The coastal granddaughter is romanticising summer—and so are we

Linen button-downs. Wicker baskets. Dewy cheeks and bare feet on weathered wood floors. If the ‘coastal granddaughter’ aesthetic feels like a Nancy Meyers film mood-board crossed with a Kinfolk Instagram grid—it’s because it is. And Gen Z can’t get enough.

A softer season is here, and it smells like sea breeze, linen, and SPF 50

Born as a riff on the ‘coastal grandmother’ look that took over social media in 2022, the coastal granddaughter is her softer, younger successor. She doesn’t own a beach house in the Hamptons, but she’s manifesting the lifestyle with a slow-sipped iced matcha and a paperback in hand. It’s an aesthetic that whispers ‘old money’, minus the generational wealth, and screams summer—without ever raising its voice. The fashion? Think oversized white shirts, cotton co-ords, flowy sundresses, raffia accessories and slip-on Birkenstocks in shades of oat milk and sea foam. Hair is air-dried and sun-kissed, skin is minimally dewy, and jewellery is gold—but delicate.

But the appeal goes deeper than clean lines and a love of lemon water. The coastal granddaughter offers a moment of pause. It celebrates small rituals: watering plants, journaling on balconies, or making a salad from scratch with farmers’ market produce. The aesthetic is aspirational, but attainable—because it’s rooted in presence, not price tags. Even interiors are taking cues. Pinterest searches for ‘coastal living room’ and ‘light linen bedding’ have spiked, mirroring Gen Z’s craving for spaces that feel calm, collected, and connected to nature. The obsession is less about geography and more about mindset—you don’t need a coastline, just a corner of peace.

Whether you’re packing for a beach trip or curating a feed that feels like a soft breeze, remember that the coastal granddaughter isn’t just a vibe—it’s a lifestyle manifesto wrapped in linen. And it’s only getting started.