It's far too common to think you need to re-do your entire wardrobe as soon as the new year hits. And we think that is the absolute wrong mindset! Especially if you want to be intentional about building a forever closet. A new year means a new beginning but when it comes to your wardrobe, consider taking a long hard look at what you loved and how to make it work in 2026 instead of feeling the need to go on a shopping or cleaning spree. You could also just look at what was big in 2025 that has major staying power as opposed to pursuing trends that feel more like a flash in the pan than timeless.
If you're looking where to start, let's consider the 'It' items of last year that are already on the way to being even bigger in 2026. If you've already invested in them, you can start to consider new ways to wear them. And if you haven't, the below is a great guide for what you can get in the new year that'll last you many trend cycles.
Flip Flops
A fashion week guest in Paris, wearing flip flops.
It's no secret that toes were out and about in 2025. Everyone seemed to try to justify buying The Row's $890 Dune flip flop. Thankfully, the trend is far more affordable than that, and you can easily get the effortless breezy look for as low as $15. Expect to see more flip flops this spring and summer but with more design-forward twists that will continue to give them their Fashion-with-a-capital-F shoe title.
The Paddington Bag
Rachel Sennott in a vintage Dolce & Gabbana jacket and vintage Chloé Paddington bag at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
The Paddington bag has been a forever 'It' bag since it was first released in 2005. But two decades after it's inception, Chloé decided to re-release the iconic piece. It's chunky lock, long silhouette and oversized straps make it feel like the perfect bag for the times. And it'll only continue to get more popular as time goes on.
Bras
A guest at the Miu Miu show this past season in Paris, wearing a cone bra from the Fall/Winter 2025 show.
When Miu Miu debuted the cone bra on the Fall/Winter 2025 runway, there were skeptics. But everyone should know by now that Mrs. Prada shouldn't be doubted. Months after the show, bras were suddenly everywhere. Simone Rocha showed models with bra straps falling down the shoulder, Tom Ford paired bras with nothing else underneath blazers worn entirely open and Vaquera turned an XXL bra into a tunic. 2026 will not only continue to see bras worn more freely instead of being concealed, but we think the cone bra will finally go mainstream.
Ballerina Sneakers
Ballet flats feel like the 'It' shoe that refuses to give up its throne. Brands just keep making new iterations that we need. But no ballerina-esque shoe was more popular last year than the sneakerina, a sneaker ballet flat hybrid, that all the cool girls like Chloë Sevigny couldn't stop wearing. The appeal is obvious: the shoe is comfortable but also extremely cute.
Rugby Shirts
Prep is having a comeback, but in a more subversive way. Rugby shirts in particular feel like they're everywhere and worn in the most unexpected of ways. You can absolutely wear them with your boat shoes but you don't have to. One of our favorite street style looks of last year was a fashion week guest in Copenhagen styling hers with wide-leg jeans and an extra-large Coach dinosaur-shaped bag. Being preppy is most fun when you lean out of the conventions of the style and instead mix it with other aesthetics.
Pendant Necklaces
Everyone's been wondering when the 2010s statement chandelier necklaces are coming back and we feel like they truly may never have their moment in the fashion sun again. But pendant necklaces certainly are everywhere. It's a more pared-back take on the statement necklace look of indie sleaze past. A good pendant necklace instantly elevates a look and can make any top feel more fun.
Balloon Pants
Chloé isn't just bringing back the Paddington bag. The house is certainly responsible for the resurgence of balloon pants too. The very 70s bohemian look feels apt for a time where barrel jeans feel like the go-to denim. But the best thing about them is how incredible they just flow. Fashion with movement has been trending on the runway for a handful of seasons now and there's nothing more fun than a pant that moves with you.
