What We're Wearing This Summer
After extensive research conducted on the Lower East Side and in the depths of TikTok, here's what's actually worth wearing in Summer 2026.
The sun is out, the birds are chirping, my AC is barely working, and every bar is selling more Aperol spritzes than ever before. Summer is finally here.
Which means it’s finally time to have the annual “what are we wearing this season?” conversation.
After some boots-on-the-ground journalism (walking the Lower East Side) and ass-on-the-couch journalism (scrolling Instagram and TikTok), I’ve compiled a list of what I believe to be the hottest trends of summer 2026 — and the things to wear if you want to stay cool while staying ahead of the fashion game.
After years of quiet luxury, clean-girl uniforms, and enough beige to make me question whether color had gone extinct, fashion seems ready to have fun again. Summer 2026 is shaping up to be a collision of 2010s nostalgia, ’60s glamour, and the kind of maximalist styling that would give a ‘90s Calvin Klein ad a migraine.
Let’s begin.
Starting with the color that’s been quietly taking over every cool girl’s Pinterest board: teal.
If butter yellow was the color of last summer, teal is quickly becoming the color of this one.
The return of teal feels like a nostalgic callback to the 2010s — a time when I distinctly remember all of my girlfriends having gray walls and teal chevron bedsheets. In fact, I think chevron itself may be plotting a comeback.
This season, teal’s resurgence feels like an extension of the whimsical, pastel-Arial-font-fit-check, polka-dot-girl aesthetic that’s been dominating social media. You know the vibe.
And teal isn’t returning alone. It’s bringing along another former 2010s darling: coral.
Together, the two colors perfectly encapsulate the mermaid fantasy that seems to be bubbling beneath the surface of fashion right now. It’s beachy, playful, slightly tacky in the best way possible, and completely committed to having a good time. Kind of like a magnet you’d get on vacation in Miami, you know?
I find these colors work best in color-blocked outfits. Think coral tights, a teal mini skirt, and a muted top, accessorized with a handbag, hair clip, and kitten heels — all in different shades. What can I say? It’s a maximalist summer.
But if you’re feeling a little more low-key, I’d opt for ballet flats, black capris, a slicked-back bun, and a teal baby tee.
Speaking of capris, the chokehold they’re currently having on every cool girl is incredible.
You can’t walk one block in Soho on a Saturday without spotting at least one pair.
I will say, they’re an incredibly chic alternative to shorts that still keep you cool in the heat. A good pair of capris simply gives you that put-together look that a pair of denim cutoffs struggles to achieve.
Not Your Mom's Pair: The Return of Capris
I was chatting with a few less fashion-inclined friends last night when one of them turned to me and said, “I need your opinion. How do you feel about capris?
The capri resurgence — which I called out this time last year — has become one of the clearest indicators of the 1960s aesthetic currently dominating culture. And this look will undoubtedly continue into the summer months, not just through capris, but through other ‘60s staples that have us all looking like extras in John Waters’ Hairspray.
One of those staples? Pillbox hats.
I know. It sounds ridiculous.
You may ask why someone would wear a hat that makes them look like they’re headed to church just to go get a matcha. The answer is simple: because it’s fabulous.
I’ve always loved a good vintage hat, and if fashion is finally giving me permission to leave the house cosplaying Jackie Kennedy, I’m going to take it.
Between the rise of vintage dressing and everyone’s apparent desire to romanticize even the most mundane errands, pillbox hats suddenly don’t seem all that ridiculous.
Pillboxes can be just as fun paired with a vintage dress on a night out as they can be with jeans and a T-shirt. Stop overthinking it. Throw on the hat.
Animal print, of course, has been impossible to escape lately.
Leopard print has practically been force-fed down our throats for over a year now — and trust me, I’m not complaining. But every animal kingdom needs a new queen, and I think zebra is preparing a coup.
I’ve been noticing hints of zebra print out in the wild for a while now, but I don’t think it’s quite reached its peak yet.
Much like teal and coral, zebra was another icon of 2010s style, so its return feels inevitable. It offers the same level of visual interest as leopard but feels slightly fresher and a little less expected.
That said, I must confess that I’m currently in a tiger-print era myself.
While I don’t think tiger print is about to hit the mainstream in a major way, I am almost positive it’ll eventually come for zebra’s crown once she’s finished her reign.
Another kitschy little detail taking over the maximalist landscape is buttons.
From necklaces to hair clips, they’re everywhere.
Personally, I’ve been gravitating toward pieces that use buttons in completely dysfunctional ways: sewn all over cuffs, arranged in wiggly patterns down the center of tops, or scattered across jean pockets.
And the more mismatched the buttons are, the better.
The charm comes from the fact that they’re not trying to be practical. They’re trying to be fun. And that’s what fashion feels like right now.
Which brings me to the final trend I’m expecting to explode this summer: hoop earrings.
And not little hoops.
Big hoops.
I mean big hoops.
They add exactly the right amount of swagger to any outfit. Whether you’re wearing a cocktail dress or a graphic tee and denim shorts, a great pair of hoops somehow pulls it all together.
Whether you’re embracing teal, pillbox hats, capris, zebra print, oversized hoops, or all five at once, one thing seems clear: subtlety isn’t on this season’s mood board.
And remember what they say: the bigger the hoop, the bigger the—
Okay, just kidding. That’s probably my cue to end this.
Let me know which trend you’ll be wearing this summer, which ones you wouldn’t be caught dead in, and any I might have missed.
Happy dressing!