← Her Style Podcast | Shopping, Color Palettes, Fashion, Wardrobe, Outfits, Clothing
Her Style Podcast | Shopping, Color Palettes, Fashion, Wardrobe, Outfits, Clothing
318 | 2026 Spring Fashion Trends and What's Worth Buying for Your Wardrobe Right Now
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Hey, friend. I am so excited. Today it's time for one of our favorite episodes of the year. We're diving deep into the 2026 spring fashion trends. If you spend even five minutes scrolling Instagram or popping around YouTube lately, you might feel like you need an entirely new wardrobe this season. But you don't have to chase every trend. It's all about choosing the right ones. So I'm breaking down what's actually worth buying for your wardrobe right now, and what's priced probably better left on the Runway. We'll talk about the most wearable silhouettes, the accessories that will instantly and inexpensively update your outfits, the colors that are dominating this season, and a few trends that are fun to watch but a bit more impractical to wear. And most importantly, I'll share a simple filter to use to pinpoint which trends are right for you so you can refresh your closet without wasting money or ending up with pieces you never wear. If you want to know which trends are actually worth adding this season and which ones you can confidently skip, keep listening.
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Welcome to her Style podcast, where we're all about empowering you to show up and get dressed every day with confidence. I'm your host, Heather Riggs, a 15 year and counting certified image consultant and color specialist, ready to build a wardrobe and a personal style you love.
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Let's get started. Getting to sit down with you. I don't know, two or three times a year. I guess we do this every spring, every fall, and then sometimes maybe I'll talk about a few of the winter trends going on around the holiday season. But it's so fun to get to really dive deep into what's happening on the runways and in streetwear. And I will just say I am not on TikTok. I don't follow the micro TikTok trends personally. So you might be seeing other things popping up here and there that I'm not going to cover in today's recap. But I can assure you everything we're talking about today is going to be going to make your wardrobe look so fresh, so current. And I'm really excited to deep dive on what I'm seeing, what's coming up, and of course, as always, most importantly, how to choose the right options for you. I think that spring fashion is one of the most exciting seasons in style because everything is starting to feel alive again. It's warming up a little bit here, which I'm very excited about. We just hit daylight savings time, which I don't love, but it does make the Days start to feel a little bit longer. And of course, from a fashion standpoint, we're starting to see lighter fabrics, brighter colors, new silhouettes to experiment with, and, of course, some playful accessories. And right now, we are seeing a lot of maximalism again, which is really fun. After so many seasons of quiet luxury and a sea of beige, things are feeling much more playful. Experimental. Yes, that is the word. Experimental. And again, I've talked about this in other recent seasons. I think maybe in our fall episode, anything goes. So you can really have fun right now with your fashion. I never like to take my wardrobe too seriously. I think it's nice to be able to play dress up and put new combinations together. And so, again, this spring, you really have a lot of leeway to do that and to be more creative with what you already own. But with that excitement, I know, comes a lot of pressure to feel like you need to keep up. And if you are looking on social media, if you're exploring some of the trends on your own, it can seem like everyone has a brand new wardrobe and you have to buy all the latest pieces if you want to look cool and feel current when you step outside. And sometimes you might look at what you have in your wardrobe, and your clothes are going to suddenly feel outdated to you. So I always want to remind you that you do not need a completely new wardrobe every season in order to feel stylish. In fact, the women who always look put together usually aren't the ones buying the most clothes. They're making the most of their clothes, and they're doing with thoughtful choices both in how they style pieces and with what additions they bring in to keep things feeling really fun and fresh. And so that's why I really encourage you to look at the trends through a more practical lens, not from a standpoint of do I want this or do I need this? But does this have a place in my wardrobe? Does it belong here? And when I talk about trends with clients or inside my program, I always recommend prioritizing your needs before your wants. So before you buy anything new for this season, whether it's a trend item or a staple piece, I want you to ask yourself, what do I actually have coming up in my life? Think about any upcoming events on your calendar. Are you going to be traveling? Do you have work commitments, social events? Just your everyday routine? What pieces do you need