Bust out your crisp linen and the “good” vodka. It’s time to live life like Ina Garten
You sip cold white wine on a patio as you watch the ocean. Blue waves cascade into puffs of white foam once they meet the sand. You delight in the world’s natural beauty. As the sun sets in streams of pink and apricot over the sea, you take off your trusty straw hat, shake your head and savor the salt on your scalp. Time to go home. Barefoot at dusk, you mosey toward your house, nodding at a neighbor and foraging some gorgeous lavender on your way. As you step inside, the scents of roasting chicken and fresh linen tell you you’re home. You step into your kitchen, where the wainscoting is white, and the silver is vintage. After dinner, there will be freshly picked berries and freshly whipped cream. The space is full of cool tones, but the fire keeps it warm.
You’re a chic coastal grandmother, babe. Doesn’t it feel good?
For digital creator Lex Nicoleta, it feels great. Not only did Nicoleta coin the term “coastal grandmother” as a viral aesthetic trend on Tik Tok, but she’s also a committed lifestylist who considers Ina Garten her hero and Nancy Meyers’ movies her essential inspiration.
I mean, who needs to idolize Bella Hadid’s style when you can reference Diane Keaton’s character in Something’s Gotta Give every time you get dressed instead? Think oversized white linen blouses and only the coziest trousers, either in matching linen or washed-out denim.
But for Nicoleta, the coastal grandmother aesthetic isn’t just about interior design and clothes.
Like another luxe lifestylist, the inimitable Martha Stewart, Nicoleta shares all the “good things” that pass her coastal grandmother’s approval matrix on her platform. Think coastal grandmother wedding inspo, coastal grandmother approved Pinot Noirs, and coastal “granicures” (short, sensible nail looks). With nearly three million likes on Tik Tok and social media shout-outs from Diane Keaton and Anne Hathaway, key players in the Nancy Meyers universe, Nicoleta’s made it trendy to live like you’re old on the app dominated by the young.
Nicoletas’ stream of content clarifies that she knows exactly how she’s spending her summer with her coastal grandmother, but here are some ideas if you’re less sure. You may not be a wealthy white lady with a stunning beach house, endless privilege, and guaranteed safety, but with these locales, you might be able to LARP like one. And, of course, all genders are welcome to vacation like Coastal Grandmothers. Cheers to feeling rich and cozy…at least for the weekend!