We are six months into 2026 and have already seen fashion trends make waves. From animal prints to draped silhouettes, 2026 has been a huge year for fashion. Heading into the back half of the year, trends are changing once again. However, there are five major trends that seem to be shaping the rest of the year. If you want to be ahead of the curve, keep reading for everything you need to know about 2026 trends.
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Traditional Chinese styles have begun to take over fashion in Europe and The U.S. The traditional elements featured are the Mandarin collar, Pankou buttons and wrap silhouettes.
Many of the current Neo-Chinese products are silk or lace, featuring the traditional elements combined with other trends, such as sheer clothing.
This style of clothing has been showing up around the world– it has been featured in Zara stores in New York City, London, Lisbon and so many more. It has also appeared in Stradivarius, Revolve and ASOS.
While the Neo-Chinese trend has not gotten as much media attention as some of the other trends, it is still a more recent trend. It has gone viral on TikTok and Instagram. The trend is still emerging, so we can expect it to continue growing throughout this year.
Image Credit: Marissa Grootes from Unsplash.
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Watch Accessories
The latest jewelry trend is watches, and I do not just mean for telling time. Watches have made their way into being a staple accessory this year, including dainty, bracelet-esque watches. People are opting for smaller watches instead of the traditional watch.
However, the biggest emergence we have seen is watches in other pieces of jewelry. There are rings and necklaces featuring timepieces. We saw these take center stage at New York Fashion Week for the Fall 2026 collection. Specifically, they were seen on the runway for ANKVAS.
Another reason for the emergence of the watch trend is because of the Y2K aesthetic. Ring watches were popular during this era, so it is no surprise that we see the resurgence of these accessories along with the Y2K style.
Ring watches are being sold by many big names in fashion and jewelry. They can be found at Coach, Steve Madden and Kendra Scott. Necklace watches are following a similar pattern, with these items being available at Michael Kors, Philipp Plein and Altrd State.
Statement Belts
Statement belts are back and better than ever. Even though statement belts have always been a fashion staple, they are quickly gaining popularity with the amount of country concerts. Between Morgan Wallen, Megan Moroney, Chris Stapleton, Zach Bryan and many more, country concerts are the event of the summer.
To achieve the country aesthetic needed for one of these concerts, fans are turning to statement belts to pair with their denim and cowboy boots. Most of the trending statement belts right now have more of a Western flare, featuring many shades of brown, big buckles, metal detailing and circle shapes.
The important thing to note about the statement belt trend is that the belts are the focal point of the outfit. While it is easy to think that just throwing on a belt helps you participate in the trend, the belt itself has to be eye-catching. Whether this is through details, size or colors, the belts in this trend are sure to stand out.
If you want to hop on the trend, you can head to Boot Barn, Edikted and Buckle for some ideas. There are a ton of options online right now because the statement belt trend is so prominent.
Image Credit: Tim Mossholder from Unsplash.
Ties
Another trend influenced by events happening this year is the tie trend. Women are starting to wear ties to work and to fun events, breaking women into the market for ties. One reason why ties are so prominent in 2026 is because of the 'Together, Together' tour from Harry Styles. A major source of outfit inspiration for this tour is ties, ranging from classic ties to pearl/beaded ties and even to skirts and tops made out of ties.
We saw Simone Ashley in 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' participate in this trend. Her iconic outfit featured a dress with ties overtop, serving as a belt and shirt. It was absolutely adorable and a perfect example of the tie trend in a common setting.
An important element of this trend is how it is breaking gender stereotypes. Since women are breaking into a market traditionally for men, it shows how women are adopting their sense of authority. Not to mention, the girls who participate in this trend look awesome.
To find clothing items made out of ties, head to Etsy and Siam Circle for fun and unique options.
Aquamarine
It is official - people are finally sick of the neutral, minimalist vibe. Instead of opting for dull colors, the color of the summer is aquamarine.
The aquamarine trend began with the "2026 is the new 2016" slogan. Aquamarine was a huge color in 2016, so this trend demonstrates how we are trying to bring back the past. An example of this is the viral aquamarine and coral pants. Once they went viral on TikTok, everyone was scrambling to become more colorful.
Aquamarine also aligns with the mermaid core trend, especially since the ocean has aquamarine tones. Of course, we cannot forget about the movie "Aquamarine," which has been very influential for the mermaid core aesthetic. Aqua's halter dress is a huge inspiration for the color of the summer.
However, the color of the summer exists in luxury fashion as well. Burberry featured an aquamarine trench coat and dress in their Spring/Summer 2026 collection. Dior showed a stunning aquamarine dress in their Spring/Summer 2026 line, while Prada stunned with aquamarine opera gloves at their Spring/Summer 2026 runway show.
If you want to participate in the aquamarine trend, go shopping! There is only about two months left of summer to enjoy this trend.
Image Credit: Sam E Di from Pexels.
Conclusion
2026 is halfway over, but many fashion trends are just beginning. From aquamarine to statement belts, these trends are taking over the summer. It is exciting to see how these trends will continue to evolve as the summer progresses and fall fashion starts to make an appearance.