to get through the next couple of months? If you know you have weddings, graduations, spring parties, vacations, work presentations, then those needs should guide your purchases more than what's trending ever should. I love to keep a pulse on what's happening. I also want to show up feeling current and now, but I don't want that to dictate what I'm buying if it's not practical for what I actually need. So after you've filled the true gaps in your wardrobe, the things that are going to make getting dressed every single day a lot easier for you, then I think trends can become the fun finishing touch. And I usually recommend that you just pick one or two trends per season. If you're someone who has a more dramatic fashion forward style, maybe you're going gonna pick three or four, but not 10. You don't need to get everything on this list again. You don't need to update your whole wardrobe. But just adding in a couple of thoughtful updates can make your entire closet feel more refreshed and of course, more current. Now the last thing before we dive into this season's trends, in order to help you navigate which ones to try, I'm gonna give you four questions that you can filter all of those choices through. So these should probably sound familiar. If you listen to a few Her Style podcast episodes, you know that for me it always comes back to your style foundations. So the first thing is does it align with your signature style? If your style leans classic and minimal, then a very dramatic eye catching Runway trend is probably not going to feel like you. However, if you're more creative or fashion forward, you might enjoy experimenting more and trying something that's a little bit more unexpected or offbeat. For this season, neither is wrong. But alignment with who you are and how you want to be seen really matter. So you always want to think about does this line up with your style goals and how you want to show up and be seen? The second element is does it flatter your figure? Some trends are amazing for certain body types and not as ideal for others. So just a couple of examples and of course we'll dive deeper into these. But exaggerated silhouettes can definitely overwhelm you if you have a very petite frame. Drop waist skirts are awesome. They are very now, but they can cut into the visual space of your lower half. So if you already have short legs, you might want to avoid that style. Style. Your trends should enhance your shape, not work against it. So you always want to think about how is this going to look on me and my body and never force yourself into something just because everyone else is wearing it. All right, number three, is it in one of your best colors? We could also throw prints into the Mix is this a flattering color or print for you? And this is a big one, because again, a trend might look amazing on someone else, but if the color or print doesn't suit you, it's not going to have the same impact. So we always want to personalize things and figure out, is it going to bring out your best. And then the fourth component, which we've already touched on a little bit, is, does it work for your real life? This might be the most important question because a trend could look amazing on you, but if you have nowhere to wear it, it's just going to sit in your closet with the tags on. Some trends are very easy to incorporate, like mixed metal jewelry, which we're going to talk about today. Many of us already own silver and gold pieces that we can pile on together. Other trends, like statement skirts, might cost you a little bit of money if you have to buy something, and they might not work for you in your everyday life. So I definitely encourage you to weigh all of these factors when you're deciding which trends you're going to experiment with this season. And the good news is there are a lot of wearable options right now. So I want to start by talking about the trends that I think are the most worth considering this season. And to begin, I want to start by focusing on the trending classics. And what I mean by this is styling elements that feel really current that we're seeing a lot of on the runways and out in stores right now. So they're going to bring a fresh element to your closet, but they actually consist of very timeless pieces that you may already have in your wardrobe. So best case scenario, you can embrace a few trends without buying anything. Or if you are going to make an investment, you know that you can wear these things beyond this one single season. It's probably going to be something that will last you for many years to come, because it is actually a classic piece. So the first thing is really more of a theme and how you put your pieces together. And we're calling it literary chic. So think kind of classic librarian style. You might want to pair a button down blouse under a V neck sweater with a great pencil skirt. Just very sophisticated, very timeless feel. This look is truly in right now. So if that resonates with you, if you have a very classic, almost elegant style type, you might really want to jump on the literary chic trend. The next one is utility wear, and we've been seeing this for multiple seasons, but it's still really big at the moment and it could