an end. As an English major, I thrive in this gothic meets old school prep aesthetic; however, the start of summer meant my book would now be read on the beach, rather than in the library with a view of the beach. When I received my final grades and begrudgingly moved out of my comforting dorm, I knew it was time for a summer vibe change. I meticulously searched every Tumblr blog, Twitter thread, and Pinterest vision board until I stumbled across influencer Lex Nicola’s TikTok video, coining an aesthetic called “coastal grandma.” This video immediately caught my attention. I saw my future flash before my eyes, filled with pictures of sunny beige beaches, crushed linen, and floppy straw hats.
I used to be an avid fan of the Netflix Original show Grace and Frankie. In this show, these 70-year-old women are shocked when their husbands come out to them as gay and as in a relationship together. Frankie, played by Lily Tomlin, is carefree, artistic, and a hippy in every form of the word. As opposed to Tomlin’s character, Jane Fonda plays Grace, who keeps up a poised image and old-money aura to her throughout the show. Never seen without a glass of wine in her hand, I realized Fonda’s character was my first ever recollection of an actual coastal grandmother. Often dressed in tailored khakis or light blue and white striped button-up shirts, Fonda encapsulated what it meant to be a coastal grandmother while actually living on the coast. The Good-Morning America Team also mentioned that “this growing trend is inspired by the style of dress seen in everything from timeless Nancy Meyers rom-coms, specifically Diane Keaton in "Something's Gotta Give," to Meryl Streep's aesthetic in "It's Complicated." Nancy Meyers and Diane Keaton both mentioned this growing aesthetic on their Instagrams. At the same time, Anne Hathaway took to the social media platform, saying, “I have been ready for #coastalgrandmother chic since before TikTok was born. May this moment never end.” I feel you, Anne!
If you are still unclear about the epitome of a coastal grandmother, I’ll give you a brief description of a day in your life as a coastal grandmother. You wake up around 10:30 a.m. in a king-size bed dressed in the Laundress x Le Labo detergent cleaned high thread count sheets and a restoration hardware comforter. The sweet smell of Rose 31 fills your nose while you make your bed, complete with accent pillows from the none other Home Goods. After putting on your white embroidered terry cloth robe, complete with matching slippers, you mosey on over to your carpeted walk-in closet, with a wardrobe from J.Crew, Artizia, Djerf Avenue, and L.L. Bean. While slipping on your fresh-water pearl earrings from Dillards mixed with an accent of gold jewelry from Gorjana, perhaps if you are a fancy coastal grandmother, Chanel; you change out of your robe and into effortless work pants, a ribbed tee, and of course, a white linen button-up shirt. Then, you walk into your white marble bathroom complete with wooden accents and colorful art above what you will only refer to as the “loo,” even though you have never lived in Europe. An outfit is never complete without a spritz of perfume, and today’s look would not be finished without your collection of Maison Margiela’s Replica scents, such as “Beach Walk” or “Sailing Day.” Beside your toothbrush holder lies your Dyson Air Wrap, waiting to blow out your long-bobbed hair once again. When entering your hardwood floored kitchen, you look at the time and decide it may be too early for a glass of wine, so coffee will have to do. After loading a K-Cup in your Jonathan Adler special edition Keurig while your coffee pours, you begin to work on the crudites and charcuterie boards for your brunch book club. When your friends enter, you remind them all the vegetables were handpicked from your garden. Today's soundtrack has everything from John Mayer to Elton John lightly humming in the background. As the book club goes on and the discussion of the latest TikTok book is lively, you neglect your coffee and decide it’s time to break out the bottle of your carefully aged French Chardonnay. As a long day of socializing comes to an end, it’s time to wrap yourself in a cashmere sweater and pick up your canvas L.L. Bean tote to stroll along the beach with your friends. While watching the sunset disappear into the sea, wine glass in hand, straw hat on head, you think to yourself, “Thank god I’m a coastal grandma.”
And if you still haven’t gotten your coastal grandma fix, check out this coastal grandma Spotify playlist by Lex Nicoleta and a few places to shop the aesthetic.
Djerf Avenue Breezy Shirt
(So you look the part)
The Laundress X Le Labo Rose 31 Detergent
(For your freshly washed sheets)
Sailing Day Perfume - Replica
(So you smell the part)