From boat shoes and trench coats to nautical stripes, the TikTok-viral fisherman aesthetic has been reeling us in with classic-yet-trendy styles for the past few months. “I think the fisherman aesthetic feels like [an evolution] from other popular TikTok trends like ‘coastal grandma’ and ‘quiet luxury,’ which preceded it,” Free People’s senior managing stylist Maddie Zinn-Gavigan tells Refinery29. “Heritage styles have been making a comeback, especially since those trends became popular, and I think this is another fun way to style those pieces with an infusion of coastal charm.”
The runways also helped cast this nautical resurgence. For its spring/summer 2024 show, Miu Miu famously included boat shoes, swim trunks, raincoats, and rope accessories. Meanwhile, Ralph Lauren’s spring/summer 2025 runway featured horizontal stripes, crochet separates, and sailor-inspired buttons.
Of course, the original (and unassuming) style icons were fishermen themselves. “There’s something endlessly cool about the way this style nods to the rugged charm of coastal life, and it’s really rooted in function,” says Anthropologie’s head of styling Kyla Flax. “It’s inspired by traditional workwear from coastal communities, where garments had to be built to last and easy to move in.” Think: water-resistant canvas and hardy knitwear.
