7 Trends From 2016 That Were Actually Backing for 2026

ICYMI: 2016 is back. If you’ve opened your Instagram over the last few weeks, you’ll have likely seen a plethora of skinny jeans, the overuse of the Valencia filter and much discourse on ‘Millennial optimism.’ With rumblings on TikTok since the beginning of the year, it was Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian’s photo dumps of almost-forgotten head-to-toe Yeezy looks that sprang a slew of throwbacks and a trip down memory lane for a lot of the Who What Wear UK editors. The aesthetic was back.

As a Gen Z fashion editor, it’s a rarity to write about a period of time I remember so vividly. The year that gave us Beyonce’s Lemonade, