Fashion / Industry / Pearls
By Karen Dybis | August 25, 2022
Like most trends of late, the “coastal grandmother” look started on TikTok and has exploded into fashion, interior design, and, naturally, jewelry. But is this comfy, beachy, and classic aesthetic a trend that will stick around?
Style experts as well as jewelry designers agree: The answer is an absolute “yes.” Because the coastal grandmother look is based on florals, neutral colors, easy-to-wear shapes, and longtime favorites such as pearls and yellow gold, the term and its styling will last as long as, well, grandmothers or people like iconic actor Diane Keaton or former first lady and book editor/New York fashionista Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis remain fashion icons.
Jewelry brands including giants such as Mikimoto and trend-forward ones like Camilla Seretti have joined the coastal grandmother bandwagon, showing off how their pearl and other collections are a perfect match for the woman who wants to live on Martha’s Vineyard, wear a cardigan, and prune her hydrangeas all day.
For Camilla Seretti founder and designer Sahar Manley, adding her own twist to the coastal grandmother look isn’t about wearing something out of her age group or different than what she wants her customers to wear, no matter what their age. Rather, it’s about something timeless—an essential part of building a jewelry collection that stands the test of time.
“I don’t think this is a new trend. I believe this is just a new name for an old classic style that has always been around,” Manley says. “It is this generation’s version of the Ralph Lauren or Jackie O. look. Coastal grandma is just the new way of describing it.”
As most TikTok trends go, it all started with an influencer—Lex Nicoleta—who posted a TikTok video about the coastal grandmother look. She said the style came from gorgeous interiors like the ones found in Nancy Meyers films, preppy chefs like Ina Garten, and “coastal vibes” that make people of any age feel cool.
The reason the term trended? Nicoleta’s video had more than 2.4 million views and #coastalgrandmother has more than 30,000 posts on social media platforms including Instagram and even Spotify playlists. Coastal grandmother is so prevalent that even Martha Stewart, who epitomizes the trend, talks about it on her website.
So, is the coastal grandmother trend a spring-into-summer fling? Or does it have longer legs? You know a trend may be wearing itself out when Google questions include phrases like this: “What is the deal with coastal grandmother?”
Manley, who grew up in Newport Beach, Calif., says it will stick around. So, throw that sweater over your shoulders, pick up a piece of coastal grandmother jewelry, and prepare to go into fall feeling like the warmer temperatures could last a bit longer.
Manley says she believes the coastal grandmother may get a new name by 2023 or beyond, but she says the jewelry industry generally and pearl jewelry in particular benefit because these are things that never go out of style.
“I always say jewelry is comparable to ornaments on a Christmas tree. It allows a person to express themselves and can change an entire outfit,” Manley says. “This trend makes me happy because it feels like this generation is bringing back beautiful, classic jewelry designs.”
Top: This Camilla Seretti Tsen wrap pearl bracelet ($368) shows how people are wearing the coastal grandmother style by blending classic pieces that feature gold and pearls, says designer Sahar Manley (photos courtesy of Camilla Seretti).
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