Fall/Winter 2026 Fashion Trends: More Drama, More Personality, More You

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I have to admit that I don’t really follow trends. Not in the sense that I see something on a runway and immediately feel the need to buy it.

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I have to admit that I don’t really follow trends.

Not in the sense that I see something on a runway and immediately feel the need to buy it. By now, we know that fashion has a very good memory. Trends come, trends go, and then, a few years later, they return as if they have never left.

Which means that many of us already have plenty of “new” trends hiding in our wardrobes.

That jacket you bought years ago? Suddenly relevant again. Those trousers you were convinced you would never wear again? Give them another chance.

The colour you loved before everybody else started talking about it? It was always yours.

For me, fashion is not about constantly buying something new or following every trend exactly as it appears. Trends are simply a source of inspiration. A way to look at the things we already own with fresh eyes and perhaps style them in a new way. Fashion should be fun. Take what you like. Leave what you don’t. Twist it, mix it, make it more personal. Wear a trend with your favourite old jeans, add something unexpected, or combine it with a piece that has been sitting quietly in your closet for years. There are no rules, really. Just inspiration, a little imagination and the willingness to play. Fashion never really stands still. Sometimes it whispers. Sometimes it quietly rearranges the pieces we already own. And sometimes it walks into the room wearing velvet, a giant flower brooch and an animal-print coat, demanding to be noticed. For Fall/Winter 2026, the mood is definitely more expressive.

After several seasons of quiet luxury, minimalism and everything looking beautifully beige, fashion is ready for a little more personality. The runways are full of rich textures, strong silhouettes, dramatic details and colours that refuse to blend into the background. But this does not mean you need to replace your entire wardrobe. In fact, one of the things I love most about this season is that the trends are surprisingly wearable. The message is not “buy everything new”. It is more about looking at the clothes you already own with fresh eyes and styling them in a way that feels a little more unexpected. A familiar blazer. A velvet skirt. A beautiful brooch. A red lip. A great coat. Sometimes that is all it takes to make an old outfit feel completely new again.

Here are the seven Fall/Winter 2026 fashion trends I am most excited about.

Tailoring with a softer attitude

The suit is still here, but she has relaxed a little. For Fall/Winter 2026, tailoring feels polished without being stiff. We are seeing strong shoulders, shaped jackets, defined waists and trousers with beautiful movement. The overall effect is powerful, but not corporate. More confident woman who knows exactly where she is going, less woman who has accidentally walked into a board meeting. Designers including Chanel, Celine, Balenciaga and Givenchy explored new versions of the tailored look, while other collections played with more sculptural proportions and unexpected styling. I love the idea of wearing a classic blazer over something soft. A silk blouse. A simple T-shirt. A fine knit. Perhaps even a dress that would otherwise feel a little too romantic. The contrast is what makes it work. And if you are not ready for a full suit, start with one beautifully cut jacket. Wear it with jeans, a long skirt or your favourite pair of trousers. Add a great pair of earrings and suddenly even the simplest outfit feels intentional. That, to me, is the beauty of tailoring. It does some of the work for you.

Rich textures: velvet, leather and shearling

Autumn and winter are made for texture. This season, fashion is inviting us to touch everything. Velvet, leather, shearling, satin, lace and sumptuous knits are all part of the story. The result feels luxurious, but it does not have to be formal. A velvet jacket with denim. A leather skirt with a soft oversized knit. A shearling coat over a very simple outfit. A satin blouse underneath a masculine blazer. The contrast between textures is what keeps these fabrics feeling modern. You do not need to wear head-to-toe velvet unless that is what makes your heart happy. One tactile piece is often enough. Personally, I think a velvet jacket is one of the easiest ways to make a wardrobe feel instantly more expensive. Even if you are wearing the same jeans you have worn approximately 400 times. The jeans will not complain. They are simply grateful for the company.

Faux fur: the cosy kind of drama

And then there is faux fur. I have always found faux fur slightly irresistible. It is warm, a little theatrical and completely capable of making an ordinary day feel more glamorous than it actually is.

For Fall/Winter 2026, faux fur is having a beautiful moment. We are seeing it in oversized coats, cropped jackets, generous collars, trims and accessories. Some versions look soft and natural, while others are deliberately more dramatic, with longer textures, rich colours and wonderfully exaggerated proportions. This is not really a trend for disappearing into the background. Although, naturally, you can wear it in a much quieter way if that feels more like you. A chocolate-brown faux-fur collar on a wool coat. A cream faux-fur jacket with jeans and simple boots. A cropped jacket over a long dress. Or a faux-fur bag if you only want to add a small touch of winter glamour.

The trick is to let the texture be the star. Keep the rest of your outfit relatively simple and allow the coat to do what it came to do. Make an entrance. Even if you are only going to the supermarket. And yes, I know there is a fine line between looking effortlessly chic and looking as though you are about to perform in a very glamorous Christmas production. But perhaps that is part of the fun. At our age, we are allowed a little drama.

Dark florals and oversized blooms

Florals for autumn? Yes, I know. We have heard this before. But these are not sweet little summer flowers floating across a pastel dress.

