Create a Coastal Preppy Wardrobe with Me and Love Notions Patterns

…Spring 2023 Love Notions 40% off sale

This week, May 1-5, 2023, all Love Notions patterns and courses will be 40% off! This doesn’t happen very often, so I highly suggest grabbing any patterns(and courses) you really want to sew up soon! You can use my code MACSEWS10 which will give you an additional 10% off the sale prices. I will also be giving away one Love Notions pattern to one of my blog readers. Make sure you read to the end to learn how you can enter!

The “Coastal Grandma” aesthetic has been getting a lot of attention the past year or so. This is mainly due to a TikTok trend. But, where I live (and where my family is from) ~ it’s been around for a long time and it’s always how we dress!

For this year’s Spring Sale, I thought I would put my own spin on this trend and talk about creating a “Coastal Preppy” wardrobe with Love Notions patterns.

Before I get into which patterns to use, let’s talk about some basics such as color, prints/patterns, fabrics and accessories.

Colors: The Coastal Grandma trend is filled with neutral colors like white, cream, khaki and denims. To make it “Coastal Preppy” we just need to add a bit of color. But not just any color, adding pink, navy, Kelly green will certainly make your makes preppier!

Print/Patterns:

• Stripes~Adding a classic stripe will instantly make any outfit preppier. Navy and white stripes especially!
• Gingham~ such a classic, and always has a place in a coastal preppy outfit!
• Florals~ Classic florals in blues and pinks. Any “Lilly P” type print. Nautical prints work too!
• Madra Plaids~ you can’t go wrong with a classic madras( especially for a pair of shorts or pants paired with a white button down shirt.
• Color blocking~ a very preppy thing to do (and one that I love!)

Fabrics: Natural fibers are the way to go here! Linens and chambray are most popular. Add in some cotton seersucker, embroidered cottons and eyelets.

Accessories: Straw bags, totes and hats! A boat tote is timeless~ think of the totes you see at L.L. Bean and Land’s End.

The Love Notions Patterns I’ve Used for My Coastal Preppy Wardrobe This Spring

1. Aria Button Down

If you can only pick one pattern, then it has to be the Aria button down. A classic button down is always a staple in any coastal preppy wardrobe. Worn open over a t-shirt is such a classic coastal thing to do! My newest Arias are these two I made just for this blog post! Nervous about sewing a button down shirt? No need to be! There is an awesome sewing course you can purchase that holds your hand every step of the way. The 40% sale include all the sewing courses too!! You can find the Aria Course HERE.

I can tell you already that the chambray one will be worn constantly! I’m already grabbing it as soon as it’s clean again. My Chambray version is a linen and rayon blend I’ve had in my stash for some time. Worn over a pair of linen pants (RTW~ but you can recreate these with the Allegro pants pattern) along with a striped knit top makes this a perfect casual coastal preppy outfit. (This striped top is a mashup of the Classic Tee and LBD top. You can read more about that top HERE).

The blue striped cotton embroidered version is fabric that I happened to come across in Hobby Lobby. The pink embroidered dogs just needed to come home with me. I paired the blue stripe fabric with some vintage pink gingham I had in my stash. Both are classic and quintessentially coastal.

Here are a few older versions of the Aria that I’ve made, that fit my coastal preppy aesthetic are my color blocked seersucker version, my linen striped versions and my hot pink linen dress!

To read all about the Aria, and how I adjust it to fit my petite pear shape, visit this blog post.

2. Lincoln Top with the Boatneck

Boatneck knit tops in stripes will always give you a coastal preppy look, especially navy ones! Add some antique anchor buttons to complete the look! This is a Lincoln top that I lengthened. I also wore a tank under this because it was chilly as the sun was going down. I actually loved the way that the coral tank peeked out at the boat neckline and where I had left the buttons undone on the side.

This is a Ponte knit from Surge Fabrics. I love the Lincoln in a slightly heavier knit fabric.

Honestly, I think the Lincoln top is meant to be in stripes!!!

Read all about how I selected my size for the Lincoln HERE.

Read how I lengthened this navy striped version HERE.

3. Rhapsody Blouse

The classic style of the Rhapsody lends itself to the Coastal Preppy aesthetic. When selecting fabrics for a Rhapsody for your “Coastal Prep” wardrobe think about the colors and prints of your fabrics. A lightweight solid linen with some drape would be perfect. (You might need a linen/rayon blend to achieve the correct drape). Classic florals, nautical prints and even stripes.

My floral version is a rayon linen blend. This hydrangea floral print screams coastal! We love our hydrangeas all summer long~ they grow so easily in our sandy soil. I have a few in my own yard~ but my favorite place to see hydrangea are on Nantucket! You can’t get anymore Coastal Prep than there! (I added one of my favorite photos of Nantucket Blue hydrangeas~ because it’s my blog and I can.)

Photo on the far left, shows my new hair! Yes, I am growing out my gray! I’ve been so nervous about doing it~ but decided it’s time! That blouse also shows my favorite sleeve hack for the Rhapsody. To see how I created that ruffle sleeve hem, visit this blog post.

Whimsical-nautical prints are also classically coastal preppy. Anything with sailboats or anchors fit right in. My sailboat version is a rayon challis that I had custom printed at Raspberry Creek fabrics. The print AND the colors are perfect!