Be cargo pockets. Whether you want to opt for that on a jacket, a button up shirt, maybe a great pair of pants or even a skirt or shorts. It's all about functional dressing. So if you are someone who loves utility inspired pieces, I would definitely embrace that this season. If you don't already have something in your wardrobe, the next one is prints on prints. And this might appeal to a more creative or dramatic style type, but I want you to think head to toe prints. Whether you opt for a matching set, maybe a top and a skirt or a full length dress that has an all over print. Or if you want to feel a little bit more daring and playful, you could mix up your prints. That's also very in this season we're seeing everything from floral designs to abstract prints. So again, it's kind of that anything goes mentality. But you could easily pile on the different prints in your closet this season if you feel confident to do that and step out in full confidence. Okay, the next one is animal prints. This is just a classic. I think there's always a place in your wardrobe and your seasonal outfits for a good leopard print. A great classic zebra print. If you want to feel a little bit more now, we're also seeing unexpected animal prints like Dalmatian print, obviously faux. We're not going full on Cruella de Vil over here. Or maybe you're going to try a fawn pr. Those are especially current, so you could capitalize on the different animal print themes that are happening in stores at the moment. But also a safe classic leopard, zebra, etc. Are just going to be another great thing that you can easily add into your outfits and feel very fresh. And then the last one is polka dots. These are still going strong. We definitely saw these last year as well. But polka dots are still on trend for the spring season. If you don't already have them. You might want to invest in a piece with a great polka dot print because again, I think it's such a timeless print. It'll feel really current, but you won't have to worry about it becoming too quickly dated. Of course, if it does become something we're not really seeing, you could always filter it out for a season or two and then bring it back in later with confidence. Okay, now I want to shift into talking about accessories because I think this is one of the easiest ways to participate in the trends each season. You can either raid your jewelry box for some of what we're seeing right now, or if you wanted to pick up a trend item or two, you can find some very low cost costume jewelry for an instant update and also to be able to dabble and experiment with a trend without spending a fortune. I'll give you a list of some of the standout accessories that we're seeing right now. Brooches, still very trending. These are so great. I know a lot of my clients already have brooches in their wardrobe from whether it's something they inherited from a mom or a grandmother or an aunt. Or maybe you pick some up because this trend was also starting last year. So if you had grabbed a few. Absolutely. Put them on your jacket lapel, on your cuffs, on your blouses, they will look absolutely fabulous. You can have a lot of fun with this. This is a great conversation piece. So if you have something that's more meaningful to you. For example, one of my clients showed her collection in our private membership community last week. She had some beautiful bumblebee or no ladybugs, I think it was ladybugs. She had a couple of terriers, just some really swee things that meant something to her. And if somebody sees that, they're definitely going to compliment you. It's a great way to strike up a conversation with someone you don't know. Just having. I love having those little touches that are more personal but also very trending right now. Another thing is oversized cuffs, so just kind of piling on those large oversized bangle bracelets. Sculptural jewelry is still very in as well, so I think that's a beautiful option if you are looking to pick up something new. This season's iterations are almost like nature inspired, so I was noticing a lot of seashell shaped necklaces, earrings that kind of look like coral or some or like a reef. Just anything that feels like a nature inspired shape in a really bold, shiny metallic is going to be very current for your jewelry collection at the moment. Also, mixed metals. This is probably the easiest trend of all of the trends that I'm going to talk about today to embrace because odds are you have some silver jewelry in your collection and you might have some gold jewelry in your collection. So pairing them together is going to give you a very current feel. I was seeing lots of layered rings, obviously bracelets. If you have silver detailing on a jacket, for example, you can still wear your gold jewelry. You don't have to keep them separate. I feel like that again is always a classic timeless look to do mixed metals. It works really well for pretty much any skin tone type as well because that's going to give you a good neutral Mix of the cool and the warm together. But again, if you bring it into into your wardrobe right now, you're going to feel especially current. And then the last accessory that I think is worth paying attention to at the moment are head