Tidal trends
By Kristin Ely

Coastal apparel and resortwear are experiencing a style upgrade while maintaining their breezy comfort and sentimental appeal.

Retailers who operate along the coast must cater to the fashion whims of many, from souvenir seekers to coastal fashionistas and everyone in between. From young families, spring breakers and retirees, there is a wide gamut of styles to fulfill.


The Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head, South Carolina, caters to many of these demographics at its property equipped with golf courses, beach access and hospitality. Megan Mitchell, retail shop manager and buyer, explains that the retail shop includes great giftable, “where did you get that?” items and perfect items to take back home to remember stays on the island. The store carries both men’s and women’s leisurewear, golf attire and casual attire. “Eighty-five percent of our apparel is logoed or has some sort of name drop like our embroidered Harbour Town Lighthouse or [with the names] Sea Pines or Harbour Town.”


Town Pride’s American Flag tops capture Americana vibes

Mitchell is noticing a trend toward more comfortable looks with trendier leisurewear heading into the busy spring and summer season.


Wholesalers are ready to meet those demands and additional trends like America’s 250th anniversary with a host of new releases and bestsellers.



Iconic items

The biggest trends Tamara Moran, president of the Yarmouth, Maine-based wholesale and retail company Town Pride, sees for the coming season are browns, any shade of blue, graphic icons, and anything Americana.


“Our made-in-the-USA flag knits with name drop are heavily requested,” Moran notes. Among the apparel items available from the company in 2026 are made-in-the-USA knit socks, knit pom-pom beanie hats, a cozy crew-neck sweatshirt and an everyday super soft T-shirt.


“We are seeing several trends and are ready for them!” she says. “Along with the super-hot trend of lobsters and oysters, fish have joined the trend in a very strong way. We continue to see growth in our most popular body type of knit but have started to receive increased requests for a more tailored style. We have launched our new Favorite Crewneck in response; we are also seeing a slight shift downward in sizing.”



Coastal Bohemian Vibes

Tommy Bahama has been riding the wave of coastal Bohemia over the last several seasons, which Bradley O’Brien, executive vice president of product design and development, says has been playing into the strength of the core DNA at Tommy Bahama.

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“Inspiration is drawn from coastal elements, especially popular are seashell motifs. The color palette is soothing and natural: topaz teal, soft sienna and tea leaf sit along classic navy and black to create an elevated sophistication,” she says.


She notes pucker is an important trend in fabrication. “Our core Island Cays Pique is a perennial favorite, updated with new solids and prints. We launched Tropic Isles, which is a soft textural pucker with a beautiful drape and hand.”


The company’s Shell Sands collection has been extremely popular since its launch, according to O’Brien.
Another bestseller is Tommy Bahama’s new shimmer fabrication called Jewel Sands. It’s in a shade of soft sienna with a subtle sparkle and shine. “The fabric takes shirring beautifully, which accentuates its shine and is finished with tortoise shell hardware,” O’Brien says.



On-trend tees

T-shirts are consistently Simply Southern’s number-one seller, according to Co-owner and Creative Director Georgio Aydogdu. “However, we are also seeing excellent performance from our UPF collection,” he adds.


As for prints, he says Mediterranean themes are trending, particularly graphics featuring fruits and lobsters for beach and summer wear.


Neutrals and classic blues and turquoise are trending with Buddy by the Sea’s popular T-shirts.

Buddy by the Sea is a go-to beach brand attracting both dog and beach lovers. Executive Vice President Jeanette Speenburgh observed that at the December 2025 Grand Strand Gift & Resort Merchandise Show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, trends were hard to define with both neutral earthy tones and classic turquoise and blues all being sought out.


“We introduced our new Honey collection, and it has been very well received. The customers are looking for fresh updates to the bestselling brands to bring the customers in consistently,” she says.


Caloosa WaterWear’s bestsellers are unique designs that celebrate a location or area. “For instance, I have a beach golf cart that can be customized with unique beach accessories that might resonate with the travelers or highlight the attractions of the area,” she says. “Our best selling item is our UPF 50 Performance Ultra Comfort shirt.”



Permanent vacation mindset

Christina Freberg, vice president and director of wholesale for lifestyle brand Lotus and Luna, says summer 2026 “is absolutely defined by the permanent vacation wear mindset.”


Lotus & Luna styles reflect flirty comfort .

“Our customer is rejecting fleeting trends for a carefree, Zen lifestyle,” she says. “This means clothes must embody conscious comfort and be ready for travel or the boardwalk.”


The focus, according to Freberg, is on flirty comfort with easy, sometimes convertible, flowy dresses and skirts with subtle ruffles or bows. “This trend strongly favors natural fibers, making 100% cotton the strongest signal, which aligns perfectly with our ethical sourcing commitment and the need for breathable styles,” she adds.


While USA’s 250th anniversary is going to be a huge driver in the marketplace, for Lotus and Luna, she says, the Americana energy is the chilled-out “Coastal Freedom” vibe as opposed to preppy wear.


“This trend is perfectly captured in our berry, new moon blue, and oxford Sailor Stripe collection: a clean, classic look that feels like sunshine and salty air,” she describes.



From pool to cocktails

Gretchen Scott Designs is synonymous with resortwear selling into many U.S. and Caribbean resorts, notes company spokesperson Tony Sambalos.


Ocean-inspired hues, deep aquamarine, coral reef orange and pearl white dominate the color palettes, and bestsellers include the Pomenade vintage dress, Babs eyelet top, Haight Ashbury skirt/dress and the X Marks the Spot dress.


Bold printed caftans continue to be a top trend in Florida for Bali Queen.

Bali Queen is known for its effortless styles from the island of Bali. “There is no hesitation that we will see the trend of caftans continue into 2026,” says Shannon Burke, wholesale/creative director. “In 2025, the idea of Caftan & Cocktail parties emerged, and we saw a huge shift of purchases of vintage or tropical style caftans from our retail stores. We believe that our customers in Florida will continue to purchase these bold printed caftans as a statement piece in 2026, not only to accommodate the party go-era, but as a comfortable yet chic pool-to-the-party look.”



Offering custom

At Pearls & Camo, Owner and Founder Jayne Forrestt says her lightweight V-neck, hi-low and classic crew neck designs are bestsellers in the more than 2,500 boutiques she partners with.


And Stacie Hall whose company Pink Pineapple Shop has been making custom sweaters for over 20 years, says lobsters and name-drop are consistent bestsellers, while the American flag will be big for America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.


She emphasizes that offering unique items is key in apparel offerings. “For smaller retailers to really stand out they need custom goods so they are not competing with everyone on the street for style or price,” Hall advises.