Coastal Grandmother Mini Capsule Wardrobe | 9 Pieces + Outfits
Do you like to wear cool, breezy clothes made of linen and lightweight cotton? Lex Nicoleta, on TikTok recently coined the term “Coastal Grandmother” #coastalgrandmother and you don’t have live on the coast or be a grandmother to wear this style! You can watch Lex’s video on TikTok here…
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.'” I have always loved the whole coastal aesthetic, and find it timeless rather than trendy. When it comes to coastal grandmother style, I’m on board!
So what IS Coastal Grandmother style? It’s a whole lifestyle and includes clothing, food, and decor. In clothing, it’s reflected by Diane Keaton’s character in Something’s Gotta Give: simple light neutrals in natural fabrics. Comfortable, casual and relaxed, effortlessly put-together. Meryl Streep in “It’s Complicated” and Diane Keaton in “Something’s Gotta Give”, both Nancy Meyers movies, reflect the Coastal Grandmother style. I recently watched both of these movies and absolutely loved them!
Here is an outfit inspired by Diane Keaton in “Something’s Gotta Give”…
Shop The Outfit:
Here is an outfit inspired by Meryl Streep in “It’s Complicated”…
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Coastal Grandmother Mini Capsule Wardrobe
I created a mini capsule wardrobe that includes several pieces and accessories inspired by outfits worn by Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton in the Nancy Meyers movies. It consists of 9 pieces which includes tops, bottoms, shoes and a layer (cardigan). The cardigan is optional, but if the weather is breezy and cool, especially at night, you can wear it with the tops.
Don’t forget your accessories! There are two hats in the outfits as well as a straw bag. You can also add a simple pair of diamond or cubic zirconia earrings.
Hot Weather Substitutions
If you live in hot weather, like Florida, you can substitute the long sleeve gauze shirts with short sleeve linen tops and the jeans with either denim or light blue chambray shorts and the tan chino pants with tan twill shorts.
Style Tips
The White Button-down Shirt and Blue Button-down Shirt are both lightweight, breezy cotton shirts, but you can substitute regular cotton shirts (long sleeve or this short sleeve shirt), which are classic and timeless tops. I recommend rolling up the sleeves to your elbows, which will keep you cool and give your outfits a relaxed look.
I recommend the Grayson Hero Button-Up Shirt in “classic white” and “french blue” colors.
Use code “LEANNEBLACKMON” for $25 off your order!
You can roll up the pants legs a couple of times for a beachy look and will show off your shoes! If you would rather have sleeves on your white tee, you can substitute the tank for a short sleeve white tee.
Shop The Capsule Wardrobe:
Shop The Accessories:
Here are 9 outfits to get you started wearing the Coastal Grandmother style…
Brilliant!
What a wonderful bonus – thank you so much!
Oh my goodness! Who knew I was a Coastal Grandmother?!? I just wish I lived closer to the coast! So fun! You may also want to tag this collection what to wear for hot humid vacations as this is what I pack to visit my daughter in Florida.
I’m neither a grandmother nor currently living by the coast, but I own every single one of these items. That’s the beauty of timeless pieces! Thank you for sharing the outfits. They are perfect for running my weekend errands when the weather is warm, but not oppressively hot.
So glad I found you! I have tried to put together a capsule wardrobe but never fully got there. I think your blog and resources are just what I needed! I have signed up to join your Facebook group also, just waiting for approval. Thank you for all your hard work in putting all the resources together! Sharing with friends and my adult daughters.
I love this style, and I am a newly retiring grandma that will spend part of my time in Charleston SC. LOVE.LOVE.LOVE. Even though it might be a very small audience, I would love to see 4 seasons like this 😊. Thanks for posting!
👍 Not only for grandmothers. Super Post. Hello from Dortmund, Germany
Been a fan of your website for a while and just love this. Shared with my mom. Good for lakeside, too!
This is a great addition to the other capsule wardrobes – thank you for sharing it. I did wonder, though, about jewelry options for these outfits. Do you have suggestions for simple earrings & necklaces that would work with this capsule?
Excellent, timely post. Love every item.