scarves. And these are so fun. I think this is a great option if you're going to be out working in the garden or heading to the beach or going out to brunch with your girlfriends. Just throw on a pretty headscarf that can really finish your whole outfit and of course, give you a nice trend to play with. That's not going to be a big expense to pick up for right now. And even adding just one or two of these accessories can really make all of your familiar outfits feel new again. Okay, now I want to look at some other trends that might require you to make a purchase or two, but that I think are still very practical depending on your personal style. So always go back to those four filter questions that I gave you at the start to see what's going to work best for you. One of the biggest themes this season is what I'd call modern romantic. So think soft, feminine elements, but with a contemporary twist. So we're seeing crocheted collars, delicate textures, lots of bow details, which I could have made a trend all on its own. And this one is so beautiful because it's very wearable. It brings the perfect balance between sophisticated and sweet. So some examples in real life could look like wearing a scallop edge blouse with fitted cigarette pants or a ruffled midi skirt with a simple tee or maybe a feminine knit top with barrel leg jeans. So just kind of think something that feels really pretty and feminine, but with a contemporary element that keeps it from looking overly dressy. So we want to still keep the overall feeling really sleek and now, but with a very sweet, pretty finish. Okay, next are balloon pants. These are the trending pants silhouette. Right now. They're very dramatic in shape. So they're wide, rounded, and of course going to help you make a big statement. So you can think of them is this season's barrel leg. They can be amazing for creative personalities. If you have a natural style and you want something that's really comfortable, breathable. If you love to look really current and kind of fashion forward, or if you have a dramatic style type, I think they can work for a lot of different personalities. They're also a trend that may come and go quickly. So while they look very comfortable, they're super easy to wear. I would definitely go with a more fitted top if you're going to do this wide pant leg style, but they could be something to try if you love fashion experimentation. I just don't know that it's something everyone necessarily needs and I wouldn't expect it to be an investment you're going to reach for year after year. So if you want one fun trend you can go all in on right now, it might be balloon pants because I think they will work for a lot of personality types. Personally, for me, I might dabble with renting a pair. If Nuuly comes out with an option, I'm going to keep my eyes for that. So renting might be a better option than buying a brand new pair that you might not want to wear for an ongoing period of time. Okay, the next one are statement skirts and this is another standout trend right now. Think sculptural shapes, interesting textures like feathers and fringe, or metallic sequin options. Again, I mentioned earlier that drop waist skirts are continuing from last season, so it could be anything that's really eye catching. Statement skirts are great because they're going to do a lot of the work for you. They're going to help to make to kind of take your outfit to the next level. And you can pair them with something very simple like a plain T shirt, which we saw a lot of on the runways. It was like a plain, simple, boxy or fitted T shirt. They were mostly boxy shirts, I will say, and then a very bold statement skirt. And I think that that's a great way to make them more wearable for your day to day. But you also could try pairing them with a lightweight sweater or maybe a more fitted top. And it's going to instantly elevate your outfit and make you look really fun, intentional and of course very dramatic. So this could be a perfect tre to try for your next girls night out. Or if you have a special event coming up, a statement skirt could be where it's at for you. All right, I already mentioned head scarves being very in this season, but scarves worn as tops or draped over a blazer or a blouse with a matching built in scarf are also very popular looks to try right now. So I'm calling this scarf dressing and it's going to be mostly on your upper body. Although we've still been seeing women draping scarves across their hips, hips paired with a long pant or even a skirt. So there are different ways to style your scarves, but I do think that you could easily recreate this look with your existing collection or if you Love an elegant silk scarf accessory. You might want to look for a more intentional, intentionally styled combination for your spring wardrobe. So think matching blazer scarf. So it all looks like one piece. I really love the. I'm going to call it a loud luxury feel. It's not necessarily quiet luxury. I think this does make a lot more of a statement, but it still feels very elegant and refined. Okay. The next one is draped tailoring. Workwear is evolving big time this season. And instead of rigid, structured suits, we're seeing draping. And that means soft blazers, fluid trousers, pencil skirts that have draping and movement and overall relaxed suiting silhouettes. And I think that this works beautifully for modern wardrobes because it feels polished, but it's. But it's still very comfortable. We talked about that in another recent episode that you don't have to sacrifice looking put together for feeling comfortable or vice versa. And if you're someone who needs to get dressed for the office and you're
