The Style Trends That Will Define 2026, According to Experts
In 2025, menswear fans were treated to a runway full of blockbuster fashion debuts, a full-throated prep revival, a recharged appetite for premium denim, and a smorgasbord of footwear choices no one quite saw coming. (Hello flip-flops and torpedo sneakers!) And that was just the tip of the iceberg. It was the kind of wide-ranging fashion year that rewarded sartorial curiosity—and now a new year means a new dawn of men’s style is on the horizon.
Fashion now zigzags at a ferocious clip, supercharged by high-flying celebrity style moments and an ever-accelerating trend cycle that barely pauses to catch its breath. Blink and you miss a microtrend; try to keep up and you might get whiplash. Still, there’s some clarity to be found amid the chaos. To help make sense of what’s next, we tapped a trusted circle of experts to peer ahead and tell us what menswear will look like in 2026.
Brandon Mahler, menswear consultant and stylist
Brandon Mahler, an industry insider with stints at Drake’s and Aimé Leon Dore, says the prep and heritage revivals show no signs of slowing down. “The Americana thing is really coming back,” he says. In recent months, Mahler says, he’s seen all-American staples like Red Wing boots, hardy flannels, and tough-wearing trucker jackets surge back into the spotlight.
As for tailoring, Mahler predicts a quiet course correction. After years of exaggerated proportions and showy red-carpet suiting, he expects silhouettes to slowly return to earth. “The regular guy just wants a suit that fits well,” he says. “We’re so used to seeing these big suits that get a lot of attention online, where everything is hyper-stylized.” The big suit won’t just disappear overnight, though. Mahler expects the Marty Supreme phenomenon will inspire some more gonzo tailoring among menswear’s more eccentric corners.
Mahler offers one final prediction for 2026: We’ll watch the belt rise from humble accessory to fashion showpiece. He’s talking about the showy, embellished styles from the likes Fugazi and Self Edge, as well as the recent bedazzled collaborations between Supreme and B.B. Simon. “It’s the perfect way to add some spice to an outfit,” he says.
Nico Amarca, stylist and creative director
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Nico Amarca, the former fashion editor turned stylist, has one clear prediction for 2026: “The return of clothes that actually fit.” Like most of the industry insiders I spoke with, silhouette and sizing were top of mind. The consensus? We’ve likely hit peak slouch, and proportions are beginning to drift back toward something more considered—less ’90s nu-metal bagginess, more streamlined and polished.
“I don’t think we’re heading for a full-blown Hedi Boy apocalypse,” Amarca adds, referencing the faction of skinny-jeans devotees who were too young to catch The Strokes at the Mercury Lounge back in the day. “But the era of XXXL proportions feels like it’s finally cooling off.”
In terms of fashion designers who are primed to make a big mark this year, Amarca points to Jonathan Anderson at Dior, which he calls “a genuine reset moment.” His wildcard prediction, though, is a fashion era in recent memory. “What used to be a 20-year nostalgia loop now feels closer to 10,” he says, mentioning an uptick in 2016 fashion he’s seeing on social media. “I wouldn’t be shocked if the era that brought us tour merch, zipper pants, ripped jeans, and athleisure-everything makes a comeback.”
Jasmine Benjamin, author, stylist, and costume designer
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Jasmine Benjamin believes the capital-S Suit will continue its upward trajectory in 2026. “Men are ready to dress up again—but for everyday life, not just special occasions,” she says. “The suit is more than having a moment. It’s becoming a uniform again.”
