I may not be able to read tarot cards or make sense of astrological alignments, but I can predict one thing: fashion trends. And the biggest fashion trends of 2026 are meant to bring out your most confident, most vibrant self if you’re ready for it.
The trends bound to dominate in the new year are all about flamboyance. Dramatic capes, for example — which have been gaining traction in the form of coats since last winter — will grow more popular throughout 2026, turning any look, no matter how casual, into a chic spectacle. Speaking of drama, extravagant pom-poms are also a burgeoning trend, adding head-turning movement as you sashay to work and beyond.
Brassieres will continue to take center stage. With “naked dressing” being the common thread among celeb attire on basically every red carpet, the bra-as-a-top has become an all-too-familiar trend, cosigned by the likes of Kim Kardashian, Margot Robbie, and Dua Lipa. Unlike the monochromatic styling of the past few years, however, 2026 will see bras as bold statement pieces, worn with contrasting colors and clashing prints.
Ahead, you’ll find all of these and more fashion trends guaranteed to make you the chicest in any room.
Formerly kept hidden under layers of clothes, the humble brassiere emerged as 2026’s foremost closet power player. In recent years, fashion’s finest opted for streamlined looks, wearing bras in co-ords or monochromatic looks. In contrast (literally), the bras of tomorrow are total standouts, offered in a variety of colors, patterns, sculptural details, and straps.
The key way to style this trend is to make sure it pops against your choice of bottoms. Allow the Spring/Summer 2026 runways to be your guide. Versace went the clashing patterns route, with a bedazzled bra and striped pants, while Jean Paul Gaultier paired a bright blue bandeau with an olive green skirt. You can also use the bra as a statement layering piece, à la Sandy Liang, where a model sashayed down the runway in a mint green bra over a see-through white catsuit. Who knew an item so small could have such a big impact?
Not all superheroes wear capes, but stylish people sure do. Effortlessly dramatic yet easily wearable, capes are on the rise as one of 2026’s biggest trends — and they’re surprisingly versatile.
The most conventional way to rock a cape is as outerwear, as seen on the runways of Alaïa and Sacai, or as proven by Sydney Sweeney, who paired a cropped khaki cape over a ruffled minidress. Meanwhile, in flowy, aqueous fabrics, they could double as evening wear toppers, draped over glamorous gowns.
They feel especially fresh when worn as tops. Dior, for example, sent a model traipsing down its runway with a navel-baring cape paired with casual jeans. Meghan Markle already cosigned the trend at the recent Paris Fashion Week, wearing a regal white cape layered atop a button-down.
Statement belts have made a comeback in recent years — so much so that even Carrie Bradshaw’s styling hack, aka wearing a belt around a bare waist, was resuscitated by the likes of Zendaya and Kylie Jenner.
In 2026, however, fashion girls will be trading the external add-on for pieces with built-in belted details. Whether that looks like a tie-front Obi-style scarf around a tuxedo (or tuxedo dress), or a garterized sash that gives shape to a coat, the built-in belt detail is a low-fuss way to rock the cinched style; even better if they sit below the waist or hips for a drop-crotch moment.
It’s been over a year since Charli XCX’s Brat became a cultural phenomenon, kickstarting brat summer and painting everything a delectable apple green. Experiencing an uncharacteristic longevity for a vivid color trend, the phenomenon’s effects still ripple throughout the fashion industry. Prada, Erdem, Issey Miyake, and Tibi are among the many designers who’ve reintroduced the slime-colored hue in their S/S 2026 shows.
Unlike the punk, Y2K-inspired interpretations of last year’s Brat movement, next year’s edition is a lot more grown-up. Think: romantic dresses with flowy, asymmetrical draping, sleek column options worn over matching trousers, or belted high-neck coats. Don’t be fooled by the flashy neon hue; the color is inherently wearable. Getting slimed never looked this good.
A fashion need that hasn’t quite been met is a hearty selection of dresses with pockets, despite the clamor. Historically, the few options that did offer the slotted feature were frumpy or way too casual. Style and function, sadly, were Venn diagrams that rarely overlapped. Not anymore.
Thanks to fashion’s biggest designers, such as Balenciaga, Chloé, and Givenchy, dresses with pockets are now cool and luxe. Decadent silk gowns with different hem lengths, dramatic sculptural masterpieces, and even elegant little black dresses are now reimagined with functional compartments. Don’t get too excited, but you might even be able to skip carrying a bag. The dream.
The most audacious trend on this list is the pom-pom, and you’re gonna need at least one of these fringed babies in your 2026 wardrobe.
When Matthieu Blazy debuted as Chanel’s artistic director in the Spring/Summer 2026 season, his most talked-about look was easily the finale, which featured a model strutting in a silk shirt and a colorful pom-pom-esque fringed full skirt. If that’s not a sign of the pom-pom’s impending dominance, look at the runways of Bottega Veneta and Givenchy, which showcased the fringe in the form of a coat covered in gilded plastic embellishments and a skirt set with fringed tufts, respectively.
Put your layering skills to the test with this trend, which urges you to experiment with combinations and techniques you might’ve never considered. A royal blue button-down under a sequined skirt set? Yes, please. A halter top over a T-shirt, over not one, but two button-downs? That’s a four-layer permutation for you.
This trend even gives a certain generation permission to revive the iconic “millennial tuck,” where only one side of a top is tucked in while the other hangs out, giving it a DIY high-low look. You’re the maestro and your body is your canvas. Paint wisely.
You don’t need a trip to Africa to serve safari chic. Congruent with the rise of maximalist animal prints, the safari aesthetic is also a burgeoning style trend. While the jungle expedition requires more utilitarian ensembles, fashion’s interpretation of the look is a lot spicier.
If Balmain’s runway is anything to go by, you may see khaki bras instead of vests or balloon pants instead of cargos. You can even channel the beasts themselves; a leopard print slip dress (à la Alberta Ferretti), for example, fits the bill perfectly. It’s a sand-free, desert-free way to rock the style.
Historically, sporty and risqué aesthetics sat on opposite ends of the style spectrum. However, in the coming year, those lines are bound to blur. And the athletic-spicy combo du jour is a loose windbreaker with teeny, tiny underpants. Take it from Fendi, Loewe, and Diotima’s S/S 2026 shows.
Saint Laurent is also a massive proponent of giving boudoir dressing the athletic treatment. Its Resort 2026 collection was practically a series of sportif pieces paired with lacy lingerie. Bella Hadid already got a head start on the trend, modeling an anorak with padded shoulders with lace-trimmed underpinnings.
If going pantless is a bit too daring for your tastes, don’t fret. Perhaps you could try a bra with scuba-esque leggings or an asymmetrical bodysuit with baggy cargo shorts, like Gaultier and Coperni, respectively.
