What We Thought We Were Over Is Back

Nothing here is groundbreaking. These aren’t trends conjured out of nowhere. They’re the things we adored, were told had expired but we are now quietly (or loudly) reaching back again. The fashion cycle’s been moving so fast we’ve all got whiplash and now we’re just… looping back round. Picking up what we set down. Shaking off the dust. Styling it differently this time.

And here’s the thing: wear it all with the kind of ease that comes from knowing trends are merely suggestions anyway!

The Burberry Check

Plaid is back like properly back. Not just Burberry (though, obviously, Burberry), but plaid in general. The kind that makes an outfit feel sophisticated without trying too hard. Architectural, even.

We’re talking statement pieces: pointed toe heels entirely in plaid, classic trench coats that never really left, scarves that tie the whole thing together or full plaid bags. Then there’s the quiet stuff: the pattern peeking out from a coat lining, a flash of it at a trouser cuff.

Audrey Hepburn Bangs

You know the ones I mean. That heavy, gamine fringe that’s somehow sharp and soft at once. A little wispy where it matters, maybe sitting a touch too short, with that perfectly imperfect unevenness that makes it work. It’s not about cosplaying Audrey shot-for-shot when it’s actually about borrowing the feeling. That playful elegance that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Chic, polished, but super lived-in.

Messy Clean Girl

Sounds like something TikTok made up at 3am. But that only means it exists. Remember that super-polished clean girl aesthetic that took over 2025? The slicked-back hair, dewy skin, gold hoops, that barely-there makeup perfection? Well, 2026 is what happens when that crashes into the reality that life is chaotic and your mascara smudges sometimes.

Animal Prints (Beyond Cheetah)

Animal print is timeless. Has always been. But now we’re slinking into zebra territory and not just spotted cats. Prowling around python patterns. Even flirting with deer print now or cow print. It’s fun and each animal has its own aura really. Cheetah screams fierce. Then the deer is like… the opposite.

Tanned Grey Palette

To me, grey is a nebulous space between mushroom and stone. Between warm and cool. Between committed and noncommittal. It’s a shade that doesn’t quite commit to being a colour at all. Pair it with cream, with rust, with that brownish-red leather we’ll get to in a moment. It’s always elegant though. Sophisticated without being stuffy.

Architectural Necklines

Because we’re bored of crew necks and V-necks and all the predictable territories our décolletage has been inhabiting. Necklines are architecture now, drama and geometry made wearable. Asymmetric cuts that follow their own logic. Structured shoulders that frame the face. High necks that slice clean across the collarbone. 

Brownish-Red Leather

Rich, oxidised, been-loved-for-years brown. Burgundy’s cooler sibling. Almost a rust colour to some but it’s beautiful and has been a timeless piece for longer than we remember. We’re seeing it everywhere now: butter-soft jackets, structured bags, boots that look like they’ve already lived an interesting life. It’s the anti-trend trend. The shade that feels timeless whilst being completely of the moment.