'I'm shocked': Britain's 'coastal grandmas' become TikTok style icons

In March, 26-year-old influencer Lex Nicoleta posted a video on TikTok in which she coined the term "coastal grandma." The look, an ambitious way to dress, Nicoleta explained, was inspired by the white linen-clad stars of Nancy Meyers' romantic comedies, including Diane Keaton in Something's Gotta Give. More than just fashion, the coastal grandmother embodies a whole art of living. Think affluent retired women in button-up shirts, shopping at organic farmers markets, or hosting cozy candlelit dinners for their divorced colleagues in seaside mansions. Above all, you don't have to live near the beach. coast or being a grandmother to take advantage of the trend.

The TikTok hashtag #CoastalGrandmother has been viewed over 207 million times and featured all over ITV This Morning at vogue. Celebrities are on board, with the look championed by Gwyneth Paltrow and Kendall Jenner. In creamy chinos, oversized sunglasses and an equally large sun hat, Anne Hathaway welcomed the trend on Instagram. "I've been ready for #coastalgrandmother chic since before TikTok was born," she wrote. "May this moment never end."

In addition to Oprah relaxing in baggy knitwear, the celebrities and fictional characters most often referenced as icons of coastal granny are rich and white, leading some to criticize the trend as exclusive.

Despite this, the coastal granny's popularity continues to grow. We've seen what makes a perfect coastal grandmother both on the big screen (see Meryl Streep in It's Complicated) and off-screen via celebrity summer haunts such as the Hamptons. But closer to home, what do British coastal grandmothers think of the trend? And how does it feel to be called a style icon?

Denise Melfi, 80

retired nursery worker from Shoreham