How much can change in a year? If the fashion trends that feel inherently dated for 2026 are any form of measurement, it’s quite a lot, actually. It’s true, the sonic speed at which the trend cycle moves these days often has viral silhouettes or specific fads falling out of fashion’s favour sooner than you can say trompe-l'œil. (Remember that trend that tricked the eye into thinking leather shirts were made of leather at Bottega Veneta or the clothes that had bodies and other garments printed onto them for Glenn Martens’s takeover at Jean Paul Gaultier haute couture?)
It might feel soon to tell which cuts and colours are already entering early retirement to the untrained eye. Yet, as a fashion writer who has made a career of chronicling consumer data, previewing new season collections and understanding the machinations of how this industry works, knowing these things is not only a prerequisite for staying ahead, but my job.
So, what does 2026 have in store for us, and what are the styles that certainly won’t be getting as much airtime over the next 12 months? After the reign of quiet luxury, shoppers are looking for new and exciting pieces to invest in. These are styles that offer the same longevity, but aren’t as demure and toned-down as we’ve seen previously. Others are looking to buck this trend entirely, looking to vintage stylings as far back as the Victorian era for inspiration. Most are bidding buying into “—cores” adieu, and for good.
All in all, 2026 is promising a mode of fashion that’s ornate, joyful and coherent. As we inch towards the turn of the decade, consider the year ahead to be one that’s distilled everything we’ve loved about the past five years of fashion and disregarded everything that’s proven controversial or problematic. (See: Becoming a micro trend final boss). Without further ado, scroll on for the 7 key fashion trends that appear dated and the styles that feel relevant instead, ahead.
7 Fashion Trends That Feel "Dated" in 2026
1. Passing On: Jelly Sandals
1. Wearing Instead: Wedge Trainers
Style Notes: Despite originating in the ‘80s, jelly sandals returned with a vengeance over the past summer, with high-octane heeled versions from Chloé, mellow and luxurious slip-on styles from The Row and sickly-sweet flip-flop iterations from Ancient Greek Sandals. Whilst I’d contend that this gelatinous and textured footwear style is wading into “timeless” territory, it’s arguably no longer the shoe trend du jour, which is why I’m predicting they’ll be put on pause during the warmer months ahead.
If we were to look at which hybrid shoe trend—one of the biggest categories to boom over the past few years—is just starting to peak, you’d notice that wedge trainers are certainly the most viral. With Isabel Marant’s iconic pair on the feet of nepo baby scions like Romy Mars and Blue Ivy, Puma’s Wedge Speedcats already on their second release after selling out immediately after their launch and Chloé’s boxer-meets-ballerina Kick style gaining traction, this is one trend you’ll assuredly see nonstop throughout the entire year.
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2. Passing On: Sardine Girls
The inimitable original.
Tuck your jeans into the high-top straps for a nostalgic spin on the silhouette.
The newest iteration to the wedge trainer. canon.
2. Wearing Instead: Poet Core
Style Notes: We’ve officially hit micro-core fatigue, with the last niche aesthetic, a mania that swept the first half of the 2020s, taking the form of the “sardine girl” trend. (Tinned fish forever, but may I please implore you to stop dressing like a can of Ortiz.) Replacing these hyperspecific and style-led subcultures is a return to third spaces and physical media through acts like journaling, collecting, writing and participating in community book clubs.
2026 will be a continuation of this mode, with more people reflecting this newfound interest in literature, semiotics and publishing through their wardrobes. Coined by social media app Pinterest as part of their annual predictive trend report as “poet core”, this trend is part academic and part preppy. It’s time for Donna Tartt’s The Secret History hive to rise up…
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With structured shoulders and an architectural finish through the lapel, this polished blazer ticks every box.
When it comes to cashmere jumpers, this Rise & Fall style is arguably the style to own.
With Nothing Underneath is the beloved brand tastemakers in London and New York wish they could gatekeep.
