This Year’s Most Wearable Fashion Trends
After spending the entirety of my holiday break in mismatched sweats, getting dressed for the office this month has been both daunting and exciting. The last few weeks of 2025 went by in a blur, and the closet I’d promised myself to clean out before the end of the year is still untouched as I write this. This is usually when the “I have nothing to wear” panic would set in; instead, I'm feeling energized and inspired to experiment with ways to breathe new life into old favourites.
The Spring-Summer 2026 runways delivered plenty of fresh looks and clever styling hacks that anyone can try at home. Here are the easy-to-wear trends I can't wait to try for myself this year.
4 Fashion Trends I Can’t Wait To Wear This Year
1. Laidback Layers
Dressing in layers isn’t just a way to keep warm—it’s a fashion statement. On the runway, designers took a more-is-more approach to dressing, with multiple button-downs piled on top of one another, tanks over long-sleeved tees (anyone else having early aughts flashbacks?) and sheer layers that offer just a little glimpse of the outfit undernearth. I’m intrigued by the skirt-over-skirt and skirt-over-pants combos I’ve been seeing lately, but the number-one styling trick I’m taking into the new year is artfully throwing a sweater over my shoulders as a finishing touch à la Bottega Veneta. It works with a T-shirt, another knit, a blazer or a jacket. It’s preppy, it’s casual, it’s incredibly chic. Bonus points if it adds a pop of colour to your ensemble.
On My Wish List: Reitmans Faux Suede Double-Breasted Blazer, $30 (on sale!)
I own plenty of sweaters to throw over my shoulders; what I don’t have is the ultimate layering piece—a camel-coloured blazer. This faux suede one from Reitmans is guaranteed to become a wardrobe MVP, and it’s currently on major sale.
2. Saturated Colours
Reds, blues, greens, yellows—this season’s colour palette is taking inspiration from a box of crayons. After years of pastel hues and neutrals reigning supreme, spotting saturated primary colours on the runway was a joy-sparking moment I didn't know I needed. I’m not a bold dresser by any means, but I’ve been slowly incorporating vivid reds into my wardrobe: a pair of sneakers, a cardigan, a rose-shaped hair clip I found in a cute store on a trip to Copenhagen. It's a colour that works with just about any neutral I own, and the splash of brightness never fails to garner compliments at the office.
On My Wish List: Reformation Clara Cashmere Crew Cardigan, $288
I own this 100-percent cashmere cardigan in a few colours, and I’m itching to add this perfect cherry hue to my collection for winter. It’s the kind of understated piece that instantly elevates anything it’s paired with.
3. Silk Scarves
Last summer’s silk scarf craze is still going strong for spring, and the styling options are endless. This season, designers draped them over shoulders, wrapped them high around the neck under button-downs, weaved them through belt loops and turned them into tops, while Hermès layered its iconic scarves under harnesses for a peek-a-boo effect. A scarf tied over a satin skirt, a silk slip or baggy trousers is my current obsession. Our art director Aimee also suggested I try using a scarf as a crossbody bag strap—genius!
On My Wish List: H&M Printed Silk Scarf, $60
This scarf ticks all the boxes: it’s made from mulberry silk, it’s big enough to wear over your shoulders or around your waist and it comes in this pretty leopard print. (And it just happens to hit on the trend below as well!)
4. Unexpected Animal Prints
I love leopard print. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that I’m the president of its fan club. I truly believe that my beloved pattern exists beyond the trend cycle, though it’s currently firmly in. But in 2026, we’re welcoming new prints into the fold: zebra, snake, cow, dalmatian, fawn. Anything goes, at least according to the runways and street-style snaps. I’ve already taken my thrifted maxi zebra skirt out of retirement, and I’m excited to try my hand at pattern clashing this spring.
On My Wish List: Maguire Slingback Mules, $265
These mules by Montreal footwear brand Maguire have been living rent-free in my mind for months. The low heel and the pony-hair leather are the perfect counterpoint to the playful pattern.
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Andréanne Dion is the senior editor, style, beauty and travel at Chatelaine. She is also a contributing editor at FASHION and Hello! Canada.