Very fun post! Ordered the canvas hat and then saw I had a $25 rewards gift from Madewell for my birthday month so I ordered a second to give to my daughter!
I could never figure out which capsule suited me best…until now! I am a coastal grandmother! Thanks!
I think that this is just wonderful!!! I have most of the pieces already. I think that I actually have a category that helps me define me. So very excited to see this. This may only be for a small group of people, but could you do something like this for the other seasons as well? I hope you do and will be looking forward to seeing what you may come up with. Thanks again for a great blog post.
Love this.All the pieces are Great.Thanks for sharing.
Fabulous capsule! Thank you!
Finally! I’m a Coastal Grandmother right down to hydrangeas and blue white ginger jars. I’ve found my tribe and knowing it will help me resist other tempting but somehow not working pieces. I want to throw out everything but CG clothes. Thank you thank you! Now to go pack up all that other misfit stuff.
Abby,
I’m so glad to hear Coastal is your style! I enjoy wearing the style too, but just couldn’t pinpoint what “style” it was prior to Lex Nicoleta coining the Coastal Grandmother term. My decorating style is coastal also. I also love hydrangeas, but I have a collection of blue and white transferware plates and ironstone, but not ginger jars, although now I’m wanting 1 or 2 ginger jars!
If you don’t mind me asking, I’m considering creating a Coastal Vibes capsule wardrobe for the Fall season and know a few pieces I would include, but since you already wear the Coastal style, what pieces to enjoy wearing in the Fall season?
I do love this style also , I am in northeast PA but it suites my tastes and feels good on.
For fall I plan the same look but add Bass loafers and more navy. Bass loafers & stripe Breton, button downs and cotton cable sweaters, relaxed ankle jeans or blue jeans/black tee/clogs. I skip the demur cardis which get dowdy to me. Still lots of linen which softens it from the stiff preppy look (popped collars) I also love j crew flannel shirts over a dark tee and black straight jeans with clogs or Bass loafers but I work from home. I throw a long gold yellow duster over a logo tee (work swag) with yoga pants or leggings and Birks. I have 2 old navy camel duster sweaters from one of your collections and I love it with light blue or the navy stripe Breton tee & loafers to go in the office occasionally. I wear Lands end swim leggings year round bc they are comfy and like spanks with a great pocket for my phone. I like patterned ones. I’m 5’2, apple, big on top so dusters & scarves break up that matronly bosom look. I’m experimenting with cowboy boots but still a little queasy there and sticking with straight denim tucked in with a button down and that camel duster. I’m not sure that’s CG fall..more TX Grandmother. I look forward to seeing what you come up with!
Thank you Abby for your input on your favorite pieces to wear in the Fall!
Oh ladies, these have been known as my “fat clothes” for years! They are what you wear in the yard, kitchen and around the house. But never did I ever think to go out in public in them! Look where they are worn in the movies, on the beach and the garden. These actresses aren’t on the red carpet. I do love my linen. Liz Claiborne made summer linens for years and they are still good.
Good job on the creativity of this new craze. It’s better than most past fashion statements of the past.
It’s so Martha Stewart…
I live on MS Gulf Coast snd this is the way we dress. I just never knew it’s name. When I do Fall, I just deepen the colors. The light beige goes brown, the pink gets deeper and more marine and navy than light blue. Cardigans around the house but wind breakers and denim jackets replace them. More loafers and low boots than sandals and slides. Draw string linen pants and sleeveless tops are stored away. Probably won’t need a coat but if we did it will be a few days in winter. Maybe a lightweight cotton pull over or two.
Eve, Thank you for your suggestions! 😀
Please add coastal grandmother for the fall! I’m sure we’d love ideas on how to cuddle up those coastal vibes for cooler weather. I’d love to see cozy additions to your great capsule collection. Thanks for all of your inspiration!
Refreshing. Do a year round CG. Love it. And with my cottage core home I’ve redefined me. I’m creating the life I want to have!
I love this. Thank you for sharing, I will be looking forward to more great outfits.
I love seeing the options of clothes outfits but would also like to see these outfits on a physical body! then I can picture how loose looking they are or if you tuck a shirt, etc.
thanks.
I love this style! Thank you for pointing it out!