When Lex Nicoleta described her personal style as “somewhere between a character in ‘The Matrix’ and a coastal grandmother” on TikTok earlier this year, she started something much more powerful than a viral trend or an internet aesthetic. She awoke something in people across the world, who deeply identified with or aspired to the turtleneck-wearing, vacation home-dwelling lifestyles of the older female protagonists of films like “Something’s Gotta Give,” “It’s Complicated,” “Under the Tuscan Sun,” and “Nights in Rodanthe.”
Nicoleta has grown to become the Internet’s go-to source on all things “coastal grandmother,” sharing her favorite source material and thoughts on how to achieve that lifestyle. For example, Nicoleta has declared that Oprah Winfrey’s Montecito style is the quintessential Coastal Grandmother chic. Meanwhile, the persona has outgrown a single platform: It’s been dissected and opinion-columned and, of course, shopped out — because, in addition to proximity to a beach, the fashion is an essential part.
If you’ve watched any of the definitive texts in the “coastal grandmother” genre, you know that there’s a certain capsule wardrobe, made up of easy, breezy staples in warm, neutral colors that are untouched by trends. The are the oversized white button-downs, turtleneck sweaters, lots of cashmere and linen. For footwear, look to easy breezy sandals. For headwear, the bucket hat. And don’t forget your matching pajama set and sunglasses! So, grab some Chardonnay or some iced tea (with a perfect slice of lemon), and start shopping.
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