The 6 Sneaker Trends to Wear If You Want Your Summer Outfits to Look Relevant
Welcome to the cool-sneaker renaissance. Even though summer is always associated with the arrival of sandals, summer '26 is set to be the season of the sneaker. Everywhere we look, fashion people are bumping one of the many fresh pairs that are emerging right now to the very front of their outfit rotations. The most exciting styles of the moment are coming from heritage sportswear brands like Adidas but also from more unlikely fashion labels including Jacquemus whose viral Nike collab sneakers are virtually sold-out everywhere and ALO, who are putting their own forward spin on warm-weather sneakers.
With so many new styles launching into the market, sneakers have never looked better, and even if you don't consider yourself a big sneaker person, there's a good chance you'll be influenced to add a pair into your outfit rotation this season. At least, all the fashion people with good taste will be doing so—specifically, the exact six summer sneaker trends below. These are the overall silhouettes, key colors, and themes that you'll see on every block from L.A. to NYC and in your feed on key tastemakers. From ballet-inspired silhouettes to the prettiest hue, discover and shop them each here.
The 6 Major Sneaker Trends of Summer 2026
1. Butter Yellow Sneakers
Sneakers are getting much more colorful these days and the prettiest colors are undeniably the many pastel tones designers are dreaming up right now. But none are quite as in-demand as butter yellow sneakers—the "It" sneaker color of the season.
Shop Butter Yellow Sneakers
2. Ballet-Inspired Sneakers
If sneakers and ballet flats got married and had a baby, it would look like one of these pretty hybrid styles. With the rubbery soles and walkability of a classic sneaker and the eye-catching details of a ballerina flat, these are kind of the best of both worlds. If you're looking for sneakers that you can style with non-athletic outfits all summer, these are it.
Shop Ballet Sneakers
3. Satin Sneakers
Speaking of sneakers that look best with non-athletic outfits, Elsa Hosk just confirmed it: satin sneakers are the ones that every It girl will be styling with dresses and skirts all summer. The iridescent finish is just too pretty to relegate for wearing only with leggings.
Shop Satin Sneakers
4. Canvas Sneakers
Canvas sneakers from The Row and Jacquemus are putting the everyday silhouettes back on our radar this season. Defined by a low-profile, lace-up look, these are the everyday pairs you can wear with just about everything.
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5. Scrunch Sneakers
As ballet flats and sneakers converge, we're starting to get new sub-genres like a style I'm calling scrunch sneakers. They feature an elasticated ankle that gives them a soft, immediately lived-in feel.
Shop Scrunch Sneakers
6. Black-and-White Sneakers
Colorful sneakers may be everywhere at the moment, but graphic black-and-white iterations are on the rise for minimalists, too. A logo pop feels fresh on one of these pairs.
Shop Black-and-White Sneakers
