The return of the 2010s & 5 more trend predictions for 2026

Make It Pop
It’s 2010 All Over Again...
... Or, Bring Back The ‘80s!
Drop That Waist Like It’s Hot
Skinny Jeans...?
Pump It Up

Make It Pop, It’s 2010 All Over Again..., ... Or, Bring Back The ‘80s! , Drop That Waist Like It’s Hot, Skinny Jeans...?, Pump It Up

JC Olivera/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Fashion’s misty future has as many unknowns as it does prophets trying to dissect which way the wind will blow next. The crystal-ball lookers, ourselves included, have a few ways to figure out the next big thing. 2025 was the year we saw grandma dresses, bikini tops, and arm cuffs enter the mix, so where will 2026 take us? The runways, of course, are the ultimate predictors of the future, with trends bubbling up from Prada and Chanel that, at first, might seem outlandish, but will find their way onto your Explore pages and shopping wishlists in no time. There are also those who strike first, be it Alexa Chung in skinny jeans or Addison Rae in archival Rodarte. These trend-setters lead the way for larger moments that come before you know it.

So, in the spirit of a new year with new beginnings, we took a look at some excellent fits in the last moments of 2025 and the Spring 2026 runways to figure out what will stick (and shock) in fashion this year.

Make It Pop

A pop of red might be the least original fashion thought of the 2020s, but Jennifer Lawrence gave us more to think about with a pop of purple as she stepped out in the early days of 2026. The runways were rife with color-blocking, but if wearing more than one primary color freaks you out, opt for something less expected in the accessory department. Consider a yellow hat, a pair of orange gloves, or maybe a kelly-green wool scarf?

Jennifer Lawrence | Backgrid

Dua Lipa | Backgrid

It’s 2010 All Over Again...

The early-to-mid 2010s were a time of excess, with the rise of the Kardashian’s power and a surge in clubbing outfits replete with Hervé Léger bandage dresses, Valentino Rockstud heels, and excessive amounts of face contour. One of those three markers of time is on its way back (thank Alessandro Michele for that), and if our trend-predicting senses are tingling in the right direction, it’s a matter of time before the gaudy, recklessly sexy styles of just ten or so years ago will feel fresh again. Plus, haven’t we mined the early aughts for enough fashion resuscitation?

Valentino Pre-Fall 2026 | Liv Liberg

Gucci Pre-Fall 2026 | Demna

... Or, Bring Back The ‘80s!

The power shoulder of the ‘80s yuppie has been around for a few years, but the John Hughes-tinted dresses of yore are slowly inching their way back. After we declared it an ugly-floral-dress fall, expect more to come when spring’s itch for flowers results in tacky sofa prints splayed over sexy dresses, like Rachel Sennott’s Chloé.

Rachel Sennott in Chloé | Phillip Faraone/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Addison Rae in Rodarte | Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Drop That Waist Like It’s Hot

This falls in the same vein as the ‘80s renaissance, and is largely due to Matthieu Blazy’s epic Spring/Summer 2026 debut for Chanel. By widening the waistband of his skirts and dropping them a few inches down, the classic tweed skirt suit went from drab to fab. Chloé’s Chemena Kamali had a similar instinct, and indeed, the lower you can go, the better (see how Chung’s cinched coat-dress nips in at her mid-thigh?).

Alexa Chung in Chloé | Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images

Tessa Thompson in Chanel | Cindy Ord/WireImage/Getty Images

Skinny Jeans...?

The great denim pendulum is slowly inching back towards the calf-sucking shape, with a few celebs stepping out in slim (not skinny) jeans towards the tail end of 2025. The examples below from the runway of spray-paint-level skinny jeans feel very right now, and especially when paired with a boxy jacket. We’re placing bets over here for when (not if) Gabbriette wears the Gucci pair and sends the industry reeling.

Celine Summer 2026 | Estrop/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Gucci Pre-Fall 2026 | Demna

KNWLS Spring/Summer 2026 | Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Pump It Up

Rest in peace to the sneaker. She lived a good life. Jokes aside, there were markedly less activewear-leaning offerings on the Spring/Summer 2026 runway, and while we’ll always have our Solomons on speed dial, consider a classically feminine pump as your investment accessory for spring. Chanel’s spectator shoe turned street strutter feels fresh and sexy with its up-to-there cut on the foot, and Dior’s plaid version is the Goldilocks ideal between too low and too high. If you need any more convincing, scroll back up and see how sickening Alexa Chung’s croc-effect pump looks.