For a detailed post about the Rhapsody Blouse, along with tips for sewing it visit this blog post.

Tunics

Every Coastal Preppy wardrobe is going to have to include a few classic tunics! Knit or woven, there is a Love Notions pattern to use!

4. Presto Tunic ~ for Wovens

A Presto tunic sewn up in linen is a must have! Another great option would be seersucker. Both of these fabrics are perfect for the Presto. I have plans for more, it is one of the patterns that I love that just seems to get overlooked sometimes. It’s such a classic style. I think it would look great in a solid linen and/or a nice chambray.

Both of these fabrics are from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. The linen version is a Brussels Washer rayon linen blend that is just perfect for the Presto. I wrote a blog all about sewing linen over on the Raspberry Creek Fabrics Blog. You can read that HERE.

Colorblocking and seersucker are a classic preppy combination! Adding some rickrack trim makes it even preppier! This is one of my favorite makes!

You can read all about sewing the seersucker version HERE.

For more details on the Presto Tunic and a few tips and tricks, visit this blog post.

5. Terra Tunic ~ for Knits

The Terra Tunic is another classic style. It fits right in a coastal preppy wardrobe. The Terra Tunic is loaded with options (and I have made sooo many versions!) ~ but the perfect version for a coastal preppy wardrobe would be the boatneck version. Other ways to make it “Coastal Prep” would be by selecting colors and fabrics that fit the aesthetic.

The Terras below have been hacked to have a V-neck facing. Both these fabrics, in design and color are perfect for the Coastal Prep look. Adding a bit of RickRack completed the look I was going for. Bright pink and Navy are always a good choice.

Visit this blog post for a tutorial on creating a v-neck faced Terra.

Visit this blog post for complete details about the Terra Tunic, its options and a few sewing tips for the Terra.

I don’t have a great photo of my boatneck Terra, but I do have good pics of the fabric and buttons I used. Here I combined a striped Kelly green and blue with gold metal buttons to create a coastal preppy look! I do plan on making another stripe boatneck version in the future. This green/blue version needed an adjustment on the neckline~ which I learned the hard way! Sometimes you really do need to make a muslin!

Additional Patterns

The 5 patterns listed above and ones that came to my mind first when I thought of creating this list. As I was working on this blog post, I realized there were so many others that would work well too. Below are some more ideas!

• Melody Dolman
• Constellation Pullover
• Boyfriend Cardigan~ a classic navy or natural color would be perfect
• Allegro Pants~ made in linen would be the perfect pant for any of my makes.

These two Melody Dolmans get worn a lot too. So easy to throw on with a pair of chinos or jeans! Both are made in 100% cotton fabrics. I love these tops because they are cool to wear for bike rides yet still look polished enough for a lunch out. We often ride our bikes to go out to lunch!!

To read more on my Melody Dolmans, visit this blog post.

The Constellation Pullover is perfect for a Coastal Preppy wardrobe too! Evenings in the NorthEast always require a jacket or sweatshirt. The one the left is made from swim fabric that also provides sun protection. And on the right~ when one goes to a Lobster Bake you need a lobster Constellation~ right?

All fabrics above are from Raspberry Creek Fabrics.

Read more about these Constellation Pullovers HERE and HERE.

---

Thanks for stopping by! I truly appreciate all of you that visit!  If you enjoyed this blog post, consider subscribing to my blog to stay up to date with all my posts!   I hope I’ve inspired you to sew up a few “coastal preppy” pieces for your wardrobe!

Mary Anne 🙂

Remember to follow me over on Instagram to see all my latest makes!  @sewmarymac

You can also follow my Facebook Page~ Sew Mary Mac. On this page you will find information on my makes from all pattern companies. If I know of any good sales(pattern or fabric) I will also feature this information. I have had many of my loyal followers send me friend requests on Facebook. I do post in the Love Notions group under Mary Anne MacLean, however this Facebook account is private. There is no sewing content on that Facebook Account.

---

You can purchase any Love Notions patterns HERE. Remember this sale includes the sewing courses as well!

This is an affiliate link. It costs you nothing to purchase from this link, it just helps fund my fabric addiction which allows me to test and review more patterns.

To receive an additional 10% off the pattern prices, use this coupon code MACSEWS10. This coupon code can be used at anytime on any pattern….even a $5 Feature Friday pattern. And yes, it CAN be used during ANY 40% off sale! This code changes quarterly. If you find this code isn’t working, be sure to visit my latest blog post for the updated code.

I am currently a Love Notions Ambassador. I am given access to all new patterns for free. I purchased some of the patterns above on my own before becoming an ambassador. As always all opinions are my own.

---

How To Win A Love Notions Pattern From Me!

So if you’ve read this far, you must really want a chance to win a free pattern! To enter my giveaway for a free pattern, make sure to do the following:

• Visit my Facebook Page ~ Sew Mary Mac. Simply type that into the Facebook search bar.
• Find my free pattern giveaway post.
• Comment on this post what your favorite Sew Mary Mac Blog Post is.

Winner will be chosen on Friday, May 5, 2023. Winner will be asked for their email address so that I can pass it on to Tami (of Love Notions) who will be giving you your free pattern code.