7 Trends That Will Make a Comeback in 2026

And just like that, we welcome another year. 2026 is here, and with it brings a new outlook, perhaps a slightly adjusted personal style, and a series of new fashion trends. Whilst at Who What Wear, we’re all about staying true to your personal taste, and try to avoid passing fads, as a fashion editor, I am frequently asked which trends will are the ones to watch for the year ahead. By nature, trends come and go, but in the last few years, aesthetics have arrived and left, at times, too quick to keep up with. Whilst this may not be scheduled to change any time soon, I try to suggest those that have some kind of longevity to them, or might be something that you already have in your wardrobe.

Girls posing for photo wearing baker boy hat

With Y2K and Indie Sleaze nostalgia being hugely prominent trends and talking points last year, 2026 will no doubt see a slew of styles from the last twenty-five years having a renaissance. Be it super low-rise jeans, jackets that were once made popular by your favourite boy band in 2011, or hat silhouettes you didn’t think would ever make a return, at times these comeback items can be quite surprising. But, fear not, it’s not all relics from a millennial’s traumatic teens, some items due a revival are classic essentials, like the V-neck jumper.

Adding to this, trends making the big return don’t all hark back from the 2000s, ICYMI, Pinterest announced its trends for 2026, and on it was ’80s maximalism. Seems like we’re saying “so long, farewell” to minimalism and quiet luxury trends of late.

And with that, these are the 7 trends set to make a return in 2026.

Table of Contents

7 Trends Making a Comeback in 2026

1. Low Rise, Bootleg Jeans

Girl posing for photo wearing shearling jacket and low-rise jeans

Style Notes: Whilst cigarette jeans started making a comeback at the end of last year, and I think will continue to garner popularity as the we get further into 2026, it’s low-rise bootleg jeans from the early noughties that feel the freshest denim cut to make a return. We might have well been on the bootleg cut horizon ever since Kendrick Lamar wore *those* Celine Homme jeans at the Superbowl last year, but a pair that are also super low-waist? That, we had avoided… Until now. From bleach acid wash to dark indigo, I’ve noticed various shades that feel peak Madonna in her cowgirl-era (remind yourself with the Don’t Tell Me music video from 2000). Just remember, the more inches you have between your belly-button and your zipper, the more you’re nailing this one.

SHOP THE TREND

Naomi Super Stretch Low Rise Bootcut Jeans

Reformation

Naomi Super Stretch Low Rise Bootcut Jeans

Bootcut Jeans 1969 D-Ebbey Z9b89

Diesel

Bootcut Jeans 1969 D-Ebbey Z9b89

Blue Low Waisted Long and Lean Bootcut Jeans

Gap

Blue Low Waisted Long and Lean Bootcut Jeans

2. ’80s Maximalism

Anna posing wearing a tartan check blazer dress, long gloves and holding a pink Valentino bag over her head

Style Notes: According to Pinterest (and the S/S26 runways), the ’80s are back. Shoulder pads! Power suits! Tartan! The theme is clear: go hard, go colourful, or go home. But be aware, this is not ’80s nostalgia that feels conservative or dull, this is true maximalism with the theme ‘more is more.’ Designers such as Saint Laurent have pioneered this on the runways with pussy-bow blouses and frothy dresses, whilst on the red carpet we’re set for similarly big impact that harks back to the Glamoratti styles of this decade.

Tartan Blazer

Vivienne Westwood

Tartan Blazer

Embellished Gold-Plated Earrings

Self-Portrait

Embellished Gold-Plated Earrings

Proenza Schouler Trap Pumps in Slick Calf - Cherry | Proenza Schouler Official Site

Proenza Schouler

Trap Pumps in Slick Calf – Cherry

3. V-Neck Jumpers

Sylvie Mus posing for photo wearing a V-neck jumper and white pants.

Style Notes: I know this is might feel quite basic, but basics are the backbone of our wardrobes after all! One thing 2026 will cement is the comeback of the v-neck jumper. V-necks had fallen out of favour for quite some time, with people preferring the neatness of a crew-neck style, but at some point last year, they began their return. Whether worn with another piece layered below (think a shirt, a polo neck or just a white t-shirt), or styled alone with a bare neck or a neckerchief, this knitwear style feels a little ’90s, and ever so chic.

SHOP THE TREND

Rounded Wool V-Neck Jumper

COS

Rounded Wool V-Neck Jumper

Glenn V-Neck in Dark Natural

&Daughter

Glenn V-Neck in Dark Natural

Pure Merino Wool V-Neck Jumper

Autograph

Pure Merino Wool V-Neck Jumper

4. Bohemia

Girl posing for photo wearing

Style Notes: We saw the beginning of bohemia coming back last year, but this year I predict it will transition to feel a little more folky, with ‘piratecore’ influences. This may sound strange but stay with me: instead of gimmicky boho 2.0 that feels like Rara skirts and plaited headbands, this will feel softer and more romantic. Think sheer balloon pants, ruffled blouses and bandanas worn as headscarves, which make it clear there’s a firm shift away from quiet luxury. Instead, this vibe shift will echo those of early ’80s Vivienne Westwood, and later collections from John Paul Gaultier and John Galliano which had quite deliberate references to 18th century pirates. Designers like Talia Byre, ERD and of course, Johnathan Anderson’s Dior, all bring different elements of this, which feel inherently nostalgic for the early 2000s, as well as alluding to the Victorian era, too.