Being in New York City during Fashion Week feels surreal; you’re surrounded by so much fashion and creativity. Everywhere you look, people are expressing themselves through what they wear, whether it’s outside a runway show or just walking down the street. I fortunately had the chance to experience this with the Ink Magazine team during our trip to NYFW. While I was there, I focused on observing details and looking for patterns and trends that showed up not only on the runways, but in the everyday style of the city. Trends in fashion reflect something greater than just what style of clothing is currently popular. They’re constantly changing, and give insight into the state of the world. The small details in fashion that go overlooked are significant, and always have a deeper meaning. What’s trending in fashion is always a driving factor in most collections, and influences the shows for that season in one way or another.
The streets are the best place to observe current trends and spot them in the real world. Street style is boots-on-the-ground-style observations of what is trendy among everyday individuals spotted out and about in their daily lives. It’s meant for everyone, and anyone can take part in it. Walking around the city, I took subtle notes on my phone of the things I saw. First, I noticed shimmery strands in the hair of girls passing by as I walked down the streets of SoHo. Tinsel is a fun hair accessory, sometimes called “fairy hair.” They are colorful strands of polyester tinsel that are fixed onto the root of each strand, glittering in your hair. Back in Richmond, I also started to see more of my friends putting tinsel in their hair. It seemed like it became a trend almost overnight; the newest hair accessory loved by the girlies everywhere. As craft and DIY culture continues to thrive, hair tinsel is a fun activity to do with your friends, as well as looking super cute.
I’ve observed a shift towards maximalism over minimalism, a change in the industry compared to recent years. These shifts are shown through what the consumer wears and how they wear it. During my trip, which was in mid-winter, I saw many bright, fun scarves in colorful prints like stripes and plaid, long statement coats in fur, lots of unique layering elements to outfits, fluffy fur hats, and new and vintage Coach bags galore. Coach bags have been in since the dawn of time, but it’s always fun to see how the look changes season by season. 2026 is the year of the horse, which means horses (and unicorns) are currently all the rage. Many brands are picking up on the circulating interest and incorporating Western, cowgirl, and horse themes into their products. I’ve also noticed unicorns being sprinkled into fashion products! Since they’re close in relation to the horse, it’s also somewhat their year.
Due to all of the extreme weather we’ve been having, including snow storms and freezing temperatures, people are taking to fashion to keep them warm. I saw more individuals maximizing the styling potential of winter accessories, using pieces like hats, gloves, scarves, earmuffs, and even balaclavas to complete looks and keep out the cold. Winter time has so much potential for adding exciting layers and elements to your outfits with the help of warm and cute winter accessories. The best part about street style is that the creativity can start right in your own closet. The concepts you see are not on some far off runway; they can be closer to home than you think.
Speaking of runways, runway fashion is an entirely different realm in the fashion world. Still, trends from the current season’s runway shows often trickle down into street fashion, changing slightly for the average consumer to take part in. An example of this is the use of lace elements in clothing, either as a main statement, or a layering piece as part of the look. The silhouette of the season seems to be flowy, loose, and lightweight; carefree looks with bigger and looser shapes than before, as well as animal prints of all kinds: leopard, snakeskin, zebra, and deer, to name a few. Brooches played a big part in this season’s runway attire, adding a tasteful and cohesive touch to looks. Fringe trim in suede and leather is also all the rage, showing up on bags, shoes, and other pieces. This season was filled with patterns like polka dots, most popularly in black and white, as well as stripes of all colors. Another major theme this year was using whimsical childlike elements in runway collections, healing one’s inner-child and channeling a distinct youthful creativity. Coach’s Fall 2026 RTW Collection started with inspiration from the designers’ own children as well as the children’s story, “The Wizard of Oz,” relating fairy tales to current fashion. Sandy Liang’s show also stood out due to the fun-filled fantasy world she created on the runway. Her excessive but necessary use of bows, ribbons, lace, gingham, ruffles, and tulle made fantasy dreams come to life. She drew inspiration for this collection from Marie Antoinette, the former queen of France, known for her iconic frilly fashions and lavish lifestyle.
After observing the fashions of the winter, I can’t help but wonder what will show up in this upcoming season. I’ve gathered some of my personal predictions which I formed with the help of my observations from my time in NYC. This could potentially include citrus fruits, especially oranges, which will be seen in marketing as well as garments. Citrus is a spring/summer staple, following the lemon craze from last season. (There is also a new vegan leather made of orange peels!) I think the flowy, loose silhouette style will prevail and become even more relevant in coming months. Color wise, I think we’ll see a lot of aquamarine blue: not quite turquoise, but not quite blue either. People love nostalgia, and it’s time for that color to come back in style! Butter yellow has also started to make its mark, and I believe it will continue to become a staple color in the upcoming season. On the opposite side of pastels, neon colors are due for their moment once again. Colors like traffic-cone orange and highlighter yellow will show up more in fashion in the near future. Spring is here, which means spring fashion is too. Now we wait to see what comes of this upcoming season, and what trends stand out the most. Be sure to look out for the trends and styles in this article the next time you’re shopping around.
Fashion is never just about clothing, it is a reflection of culture, environment, and the collective mood of the moment. From the bustling streets of New York City to the imaginative worlds created on the runway, this season’s trends reveal a desire for expression, creativity, and individuality. This fashion week was filled with exciting trends, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Graphics: Ava Soong