Tack Shop: Dressing Like Your Doctor Prescribed You a Trip to the Seaside

Beth March-core > the so-called "fisherman aesthetic"

Welcome to Tack Shop, a shopping column where I (or friends of Clotheshorse) curate a mélange of interesting, fun, delightful things you can invest in.

Have you ever believed that a briny little visit to “the sea” would fix you?

It’s early April. Spring is bringing the local beachgrass back to bright, verdant life, but still, you go to bed each night with a chill in the deepest part of your bones.

To the ocean you go.

You pull up to your saltbox house of choice as the last rays of afternoon sun disappear behind a trail of inky clouds. Fat raindrops wait to begin staining the beach until you arrive indoors, where the crackling of a grand colonial fireplace fills the space with the sounds and smells of warm, burning hickory logs.

Your days are spent wrapped in cable-knit cardigans and woolen blankets. You drink teas out of slightly lumpy, hand-thrown mugs and nosh on brown bread. You take it upon yourself to leave your cottage each morning for a slow, breathy walk to the oceanfront. Eventually, days turn into weeks and suddenly, the glacial seawater has grown more and more tolerable to the touch. The sparrows start singing outside your windows again. One night, as you nestle into your quilted mattress, you realize your bones don’t feel so cold anymore.

I have, many times. Clearly! And so have hundreds of thousands of you, judging from how viral this “X” post c/o @itsmariannnna went last spring:

Screenshot via @itsmariannnna

I’ve been thinking a lot about this perhaps-worryingly-specific scenario in light of a apparent “aesthetic” that outlets and creators have been discussing. Back in December, Pinterest released its annual Pinterest Predicts report, which dictates those trends that will supposedly define the year. Topping the list was “Fisherman Aesthetic,” defined as:

“Meet the effortlessly cool town fisherman. In 2025, Gen Z and Gen X will embrace a laidback maritime attitude and bring a sea la vie take to everything — even if the ocean is nowhere in sight. Get ready for cable-knit sweaters, sardine tattoos, and stripes. on. everything.”

In the time since, lots of headlines — like Apparently We’ll All Want to Dress Like Fisherman in 2025 & I’m Fully on Board (Pun Intended) — have taken such forecasts to heart. But I’m here to propose an alternative, something a bit more graceful and certainly less literal. Less Popeye, more Chapter 36 of “Little Women” when Jo March takes her ailing little sister Beth to the seashore to improve her declining health. “I never wanted to go away, and the hard part now is the leaving you all…” and all that.

In my version of “Little Women,” Beth lives, and all because of that trip to the sea.

Because I love Beth and I love the beach and I love a theme, I was excited to put together this silly, sandy shopping guide for you to enjoy.

1. Alicia Adams Alpaca Wellington Throw ($195, from $495) 2. Plasticana Gardana Clog ($62) 3. Merit Beauty Flush Balm Cream Blush ($30) 4. Ferm Living Flow Jar With Spoon ($35) 5. L.L.Bean Women's Signature Cotton Fisherman Sweater ($139) 6. COS Technical Hooded Parka Jacket ($150) 7. Dôen Kaira Dress ($378) 8. Crown Affair The Comb No. 002 ($46) 9. Sézane Colette Marinière ($100) 10. Araks x J.Crew Pajama Set ($158) 11. Hyeja Vegan Matcha Gentle Mud Cream Mask ($40) 12. Hawkins New York Essential Striped Apron ($48) 13. Susanne Kauffman Bath for the Senses ($35) 14. L&Clay Ceramics “I Go Home Early” Trinket Tray ($69) 15. Doublesoul Bekah 3 Pack Mixed ($42) 16. Tombolo Mariner Sweater ($158) 17. Tuckernuck Moss Green Raye Knit Skirt ($168) 18. GreenRow Lily Taper Candle Holder Mini ($25)

Was that weird? Let me know any feedback in the comments. xx

A note to readers: Clotheshorse may occasionally include affiliate links if I’m recommending a product I love, but I’ll never promote anything I don’t use and/or enjoy myself!