What You Need to Know About 'Coastal Grandmother,' the Latest Fashion Trend Going Viral on TikTok

A beach house and grandkids are not required to take part in this viral trend

Photo: Moviestore/Shutterstock

According to TikTok, it's time to embrace the "coastal grandmother" way of life.

TikTok users can't seem to get enough of the viral fashion and lifestyle trend, which was defined by Lex Nicoleta on the platform last month.

"What is a coastal grandmother you ask?" Nicoleta says in a video that has been viewed over 1.8 million times. "It's a term that I coined for this aesthetic, if you love Nancy Meyers movies, coastal vibes, recipes and cooking, Ina Garten, interiors and more, there is a good chance you might be a 'coastal grandmother.'"

"And no, you don't have to be a grandmother to be a 'costal grandmother,'" she added. "It's for anyone and everyone."

Nicoleta also created a playlist on Spotify which includes songs "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole and "L-O-V-E" by Nat King Cole. She has since posted several follow-up videos including: coastal grandmother kitchen tour, coastal grandmother turtlenecks, coastal grandmother movie recommendations to help people further understand — and embrace — the aesthetic.

Nicoleta further explained the trend in an interview on Good Morning America this weekend.

"I was always drawn to this lifestyle you see in a Nancy Myers movie or when you're visiting a relative that lives at the beach there is just this sense of coziness and safety that comes along with it," she shared.

"It's really just focusing on romanticizing your life and cultivating little moments of happiness — reading on your patio or cooking in your kitchen or making your morning coffee," she continued. "It's really in the details."

PEOPLE's Style and Beauty Director Andrea Lavinthal also revealed why some may be drawn to the "coastal grandmother" trend during the Good Morning America segment.

"First and foremost, coming out of the pandemic, we want something that is comfortable," she shared. "Fashion that is still comfortable but looks elevated, right. It looks a little more sophisticated, a little more lux."

Lavinthal added that breezy white button downs, cashmere sweaters, and wide brimmed hats can help achieve the "coastal grandmother" look.

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She also weighed in on the debate over whether the "coastal grandfather" exists. Men can fit the trend by wearing "Casual chic, elevated basics," according to Lavinthal.