Summer will be coastal: discover THE trend of the season, Coastal Grandmother
Folks, we live in a time of great upheaval. Not long ago, trends were dictated by fashion gurus: magazines, haughty stylists and celebrities constantly flanked by a bunch of paparazzi.
All this could have gone on for a long time, but that was without taking into account the thunderous entry of social networks and their batch of influencers, who are increasingly finding themselves in pole position as fashion launchers. There's a whiff of democracy in the air, a little voice whispering "You can do it too".
Lex Nicoleta is a PERFECT example of this evolution. A few months ago, this American started describing her favorite aesthetic on video on TikTok to her few thousand followers. At the time, she had no idea that she was actually the originator of THE trend of the summer...
A few weeks after this first video, a curious reversal phenomenon occurred: the stars were flocking to this trend. Among these stars is actress Anne Hathaway, who does not hide her fervent enthusiasm for the movement. "I wish this moment would never end," she says in the Instagram caption of a photo in which she can be seen dressed in the trend from head to toe.
This suspense has gone on long enough. "What is this famous trend," you must be wondering.
(We'll pretend you didn't read the title).
Coastal Grandmother, the biggest summer trend of 2022
This trend is also known as Coastal Grandma and Coastal Granny. Yes, we know. It sounds weird.
More than a trend, this movement is an actual lifestyle. The concept? Embrace the understated, humble elegance of a older woman living on the coast. Clearly, the Coastal Grandmother is rich. But she's far from showy: imagine the kind of discreet, old-fashioned fortune, the kind where you could find a gold mine hidden under the bed. This is reflected in her style of dress: no bling-bling, but rather simple, quality outfits.
When it comes to habits, the Coastal Grandmother is a woman of taste. She has several highlights in her day: a breakfast of tea and scones, a trip to the market to stock up on vegetables and fresh produce, and in the afternoon, a walk on the beach with her straw hat and jumper tied over her shoulders, not forgetting a glass of good white wine in her hand.
Lex Nicoleta didn't pull this inspiration out of a surprise bag. The aesthetic is mainly inspired by the films of Nancy Meyers, whose muses include Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton. Overall, the idea is to move away from the maximalism and superficiality of today's fashion and (re)turn to the simple things in life. The good news is that you don't have to be a grandmother to embody this style, or live on the coast for that matter. For example, Anne Hathaway is a perfect ambassador for it.
Do you also want to surf this wave to boost your sales to the coolest of your customers? Let's take the plunge and decipher the trend just for you.
The visual codes of Coastal Grandmother
Florals
The Coastal Granny loves flowers - after all, she is a grandmother. In her seaside home, you'll find bouquets of fresh flowers arranged with care every day. This is also one of her main graphic inspirations. But be careful, no flashy flowers that are too photo-realistic or multi-coloured: imagine patterns combining one or two colors at the most, a little like those seen on grandma's china plates.
Comfortable silhouettes
The Coastal Grandmother loves freedom of movement, comfort. She did not retire to bother with bulky outfits. In her wardrobe, you'll find comfortable pieces that are a little wide without being oversized like today's streetwear fashion - let's not exaggerate. To achieve this style, advise your clients to go up a size, and voilà.
The colors beige and blue
Garish colors ? Not for her. The Coastal Grandma is very meticulous in her choice of palette colors. In her interior decoration as in her wardrobe, you will often find a harmony between two shades that complement each other very well: beige and blue. Rather in their pastel or at least soft versions, to always remain in a minimalist spirit. These two tones are repeated everywhere in this aesthetic, a bit like a tribute to two omnipresent actors of the Coastal Grandma 's daily life: the sea and the sand.
Nautical patterns
Speaking of the devil... The Coastal Grandmother enjoys the beach, the sea air, the cries of the seagulls every day. So naturally, her interior and the contents of her wardrobe reflect this very special atmosphere. No kitschy dolphin patterns like the one on your t-shirt worn to the school fair in fourth grade: once again, you have to aim for a certain refinement. Small crabs, discreet fish, shells, buoys, lighthouses... The kind of charming patterns that smell like clean, marine air, without automatically transporting you to Florida (we promise, we have nothing against Florida, but she would probably prefer the French Riviera or Santa Monica).
Fruit, cocktails and other delicacies
The Coastal Grandma is an epicurean: she has a taste for good things, quality products, preferably local (or imported directly from a small village in Italy). Her body is a temple: she gives it the best. Yes, of course, above all because she can afford it. Fresh fruit picked the same day with love, cocktails concocted with basil leaves, Pinot Grigio to accompany her oysters... She doesn't deny herself anything. Culinary pleasures are an integral part of her life, so why not celebrate them by featuring them in your Coastal Grandmother visuals? Always in a refined way, of course, with a soft, watercolour-like visual for example.
Minimalism
We're still harping on this point, but that's because it's so important. The Grandmother of the Littoral chooses what will occupy her aesthetic landscape with the greatest care. Her watchwords? Finesse, minimalism, distinction. So, we advise you to avoid busy designs and to make typography a secondary, even optional aspect of your visuals, to concentrate on simple illustrations, paintings or patterns, always in the theme.
Our perfect products for Coastal Grandmother
The Coastal Grandmother trend, despite its quirkiness at first glance, is the perfect embodiment of fashion's superpower to take us through time and space. You just have to believe in it, and that's pretty magical. You too can buy them a single ticket to a stylish seaside lifestyle by designing your own products according to this great aesthetic.