The Vacation Edit: The 7 Most Important Trends to Pack in 2026
With summer travel heating up, there's only one thing on the brain: vacation. Whether you're planning a Euro summer in the French Riviera or Balearic Islands, a tropical escape to one of Mexico's rustic surf towns, or just a quick weekend getaway nearby, an upcoming vacation on the calendar calls for a wardrobe refresh, and we're coming in hot with every cool fashion thing you could ever want or need for your next trip. There are plenty of summer trends that feel tailor-made for a warm-weather vacation, from the pretty beaded sandals that are accompanying the best summer outfits to the delicate nightgown-inspired dresses that can double as swimsuit cover-ups to the anti-minimalist It color everyone is wearing.
Since we consider it our duty to bring you the very best shopping curations, consider this your download of the overarching vacation trends of the season. If you peeked into a fashion person's suitcase, these are the trends and items that you'd be guaranteed to find in their vacation-bound luggage. Ahead, dive into every fashion-related thing to pack in your suitcase for your most stylish getaway yet.
The runways predicted the rise of a much softer and more romantic way to dress for spring and summer 2026, and that's taking the shape of airy cotton dresses with lace and eyelet elements. None are more popular than a subset of minidresses that are airy, breathable, and inspired by sleep dresses, like Dôen's best-selling Nessie dress and Prada's viral logo-embroidered linen number.
Move over, minimalists—there's a new shoe trend that's rising in the ranks right now, and it's destroying all the barely there silhouettes in its wake. Beaded sandals are arguably *the* major sandal trend of the moment, and brands everywhere seem to be in agreement: The market is flooded with options ranging from bright and bold to strappy and tonal.
Summer '26 is dialing up the saturation on many different hues, but one specific color seems to be the agreed-upon trend to style for a trip: shades of teal, aquamarine, and turquoise. The blue-green hue sounds like it would be an unexpected one, but after seeing celebs like Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence styling similar colors, there's no question how chic it can be.
The rumors are true: It's set to be a one-piece summer. Bikinis are cool and all, but as swim season advances, it's becoming clearer and clearer that the most stylish silhouette to be seen wearing at the beach or pool is a one-piece. From Bella Hadid sunning on a yacht in Saint-Tropez to It girls at Miami Swim Week, the classic swim silhouette is definitely returning.
Jeans? In the dead of summer? Think again. Denim already takes up far too much precious real estate in your suitcase, so skip it for one of the many buzzy pant trends that fashion people have adopted. Pretty taffeta pants, easy drawstring pants, forward bloomers—the options are endless, but the vibe is the same: easy, effortless, and cool.
Grab the board shorts, leave the pukka-shell necklace—surfer-inspired style is making serious waves (sorry, had to) this summer. Surfer-inspired swimwear has been steadily rising in the wake of Miu Miu's trend-making spring/summer 2024 show, but right now the category is expanding to include items like Staud's viral surfboard-shaped clutch and High Sport's surf-inspired trousers that are translating on dry land, too.
Casual elegance is the growing aesthetic defined by outfits that have a whiff of sophistication but are worn in a very nonchalant, effortless way. For vacation, the one piece that signals this vibe is the decision to carry a drawstring pouch bag (instead of, say, a more traditional raffia tote). These bags occupy a sweet spot between relaxed and polished, so they have a way of making even the simplest of outfits feel special. Vacation dressing tends to bring out a more whimsical side of your style personality, so a fun drawstring pouch is exactly what the doctor ordered.