Fall/Winter 2026 brings us darker florals, dramatic botanical prints and oversized flowers that feel bold, romantic and slightly mysterious. Think deep burgundy, black, plum, midnight blue and forest green. Think flowers with a little more attitude.

The floral trend is also appearing through accessories. Large flower brooches are one of the season’s loveliest details, bringing a decorative, almost old-fashioned charm to jackets, coats and dresses. I would wear one on a simple black blazer or pin it to the shoulder of a wool coat. It is a small detail, but it changes the entire feeling of an outfit. And perhaps that is why I like it so much. It allows you to participate in the trend without feeling as though you have been dressed by a very enthusiastic garden centre.

A dark floral skirt with a simple knit is another easy way to wear it. Add boots and a long coat, and you have an outfit that feels feminine without being overly delicate. Flowers, but make them grown-up.

Colour is coming back

There is nothing wrong with black, navy, camel and grey. They are the dependable friends of our wardrobe. They are always there when we need them, never create unnecessary drama and work beautifully with almost everything. But this season, colour is asking to be invited to dinner.

Across the Fall/Winter 2026 collections, we are seeing rich red, vibrant pink, deep purple, chartreuse and other expressive shades. Some are intense and almost jewel-like. Others are slightly unexpected, such as acidic green or a soft pink worn with a darker shade. Red is particularly powerful this season. A red coat would be wonderful, obviously, but you do not need to make such a dramatic commitment. Try a red handbag, scarf, sweater or lipstick instead. I am also very tempted by deep purple. It has the richness of burgundy but feels a little less predictable. Wear it with chocolate brown, navy or even a soft grey.

And if strong colour makes you nervous, remember that you do not have to wear it close to your face. A colourful shoe or bag can bring life to an otherwise neutral outfit. Sometimes the smallest flash of colour is enough to improve your mood. Especially on a grey Dutch morning.

Animal print is still having a moment

Animal print has been around for so long that it has practically become a neutral. Leopard, zebra and snake print have all had their moments, but Fall/Winter 2026 is bringing animal print back through outerwear, oversized coats and statement pieces.

I understand why people are drawn to it. Animal print can make even the most basic outfit feel alive. A black sweater, straight-leg jeans and an animal-print coat suddenly become a look.

The important thing is not to overthink it. Wear it with simple pieces and let the coat or accessory do the talking. And if a full animal-print coat feels too much, try a bag, belt, scarf or pair of shoes. Although I will say this: there is something very satisfying about putting on a slightly outrageous coat and behaving as though it is the most normal thing in the world.

Confidence is often just commitment.

Layering becomes the main event

The most useful trend of the season may also be the one that costs you nothing.

Fall/Winter 2026 is reminding us that great style is often about styling rather than shopping. Familiar pieces are being layered in new ways, with unexpected combinations of cardigans, jackets, skirts, shirts, trousers and accessories. A cardigan worn over a shirt. A thin knit underneath a blazer. A skirt over trousers. A workwear jacket paired with something elegant. A belt added to a coat that has always felt a little too shapeless. The idea is to create depth and contrast. To make an outfit look considered without making it look as though you spent two hours standing in front of your wardrobe having a small crisis.

Although, naturally, there may still be some crisis. Layering is also practical, which is important when you live somewhere like the Netherlands and the weather can change its mind several times before lunch. Start with thin layers rather than one enormous sweater. It gives you more options and creates a more interesting silhouette.

And do not underestimate the power of accessories. A brooch, a belt, a scarf or a pair of statement earrings can completely change pieces you already own.

The trend I am most excited about

If I had to choose one direction for Fall/Winter 2026, I think it would be the return of personality. Not one specific colour. Not one particular skirt length. Not one item that you absolutely must buy before everyone else does. Just personality.

The season feels like a reaction against dressing too carefully. There is more room for drama, glamour, romance, colour and clothes that make you feel something. That does not mean every outfit needs to be loud. It simply means we can stop apologising for enjoying fashion.

A beautiful coat is not frivolous. A red lipstick is not frivolous. Putting on earrings just to go to the supermarket is not frivolous. Clothes can be practical and still bring us joy. They can keep us warm and make us feel more like ourselves. They can help us express something before we have even said a word.

And after 40, I think we know ourselves well enough to make our own decisions. We can choose the trend. We can ignore the trend. We can wear one small part of it with our favourite old jeans. Or we can wear the dramatic coat, the enormous flower, the red lipstick and the velvet shoes all at once. There are no fashion police. And if there are, I hope they are wearing something fabulous.

My final thought

Fall/Winter 2026 is not about becoming somebody else. It is about bringing more of yourself into the way you dress. Try the colour that makes you smile. Wear the blazer that gives you better posture. Add a brooch to the coat you have owned for years. Combine something masculine with something soft. Wear animal print if it makes you feel powerful. Wear black if that is what feels like you. The best trends are not the ones that make us look fashionable. They are the ones that make us feel awake. So this autumn, I am choosing texture, colour, strong tailoring, comfortable layers and at least one completely unnecessary but wonderful detail. Perhaps a flower. Perhaps a red lip. Perhaps a velvet jacket. Perhaps faux fur. Perhaps all of them. Because fashion should not be about disappearing into the background.

Not at 40. Not at 50. Not at any age. This season is yours.

With love, Dee