Outdated Fashion Trends To Ditch In 2026

2026 is all about bold maximalism. Rich colors, sumptuous textures, and dramatic silhouettes. Call it a backlash against years of the quiet luxury trend or call it ’80s nostalgia. Sophistication is still the name of the game, but expect it to be louder and more overtly glamorous than the muted colors and subtle textures of years past. “This season we saw the pendulum swing yet again with luxury turning up the volume,” Marc Rofsky, ready-to-wear director at Moda Operandi, told Who What Wear. “When even the quiet luxury hallmark The Row shows a full feather skirt, you know the tides have changed. The return to maximalism allows consumers to embrace a more personalized style and a return to fashion as a vehicle for expression.” With this emphasis on looking elegant, it’s time to stow away your more casual clothes and focus on refined, well-made pieces. The goal is to look intentional and coordinated in a way that’s an enduring, unique expression of your personality.

Over the last decade, a combination of cultural nostalgia and social media performance has given rise to short-lived trends — aka microtrends — that briefly dominate conversations around style and fashion. Think: office siren or gorpcore. There was even the laidback fisherman aesthetic trend that ruled the summer of 2025. But these flash-in-the-pan style trends risk looking like costumes rather than proper styles. “I think rapid cycling through fashion microtrends will end for a few different reasons, but the most practical one will be that people have less [disposable] income,” wrote one Reddit commenter. Economic uncertainty and trend fatigue have shoppers more interested in investment pieces, and quickly shifting microtrends are impersonal and impractical. “People realize that buying a single item won’t unlock a new lifestyle,” fashion writer Ashantéa Austin told Vogue. “The fallacy has been exposed. People are tired of chasing idealized versions of themselves online — they just want to live.” Instead, expect to see a greater focus on developing a unique personal style, and on selecting timeless, well-made pieces designed to last for decades, rather than hyper-stylized pieces of fast fashion.

In recent years, you couldn’t turn around without seeing bows everywhere. That was thanks to the rise of the coquette fashion trend, which celebrated girlhood with ultra-feminine details, featuring bows and plenty of pink. The style evoked nostalgia and was so popular that it even influenced beauty and home decor trends. Bow nails even brought the coquette trend to manicures. But this style is fading out, in part due to over-saturation as fast-fashion companies mass-produced cheaply made versions of vintage styles. “The moment these corporations capitalized on the trend is when I think coquette truly lost its unique sparkle,” explained fashion YouTuber wickedbunniez.

Coquette has also suffered from a lot of negative discourse, particularly for its representation of restrictive, traditional gender roles. “A lot of critics have called out this aesthetic for being performative and tied to troubling stereotypes,” explained YouTuber Wadzizoe. All of that has added up to a broader cultural fatigue with this formerly niche aesthetic.

Denim trends tend to cycle between light and dark colors. But for 2026, it’s best to put down faded styles. They have a more casual vibe and can feel out of step with fashion’s current focus on elegant, polished looks. Distressed styles are out, too. Light denim colors are associated with normcore styles and ’90s mom jeans, which is part of why they risk looking dated. “Light wash denim makes people think of unfashionable old people,” offered one Reddit user. “You can look good wearing them. It’s just that in order to ascend swag mountain in light wash denim, you have to climb out of the dad jeans valley first.” For a simpler way to make your denim look on-trend, opt for saturated, indigo washes. “I adore a dark, indigo denim,” explained fashion YouTuber Ciara O’Doherty. “Firstly, I find it really flattering. I also find it can be a bit smarter. That dark color adds a little bit of dressed-up energy to your denim.” Ideally, opt for a flared leg, which is one of the formerly outdated denim trends that’s staging a comeback.

From oversized dad sneakers to towering platforms to massive lug soles, chunky shoes are out for 2026. These oversized shoes weigh down an outfit, and if you’re going for the slouchy, oversized trend, they’ll disrupt the drape of fabric at your feet. This style also just doesn’t suit the more polished vibe that 2026 is offering up. “45 year old Dad vibes for me, complete with cell phone belt clip,” one Reddit commenter observed. Instead, expect a shift toward more streamlined shoe styles, including ballet flats and loafers. Even if you like the tension that an oversized dad sneaker offers, you can still let wrong shoe theory elevate your outfit to new heights by reaching for a sleeker trail running sneaker. Or, you can merge trends by reaching for a sporty ballet flat — also known as the “sneakerina.” “They look like sketchers I had in the early 2000s,” observed one Reddit commenter.