Going coastal

Inspired by a TikTok by @haleyybaylee, written in a salty swoon by me.

Good morning, friends. Thank you so much for all of your support for Cool Best Friend. I am so excited to bring some joy to shopping and will keep you all informed of all the fun events in store. More on that very soon. Cheers to new adventures and plans. Now, on to some inspiration.

Because there’s a new old aesthetic floating into view like fog rolling over a sea cliff—and I am obsessed. Coined on TikTok by @cinnamonseasweettea, Coastal Beatnik happens when the beach meets the Beat Generation. It’s sun-bleached rebellion. It’s poetry with sand between the pages. It’s Patti Smith wandering Montauk with a Moleskine. And it’s perfect in every way. Out with coastal grandma, in with coastal beatnik. So excited I discovered this awesome account. She makes beautiful animated moodboards like the one I posted above. Please check her out.

Because this aesthetic speaks to something quieter, cooler, and more introspective than typical “coastal” or “boho” looks. It’s Kerouac on a surfboard. Didion in a black turtleneck under a beachy kaftan. Kurt Cobain in louche layers. It’s not just a look; it’s a mood—and I want to live inside it.

As a kid, I worshipped at the beatnik altar—especially Kerouac, whose words I devoured like scripture. His prose felt like jazz: chaotic, hypnotic, a Benzedrine-fueled loop I never wanted to exit. I know it’s a bit cliché now, but that whole vibe of discovery and freedom—the open road, car culture, jazz clubs, bohemia—had me at hello. On the East Coast, we had Jack. On the West, Neal Cassady, whose wild-eyed escapades in Northern California made my teen heart race. I remember my dad, who often surprised me with his hidden interests, once told me he saw Ferlinghetti read live when he was young. We both loved poetry—writing it, reading it—so that moment felt like a secret bridge between us.

At this moment in our collective history, a sense of freewheeling open mind/open road dreaming feels warm and fuzzy in the best of ways.

So let’s break it down, build it out, and revel in this wild, wonderful, salty-beautiful world.

What is Coastal Beatnik?

A moody, poetic love affair between the ocean and a smoky jazz club. You might watch waves crash while journaling about existentialism or layering a striped tee under a threadbare blazer before wandering through a flea market.

Think:

• Introspective, salt-stung, and romantically undone.

• A little noir, a little nomadic.

• Earthy, sea-worn, tinged with philosophical longing.

  

  
  Color Palette:

• Washed-out blacks, foggy creams, driftwood grays.

• Sea glass blues, sun-bleached whites, bits of rust and olive.
  
  Celebs Who Embody the Vibe

Classic Icons

• Patti Smith

• Joan Didion

• Steve McQueen

• Brigitte Bardot in Saint-Tropez

• Dennis Hopper (surf punk poet energy)

• Bob Dylan

Modern Muses

• Zoë Kravitz

• Lorde

• Harry Styles (on a boat in linen = yes)

• Jesse Jo Stark

• Timothée Chalamet

Underrated Icons

• Gia Coppola

• Maggie Rogers

• Greta Lee (Past Lives perfection)

The Coastal Beatnik Capsule Wardrobe

You don’t buy it all at once. You gather it like sea glass. Pieces are soft, worn, slightly too big, or slightly frayed. Here’s your starter pack:

Tops

• Black turtleneck

• Breton striped tee

• Oversized linen shirt

• Faded band tee

• Poet blouse or sheer tank (above from Nili Lotan Summer collection)

Bottoms

• Vintage straight-leg denim

• Cream linen drawstring pants

• Sailor trousers- above from M. Patmos

• Wrap skirt with a washed-in drape

Layers

• Slouchy cardigan

• Worn military or utility jacket

• Fisherman sweater- this one is great.

• Unstructured blazer with beach hair

Accessories

• Straw market tote

• Sea glass or shell necklace

• Scarf for hair or neck

• Retro sunglasses, white feels white

• Leather huaraches or espadrilles

• A book of poetry, always or something like The Subterraneans or Dharma Bums by Kerouac

Coastal Beatnik Destinations

1. Big Sur, California
Craggy cliffs, wild surf, Henry Miller's old haunts, and moody redwoods. The only place on Earth that made me cry because of how beautiful it is.

2. Montauk, New York (off-season)
Fog, fish shacks, worn denim, and vintage surfboards mixed with VIBES.

3. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Artists’ cottages, pebbled beaches, and poetry readings.

4. Biarritz, France
Retro surf town meets French beatnik charm—leather-bound journals and espresso on the boardwalk.

5. Tofino, British Columbia
Remote and raw: driftwood beaches, forest hikes, and cozy corners with tea and books.

6. Cadaqués, Spain
Dali’s coastal escape with whitewashed buildings, winding paths, and a surreal edge.

7. Port Townsend, Washington
Victorian seaside town with a strong writer-artist community and gray-skied beauty.

8. Cape Cod, Massachusetts (especially Wellfleet & Truro)
Cottagecore meets literary legend—typewriters, sea air, and oysters.

9. Byron Bay, Australia (the less glossy parts)
Salt in the hair, secondhand bookstores, and barefoot mornings.

10. Cinque Terre, Italy (in the quiet season)
Muted pastels, slow afternoons, and wine by the water as waves crash below.

So what have we learned?

Coastal Beatnik isn’t a costume; it’s a calling. It’s for the salt-skinned dreamers, the late-night readers, the quiet rebels. It’s a lifestyle lived between tides and typewriters.

Whether journaling on the beach, thrifting in a linen blazer, or yearning for something deeper than dopamine dressing, this aesthetic is your soft, sultry permission slip.

Thanks to @haleyybaylee for the term that sent me spiraling into such a delicious visual world.
I made a custom playlist for those who feel deeply, dress intuitively, and live like a poetic Piscean. I’m a fellow water girl (Cancer), so I can deeply relate. Does this little microcosm trend resonate with you? You already know it does with me! XO

PS…coolest shit ever from my new venture Cool Best Friend (CBF). Check it out and sign up here. And if you’re not reading A Tiny Apt., omg. Legendary design, style, and collecting top ten Substack by my friend Christene Barberich, who will be leading us for a fun day @ Brimfield.

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