A Love Letter to the Coastal Grandma Aesthetic
Think linen, gingham, and a Nancy Meyers-worthy wardrobe curated for seaside mornings and sunset spritzes.
When it comes to personal style, I can be a bit of a chameleon, and that is because I wholeheartedly believe in the art of situational dressing. For example, what I wear to Easter brunch at my grandmother's will look noting like the outfit I wear to Sunday brunch in the city with girlfriends. And to take that a step further, what I wear to brunch on the UES will not even resemble what I wear to brunch on the LES. You feel me?
There are many different ways to describe one's personal style— quiet luxury, normcore (lol), boho, maximalist... And then there are style archetypes, that pull from various places, pieces of culture & industry to create a style persona of sorts. All this is to say, when it comes to summer dressing, there is one archetype that reigns supreme IMO, and that is..... the Coastal Grandmother. She is eternal, she is iconic and she makes breezy elegance look like second nature. It’s not just about looking chic (though she always does)—it’s the kind of ease that says, I’ve lived, I’ve learned, and I always keep good olive oil on hand. It’s a whole vibe, without saying a word.
Now that it’s officially summer in the Northeast, it’s unofficially Coastal Grandma season—and honestly, there’s no better aesthetic to lean into as the temps heat up. It works anywhere, for anything, and the best part? Anyone can pull it off. Whether you’re in a linen set from J.Crew or The Row, the look reads the same— effortless, elevated and quietly confident. If you’re someone who hasn’t quite nailed down a personal style, start here. For the next four months, use Coastal Grandma as your style uniform and you'll be happy as a (New England steamer) clam.
As someone who quite literally lives between the dune-lined beaches of the Hamptons (home) and the rocky shores of Rhode Island (home away from home), I like to think I have a pretty solid perch when it comes to understanding how to weave ththis aesthetic not just into your wardrobe, but your life too. I mean, I’ve only been doing it since birth... Lucky for you, I’ve pulled together a quintessential collection of pieces—from shoes to jewels, and of course, lots & lots of linen and chunky knits. Hydrangeas not included, but highly encouraged.
Shop my full edit HERE!! and start living your best #CoastalGrandma life asap.
CG Cheat Sheet
palette: taupe, white, greige, sky blue, navy, butter yellow, pops of red or sage.
texture: linen, raffia, cashmere, chunky cotton, leather, mixed metals.
pattern: mostly solid, gingham, pinstripe, chunky stripe, american flag.
destination: Sagaponeck, Amagansett, Tiverton, Nantucket, Deer Island, Martha’s Vineyard