Coastal Dressing Guide 2026

You dream about East Coast blue hydrangeas, shingled houses, and white sails all year long. You can’t wait to spend your summers biking on the cape and swinging your Hunting Season raffia tote around town. Your pinterest is filled with idyllic stills from The Summer I Turned Pretty and you revel in these precious months when the Northern air is not bitter cold. You just want to read Emily Henry by the pool with your Krewe sunglasses, drink an elderflower spritz in the backyard in a cotton Quince sweater, and raid a farmstand in this Tuckernuck dress. You know there’s just as much fun and peace of mind pursuing the classics.

Fine Italian-made sweaters, dashing linens, and running into the right people at the right Italian beach club all sound like a good idea to you. Minus the murder. You are drawn to the codified touches of old world glamour and refined elegance. You fashion yourself a bohemian of sorts…with a mysterious source of income. You’ve cultivated great taste to spend these anonymous funds on investment pieces from labels like Emporio Sirenuse. Luckily for you, you can pretend to be part of the American jet-set living La Dolce Vita in crisp whites from With Jéan and romantic Agua Bendita bathing suits. Just don’t get too addicted to the lifestyle like Mr. Ripley did.

Your idea of a good summer is to party hard through its long nights. If it’s not Miami, it’s Montauk. You are here to be seen. Chicken nugget hauls from Round Swamp Farm and a permanent place by the booth at the Surf Lodge are high on your list of priorities. You favor bold, trendy silhouettes from the likes of Oséree or Staud. Eye-turning accessories such as these statement Gloria earrings are a must and you won’t say no to a blood orange raffia bag from Dragon Diffusion if it matches your drink of choice. Whether it's a rave or summer soirée, you’ll be there in a head-to-toe spectacle. One might even call you a modern day Gatsby.

Hot orange sunsets and a great surf sesh sound like the perfect combination to you. In California, summer is just a constant state of mind. You’re laid back, effervescent, and rock n’roll. You’re the type to drive your motorcycle on the PCH, play volleyball until late on Manhattan Beach and or spend the days tanning along the rocky coves of Malibu. Knowing what’s cool is in your blood. MadHappy. Chrome Hearts. Dipped in Blue. You're not afraid to stay super casual, albeit with some trendy edge. For you, the best coast is the West Coast.

You're a Jenni Kayne disciple and prize Flamingo Estates’ new drops like the devoted breed of Southern Californian you are. Finding fine leather and cashmere pieces at the Montecito Farmers Market can only be described as a life-long passion. The cling of glasses filled with local rosé is music to your ears. You won’t compromise on quality and take ease in living a slow life. Your backyard is the American Riviera and no one can argue with that. It’s no wonder your choice of labels speak for themselves.

For you lake-ing is a verb and summer means family time. Days on the lake are a midwestern tradition you revel in. It’s barbecues and fireflies. It’s good old fashion-ed fun (on a boat). Your wardrobe leans Tuckernuck preppy, with touches of intentional rustic charm. At first, you might look like an 80s J. Crew catalogue, but throwing on a fun ironic trucker hat from Dairy Boy can make heritage feel IG appropriate. You may not be the most fashion forward, but you stick to what feels familiar, warm, and frankly iconic in its own way.

In addition to sunny skies, you welcome misty harbors and stormy seas. You’d like nothing better than to spend candle-lit nights in a fisherman’s cabin in Maine listening to gothic tales of souls lost at sea. For daytime looks, you adhere to a closet only an original Fisherman-Core devotee would have. You must admit you adore a lobster-themed sweater or bag. Maybe you're a little too into shipwreck history and The Lighthouse, but with these pieces from With Jéan and Anna Sui, you’ll be prepared for the ghosts you plan to meet at night. Octopus ring included.

Your idea of coastal aesthetic is full tropical it-girl. A land of hibiscus flowers, pineapple smoothies, Hawaiian rainbows, and gold coasts sound like heaven to you. You’re a globetrotter. No matter where you can be found in the world, you’ll find the nuances in nature’s beauty. You're both casual and effervescent. You can pull off a rainbow Missoni gown with dollar store sunglasses. You naturally lean into maximalism, but always with a doze of cool. Think Dua Lipa and Zara Larsson. From Triangl bikinis to Staud dresses, summer to you means fully saturated color and joy. Maybe you’re just a real life mermaid.