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heading into work, I would put this
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pretty high up on my list of possibilities. All right, now let's talk footwear for a minute. I think comfort continues to influence fashion in a really big way. And so I rounded up three footwear trends that are probably the most wearable of all of them. Them that we're seeing right now. So the first one is soft sneakers. And these could be satin fabric or ballerina inspired or just again, more of a low profile sneaker. That's definitely something that we're seeing a lot of at the moment. Also backless loafers, which are going to give you that timeless, classic, almost professional sort of feel, but in a very modern way. And then the last one is going to be elevated flip flops. And this could mean that they have a. A chunky platform sole, or maybe they're made of a luxurious velvet fabric. Any detailing that makes them feel a little bit special yet, of course, they're going to be super practical for running around with your family this spring and summer. So all of these styles are going to allow you to maintain some comfort while still looking stylish. If you're in the market for a new pair of shoes this season, you might want to consider one of those three. And next, I want to share some trends that are definitely fun, but maybe a bit more impractical or best for certain style types and not others. And the first I'm going to call kind of a dynamic duo. It's shape shifting and proportion play. And in typical maximalist Runway fashion, we saw a lot of exaggerated silhouettes. And unexpected proportions. So first up, I'm talking dresses that alter or emphasize your natural shape with extreme curves. It curves. So this could be bubble hemmed tulip skirts, very wide at the hips and then tapering down at the ankles, anything exaggerated, which can really help to camouflage or draw the eye away from certain areas of your body. So you could use this one very strategically, but it's going to give you a super dramatic look. So again, it may not be right for everyone. And the other one is exaggerated proportions or unique top to bottom ratios. So on the runways, I was seeing a lot of cropped jackets with very long blouses underneath, sometimes paired with a short skirt, shorts under that. Or you might try the drop waist skirts. As I talked about before, any pairings that you wouldn't typically put together can look very fashion forward when you wear them in an intentional way. So this is a fun one to play with. Again, if you have a creative or a dramatic style, or like myself, you can choose to admire these trends from afar rather than trying them on yourself. But you've got to know what works for your personality. And you could have fun working on different shapes in your outfits or playing around with those proportions. Okay, now the next one is layers on layers on layers. And I debated on where to put this one in today's roundup because it's something that you could easily recreate with your existing wardrobe. So I love that you don't need to buy anything in order to pull off this styling trend, but it also requires some savvy to avoid looking bulky and losing your shape altogether. And also, as temperatures really start to warm up in many parts of the world, you probably don't want to overdo it with your layering pieces. But if you feel so inclined, you might want to experiment with this one. A great option might be to layer up with a lightweight mock neck, tank top or a light sweater if you want to, a button down blouse, a sweater over that, and then topping it all with your favorite jacket. We saw so many looks on the runways that were just all of these layers, layers. And it's a really interesting look. I think it can bring a dynamic feel to your outfit. It can work for you even if you have a really natural, classic or elegant style. But it's very fresh. It's incredibly now and again, you just want to be smart and strategic with how many layers you put on. And my best tip as you're layering for the transitional weather is to make sure that each version of that works well on its own. So if you need to shed the jacket, shed the sweater, shed the blouse. Whatever you have underneath still looks like a complete outfit all on its own. Okay. Some less practical, yet still fabulous footwear trends are glove pumps. We saw a lot of these on, you know, some of the recent awards ceremony red carpets, and really, it looks like a glove for your foot. It's. You could also call it a high vamp shoe. So you could try this in a flat, you could try it in a pump, which I think is the most desirable option to me. It's a really lovely kind of classic look. Or you could opt for embellished shoes, and