3. Passing On: Mob Wives
3. Wearing Instead: Sciura Dressing
Style Notes: If you purchased a faux fur coat in the midst of the “mob wife aesthetic” pandemonium that engulfed the latter half of 2024, you’re in luck! Instead of dressing like the spouses or mistresses of Italian-American mafiosos like Carmela Soprano or Adriana La Cerva, 2026 will have you returning to their country of origin and garbed with far more elegance. Enter: “sciura dressing”.
For the uninitiated, “sciura” is an Italian word that refers to well-heeled and well-dressed elderly women who live in Milan. They are always put-together and exceptionally sophisticated, often sporting a bouffant bob, a string of pearls and a silk scarf. The acme of this trend, in my humble opinion, will always be Miuccia Prada. And it appears the 76-year-old designer knows her sartorial impact well after she presented a very socialite-forward range for Miu Miu’s autumn/winter 2025 collection. These might be ladies who lunch in ornamental brooches and bracelets, but you can bet they’ll be ordering a portion of Rigatoni all' Amatriciana.
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Elegance epitomised.
A more sprightly print.
Pretty in
4. Passing On: Pastel Shades
4. Wearing Instead: High Saturation
Style Notes: Forget what Pantone said, 2026 will be the year of vibrant palettes. Dialling up the saturation, tones will veer away from muted and neutral pigments and steer towards the most intensified and lurid versions of themselves.
Where calming and tranquil pastels once reigned supreme, bold and brash hues will usurp them in a way that acts as a sort of factory reset for the understated and quietly luxurious approach to style that dominated in recent years. Swap buttery yellow for bratty chartreuse, deluxe pinot for plumped-up aubergine and powder blue for Yves Klein’s signature shade, and you’re set.
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A masterclass in colour blocking.
A hue that will continue to dominate, the more accolades Marty Supreme picks up this award season.
Yves Klein, you knew exactly what you were doing.
5. Passing On: Boat Shoes
5. Wearing Instead: Derbies
Style Notes: In the vein of “poet core”, preppy fashion is also undergoing a transformation. Instead of suede-lined and tassel-adorned boat shoes, the fashion set is gravitating towards derbies instead. Switching the yacht deck for something more inherently librarian in tone is in line with this wider pull towards written works.
It also speaks to our collective interest towards more glamorous and ornate styles of dress. Taking cues from the menswear of the early ‘30s and the womenswear of the late ‘50s, these are shoes that convey refinement, practicality and sophistication in spades.
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This red pair will contrast perfectly against indigo shades of denim.
A true cosmopolitan staple.
With guaranteed orthapedic support, you'll manage to clock 10,000 steps in style.
6. Passing On: Eclectic Grandpa
6. Wearing Instead: Indie Sleaze
Style Notes: I might be encouraging everyone to dress like an elderly Italian grandmother, but I can’t extend the same latitude to the grandfathers. Or, at least the “eclectic grandpa” trend.
Fusing striped knits with oversized wire-frame sunglasses and tailored trousers, the trend has certainly faded into obsolescence since we’ve revived our interest in the “indie sleaze aesthetic.” Because who wants to stay at home knitting when you can hit the club?
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With Matador-inspired embroidery this iteration of the Napoleon jacket trend will certainly set you apart.
It wouldn't be an indie sleaze reprisal without a pair of leather trousers.
Nor a leopard coat, for that matter.
7. Passing On: ‘70s Bohemia
7. Wearing Instead: ‘80s Power Dressing
Style Notes: Put the Rumours record down. After Chemena Kamali made her splashy debut with Chloe’s spring/summer 2024 collection presentation, bohemian fever certainly spiked. Now, after a period of tiered dresses, ruffle trims and sheer fabrics, the ‘70s are giving way to the ‘80s.
Indeed, power dressing is back, bringing with it a rise in oversized suiting, sleek pencil skirts and voluminous hair. It’s less Daisy Jones & The Six and more Madonna, though still deeply rooted in nostalgia.
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Perfect for emulating your inner Lauren Hutton in American Gigolo.
A suit will never go astray.
Nor will a pair of red shoes, like the 1948 Old Hollywood classic of the same name suggests.