Coastal Grandma is a new buzz word that has come out within the last couple years and the style that defines “coastal grandma” has women in their 20’s and 30’s in an absolute chokehold. Personally, the first time I heard the phrase was probably on Tik Tok a couple years ago and noticed its instant virality. It seems like everyone is onboard to embody the cute and effortless style! 

Let’s first figure out what a coastal grandma does and then we can break down the true coastal grandma style from there. A coastal grandma is someone who will have you over to her breathtaking waterfront home and serve you freshly squeezed lemonade on an adorable vintage bar cart and has homemade finger sandwiches waiting for you.Thatis what a coastal grandma does. 

Coastal grandma style can be described similarly to an old money aesthetic. Some adjectives that come to mind are: soft, effortless, classy, easy, relaxed, elegant, and modest. Think: rich grandma with a lot of personality who vacations in Nantucket at their summer home. Coastal grandma style would probably involve neutral colors, soft fabrics, good-quality material, and simple patterns.

Since we all know coastal grandmas are absolutely spending their time at a sweet East Coast beach for the whole summer, you better believe they have to be flaunting a one-of-a-kind swimsuit while they’re there too. A coastal grandma always looks good! Coastal grandma style is unique as well, normally shying away from the mainstream stores and buying from more discrete brands. We decided to do a short and detailed roster of our very own favorite swimsuits that perfectly fit that coastal grandma style. Without further ado:

1. The Beach Picnic One Piece Swimsuit

If you have followed us for a while, you know this adorable modest one piece swimsuit was going to be at the top of the list. It has a precious baby blue and white gingham pattern that fits the coastal grandma style to a tee. There is something about a soft blue color that is a common theme seen throughout most coastal grandma styles. We think it’s probably because this color light blue is seen all over Nantucket, which is basically the cream of the crop in terms of East Coast summer destinations. Plus, those coastal grandmas totally know what’s up and the baby blue just makes a summer tan really pop! Coastal grandma style can have maybe one pop of spiciness to an outfit – that’s why the keyhole detail in the chest area of this swimsuit adds just the right amount of personality to a modest swimsuit. Speaking of modest swimsuits, the conservative swimsuit bottoms is precisely the full-coverage look that you’d want if you’re trying to nail the coastal grandma style. It’s all about comfort and easiness, which is exactly what you get with this cut of a swimsuit. To finish off the look (because, come on, coastal grandma style always looks put-together), we would pair this with a simple white linen button-up shirt and cream linen wide-leg pants.

2. The Snow on the Beach Tankini

Of course this white tankini top and white high-waisted swim bottoms would make the coastal grandma style list. This modest tankini is feminine, sweet, classy, elegant, and easy. The ribbed texture adds detail and intricacy to the monochromatic all-white look. The gold details on the adjustable straps make it look expensive, like old money, and we all know those coastal grandmas have those dollars to spend (though, we’re happy to say this specific swimsuit comes at an affordable price). Coastal grandma style maintains effortlessness and ease with this white tankini set since it’s easy to slip in and out of (but isn’t that the best part of tankinis in general?). It is fully-lined with removable bra pads and gives a beautiful hourglass shape to any figure, thanks to its compressive material that hugs in all the right places. This one is a best-seller and we can see why so many have bought and loved this swimsuit! We would style this with a light blue and white striped matching linen shirt and short set and a fedora hat. Coastal grandma would definitely approve!

3. The Midnight Dip Swimsuit

Since coastal grandma style is classy, we knew that this modest black one piece swimsuit had to finish out this coastal grandma style guide. Have you ever heard of LBS? It is similar to “little black dress”, but the swimsuit version of that. It stands for “little black swimsuit” and this is one of those swimsuits that you need to have in your rotation. It’s one of those swimsuits you can wear anywhere and for any occasion because it will always be in style. It has gold hardware on the adjustable straps, ribbed texture, and removable bra pads. Of course it has the same conservative swimsuit bottoms in the lower half of the modest swimsuit, just as the other two mentioned on this list. Coastal grandma style invests in pieces and we think that this is one they would absolutely have in their drawer for years, still wearing it season after season. We would pair this with an oversized denim dress to keep it simple and comfortable, hitting the mark on the coastal grandma style yet again.

And there you have it! That’s our brief list of the best modest swimwear to encapsulate the coastal grandma style. If you want to check out some other swimsuit options that would totally be considered coastal grandma style as well, then go ahead and take a browse here!