again, anything goes. They could be crystal adorned. They could have fringe or feathers attached. They could have fabric that's twisted into interesting shapes like a big flower. Anything that really draws attention to your shoes. This is perfect. If you love dramatic looks, maybe. Otherwise, you want to keep your outfit simple and let the shoes really lead the way. And the last one are naked shoes. These have been in for a bit, but they're still trending right now. You could opt for a sheer mesh flat, or you could do, like, a clear PVC pump. Whatever you want to try. I think that that's maybe wearable, but I also don't know that it's something you're going to reach for every day. So, again, if you want something that's a little bit more alluring, a little bit eye catching, you could try the naked shoe trend, which is still going strong. And finally, to round out our episode, I saved the best for last. Color is a big, big story this season. And instead of focusing on just one palette, we're seeing a range of beautiful options, so there is definitely something for everyone. The first kind of grouping are bold jewel tones, and these are especially exciting. They also work for a lot of different skin tones, so I think they're pretty universally flattering. They're colors like cobalt blue, royal purple. We saw lots of dark hunter green and also a lighter, brighter Kelly green this season, or shamrock green. I've seen people calling that as well. And then, of course, transformative teal, which WGSN named their color of the year. So that's a great, universally flattering option. If you love a good teal, it's a perfect mix of that blue green tone. Something you might want to reach for. While it's definitely going to be readily available. Next up, we have bright statement colors. We are seeing a lot of bold pops on the Runway, which is so fun for spring and summer. And I do think you can generally go a little bit brighter in the warmer weather than what you might normally want to pull off. And so that could be anything from, from a bright fuchsia to lime green. Tomato red is probably the most current red option, but of course, you always want to wear the ones that work best for you. And then the last one would be a great citrus yellow, so just kind of a touch softer than your canary yellow. The next one is going to be soft pastels. And these are great for someone who prefers a quieter palette. They're also very trending right now. That includes powder pink, baby blue, and then soft off whites like Cloud Dancer, which is Pantone's color of the year. Saw a lot of ivory options on the runways, which is so great because we always talk about how a traditional bright white is not necessarily everyone's best option. So definitely scoop up those off white tones while they're readily available as well. These are going to give you a nice, fresh and romantic feeling for spring. And the last color trend that I really want to call out is gold. And I mean metallic gold. So if you are heading to a special event this season, you might want to look for a beautiful gold dress, if that's a great metal for you. All right, now to quickly recap, if you're looking for the trends that are the most wearable and worth considering, I would focus on modern romantic pairings. Balloon pants. I think that silhouette is going to be huge this year. Statement skirts, scarf dressing, draped tailoring, especially if you have to go into the office or you love a professional element in your wardrobe. Mixed metals or another easy jewelry trend to adapt. Wrapped soft sneakers, backless loafers and elevated flip flops. If you want a current shoe in your closet. And then making a beautiful color update or two, especially jewel tones or soft pastels. Depending on your personal coloring and preferences, just one or two of these additions can refresh your wardrobe without requiring a complete overhaul. And remember, trends are meant to support your personal style, not replace it. The goal is not to chase every trend trend. It's to choose the ones that flatter you, that reflect your personality, and of course, that work for your real life. Because when you do that, you don't just look stylish for one season. You really will start to build a wardrobe that continues to work for you year after year. I'd love for you to send me a DM over on Instagram eatherigstyle. Tell me which spring trend you're most excited about trying this season and which one you are definitely skipping. I can't wait to hear from you friend. Thanks for joining me today. I'll meet you back here soon.
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Thank you for listening to today's episode. If you want to stop copying everyone else's style and start dialing in your own swoon worthy signature look, head over to take my free 5 minute personal style quiz which you can find at the link in the show notes. If you've enjoyed our time together, please be sure to rate, review and and subscribe to her style podcast so you never miss an episode. Finally, I invite you to make this a two way conversation and send me a DM over on Instagram eatherigstyle to let me know how I can best support you on your style journey. I'm always here for you in Style and service. Until next time.