These Linen Shorts Are a Must-Have for Nailing the Coastal Grandmother Trend
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Here at T&C, we pride ourselves on our discerning eye for quality. With Tried & True, our editors will give you an inside look at the pieces they simply cannot live without.
I'm going to cut to the chase: I love linen. Linen sheets, linen dresses, linen pants—you name it. If there was a spokesperson for linen, it would be me. Soft, airy, and cool, there's just something about the fabric that feels so luxe every time it's slipped on. So when the Coastal Grandmother trend started making the rounds on TikTok earlier this spring, and was coined the aesthetic of Summer 2022, I knew that this was finally a social media fad I could get behind.
In case you don't know what I am talking about (though odds are you do), the Coastal Grandmother trend encapsulates everything about coastal living and laid-back beach style a la your favorite female protagonists in Nancy Meyers's movies. So think: white button downs, caftans, straw hats, cream-colored apparel, and of course, breezy linens.
This summer so far, I've already added five new linen pieces to my wardrobe and one of the standouts staples is a pair of shorts from Alex Crane. The Brooklyn-based sustainable brand recently introduced a women's version of their best-selling men's Bo Shorts and they are truly a must-have for nailing the Coastal Grandmother aesthetic.
As is, everything about the label embodies the trend—their about page literally says "breeze is a spirit"—but these lightweight bottoms really take the cake for me. They come in three Coastal Grandmother-approved colorways: rust, striped blue and white, and bone, which I decided to try for myself.
The best way I can describe them is the stuff linen dreams are made of. Plain and simple yet cute and comfy, the Bo Shorts are made from 100 percent sustainably-grown French linen and soft-washed with eco-friendly, biodegradable enzymes, giving them that supple-to-the-touch feel I can't get enough of. They feature a drawstring waist and a split hem at the leg opening that provide a complete range of motion for the ultimate all-day comfort, plus three pockets that can fit your wallet, keys, phone, and other daily tchotchkes. They're great for the beach, but I find that they're even greater on oppressively hot days in the city when I just can't bear anything clinging to me.
Beyond that, the shorts are easy, laid-back, and don't require much thought. I throw them on with a crisp, short-sleeve button down, T-shirt, or a ribbed tank, and instantly feel put together and like my best coastal grandmother self at just 26 years old. Plus, their reasonable price point of $78 makes them not too much of a splurge. If that doesn't convince you to snag yourself a pair, I don't know what will!
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