Friday, April 3

Fashion Editors Agree: These Dated Trends Won’t Make It to Spring 2026


I spend a lot of time talking to other fashion editors, and when the same opinions start coming up in different conversations, I pay attention. Recently, there’s been a noticeable consensus forming around certain trends—specifically, which ones are quietly losing momentum. This isn’t about calling anything “bad,” but about recognising when something has run its course.

As someone who loves clothes but hates feeling stuck in a specific era, I find these conversations genuinely helpful. They sharpen my instincts and make me more thoughtful about what I’m buying now versus what I’ll still want to wear in a few years. These are the trends editors agree are unlikely to make it to spring 2026—and why it might be time to let them go.

1. Buying: Silky Button-Downs

Pausing: Longline Structured Vests

who what wear editors

Style Notes: “I hate to say it because I own many of them, but I’m afraid the longline structured vest trend may have peaked. I don’t think they’re so trendy that they should be banished from your wardrobe, but a fresher option for 2026 is a silky button-down shirt that’s a bit fitted and preferably in a non-neutral colour.” – Allyson Payer, senior editor.

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2. Buying: Interesting Colour Combinations

Pausing: A Closet Full of Beige

who what wear editors

Style Notes: “Especially since the quiet luxury movement came about, I have felt like winter meant that colour would be swept out of our wardrobes, and there’s no choice but to wear different shades of beige. While I love my neutrals, over the years, this has begun to make winter fashion less exciting for me. But this year, even the most minimalist people I know are stepping out in interesting colour combinations. Be it a red-and-white striped shirt with a yellow jacket or the wild combination of purple and green, everyone is finding a way to be a daredevil, and I couldn’t be happier.” – Sierra Mayhew, fashion editor.

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3. Buying: Menswear-Coded Ties

Pausing: Boring Accessories

ChiChi Offer

Style Notes: “I’m such an accessories girl, so I feel like I’ve been trying to find different ways to add a little something extra to the chest and torso area. Ties have been an exciting addition that really rounds out a look. More ties in 2026, please.” – ChiChi Offer, associate shopping editor.

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4. Buying: Stovepipe Jeans

Pausing: Barrel-Leg Jeans

nikki chwatt

Style Notes: “Barrel-leg jeans had a nice long run, but this spring they will be taking a back seat as slim-fitting jeans will shine. The focus will be on silhouettes like slim-straight, cigarette, and stovepipe cuts. The key is a fit that neatly follows the leg from thigh to ankle. Close, but not so tight as to fall into the skinny-jean category.” – Nikki Chwatt, associate fashion editor.

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5. Buying: Fringe

Pausing: Lace Trims

alyssa brascia

Style Notes: “I do think we’ll continue to see lace-trimmed tops, skirts, and dresses trickle into spring, but far less than we did in the fall and winter of 2025. Though this vintage-inspired look feels timeless and especially fitting for spring, even garnering fans like Zoë Kravitz and Dakota Fanning, I fear this trend (specifically in the midi skirt and asymmetrical top realm) hit its peak in the colder months. I’ve been personally steering myself away from purchasing any new lace-trimmed pieces right now—as my forecasting third eye is tingling and telling me it’ll be (dare I say) cheugy in the next few months—but I think fringe is a great substitute for anyone looking for a bit of textural flair without investing too much in this soon-to-be dated micro-trend.” – Alyssa Brascia, associate beauty editor.