My 63-Year-Old Mom Knows What's Cool Before I Do—34 Items She's Eyeing (and Telling Me to Buy) for Summer
They say, "Mom knows best." Although I am sometimes hesitant to acknowledge that claim, I generally find it to be true. My mom somehow always knows if I'm going to regret any of my choices, but she still lets me make my own decisions so I can learn from them. More specifically, she knows how to put together a chic outfit and what will be considered cool in fashion, sometimes before I even do.
Being in the know about the top fashion trends comes naturally to my mom. Not only did both her parents work in the fashion industry, with my grandfather at Macy's and my grandmother running her own accessories company, but my mom also worked in the field as an e-commerce stylist. You could say she's obsessed with fashion and has inspired me to be the same.
Whenever we're apart, we're always sending each other products and asking each other if we like them. When we're together, we're either shopping in person or just talking about trends. With all of that in mind, I told my mom to put together a list of specific products she thinks fashion people will be wearing this summer, or at the very least, items she finds chic and has either added to her cart or suggested I do before everyone else. Because mom knows best, I didn't second-guess any of her selections, trusting that if I did, I would miss out on coveted items come June. From lightweight drawstring pants to elevated flip-flops, keep scrolling to discover her 34 must-have buys for summer 2026.
If you're apprehensive about pedal pushers, these kick flare pants will help you get the tailored pant look without showing too much skin.
These look just like Leset's Kyoto pants, which celebrities like Kaia Gerber and Jennifer Lawrence own.
The frog-closure jacket trend is still going strong.
Bermuda shorts will be everywhere this summer in unique fabrics like silk and taffeta.
Hailey Bieber's long-sleeve shirt-and-jeans outfit is all every fashion person wants to wear right now.
My mom knows a good military jacket when she sees one.
Sometimes all you need to pull an outfit together is a pendant necklace.
J.Crew just released a summer-friendly version of its Rollneck sweater that everyone and their mothers wore this winter.
Ever since this Prada bag hit the runway, my mom knew it'd be on my wish list.

Nikki Chwatt is an associate fashion editor based in New York City. She joined Who What Wear in 2024 after writing fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content for WWD, Well+Good, Editorialist, and more. With a passion for personal style and the creativity that comes with it, one of Chwatt's goals is to help others understand that there is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” style; it’s just about putting an outfit together that makes you feel confident in yourself.