Grab your beige cardigan and enjoy.
The coastal grandmother aesthetic has taken over TikTok, with videos that highlight the romanticized lifestyle of a cool older woman living beachside. Breezy open floor plans, long beach walks, and of course, flowing beige and white outfits define the coastal grandmother vibe. But the aesthetic isn’t limited to older women — plenty of young people of all genders are embracing the trend, buying outfits from L.L. Bean, gazing out of windows, and reading romance novels. If you want to treat every day like a picnic on the beach with your long-lost love, check out these movies that capture the coastal grandmother aesthetic.
It’s arguably easiest for a movie set in the summertime to harness the pure and comforting energy of a coastal grandma, but really, any movie can tap into it by focusing its narrative on what matters. All of these films below are fun watches; some of them feature wise women (regardless of their age or grandparental status) who are finding their way in a beautiful setting, others focus on loving friendships, and almost all of the have vibe-y beachside soundtracks. And of course, you cannot forget the ever-present chicness of the coastal clothing, which embodies a fun-loving and timelessly fashionable vibe, from culottes to headscarves.
Something’s Gotta Give
No one is more coastal grandmother than Diane Keaton in a Nancy Meyers movie — she is the blueprint. In Something’s Gotta Give, she meets Barry (played by Jack Nicholson), who finally changes his womanizing ways for her. The movie is full of contemplative wave watching, beautiful beach house landscaping, and an amazing cast from Keanu Reeves to Frances McDormand. It’s a treat seeing all these big-name actors slip into the chill coastal grandmother aesthetic.
Under the Tuscan Sun
This 2003 rom-com takes the coastal grandmother aesthetic abroad to the rolling vineyards of the Italian countryside. Another breezy icon, Diane Lane, plays Frances, a woman who travels through Italy after finding out her husband is cheating on her. She ends up remodeling a villa, mostly on her own, which is peak do-it-yourself coastal grandma vibes. Lane embodies the aesthetic in headscarves and chambray shirts reminiscent of Chessy in The Parent Trap as she drives down the coast in a convertible and serves meals to friends. Plus, this joyous version of Eat, Pray, Love stars Sandra Oh and Kate Walsh.
Nights in Rodanthe
This list wouldn’t be complete without a couple Nicholas Sparks adaptations. Nights in Rodanthe follows Adrienne, played by Lane (again!), who falls in love with Paul, played by Richard Gere, at a coastal bed-and-breakfast. Lane wears enough loose button ups and pashminas to fill an Ann Taylor store, and her loving friendship with Jean, played by Viola Davis, cements this film as the perfect coastal grandmother watch.
Mystic Pizza
Although the ‘80s are known for maximalism and the rejection of norms, Mystic Pizza somehow blends the this radical coming-of-age vibe with the neutrals of a coastal grandma aesthetic perfectly. In this fun comedy, Julia Roberts leads a cast of pizza shop workers as they try to find out who they really want to be.
The Last Song
Another Sparks film set by the ocean, The Last Song, brings a younger generation into the coastal grandma aesthetic. In this beachy teen romance, Ronnie (Miley Cyrus) and Will (Liam Hemsworth) fall in love through incredibly cute scenes of beach volleyball and guarding endangered wildlife, like any good coastal grandma would. There are certainly less monochrome outfits in this movie, but it makes up for that with sweet romance and delicate handling of wider themes like loss and divorce, a mainstay of the coastal grandmother aesthetic.
The Other Woman
Before the coastal grandmother moved to the sea and started spending most of her time in a beautiful, airy kitchen, she might have been like Cameron Diaz in The Other Woman: a burnt-out career obsessive living in New York City. In this movie, Diaz realizes she’s being cheated on and teams up with the other women (there are many) to get back at the guy. To do this, though, they have to get real coastal grandma-y and go to Connecticut. Although this movie has far more miniskirts than would typically fit in this aesthetic, it’s so fun watching these women take down a cheater against the scenic backdrop of a small coastal town.
According to Greta
Strangely enough, teen angst pairs perfectly with the coastal grandma vibe. In According to Greta, Hilary Duff plays the titular character who moves in with her grandparents on, you guessed it, the coast. While the movie includes themes of suicide and depression, it turns into a story of intergenerational healing set on the beautiful New Jersey shores.
Safe Haven
No coastal grandmother list would be complete without this moody beachside romance. Safe Haven, another Nicholas Sparks adaptation, stars the hunky Josh Duhamel as a single father and Julianne Hough as the mysterious new arrival in a small coastal town. The two main characters heal together and eventually fall in love in the most scenic setting.
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
Like the Diaz flick, How Stella Got Her Groove Back follows a high-powered career woman, but instead of exacting revenge, Stella (Angela Bassett) has a summer romance with Winston (Taye Diggs). The summer island vibes are impeccable and Whoopi Goldberg as Stella’s best friend embodies the ideal coastal grandmother, offering sound advice while wearing stunning draped monochromatic muumuus and wide-leg pants.
Wedding Crashers
This wild card entry may surprise you, but if you really think about it, Wedding Crashers is full of chic outfits and summertime energy. This Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson feature sees the two funny guys getting into a variety of messes at a wealthy family’s beautiful Maryland estate.
When you need more than a #OOTD or picnic recipe on TikTok to satisfy your craving for cozy beachside vibes, turn to these 10 movies that are sure to give you the full serotonin boost of the coastal grandmother aesthetic.
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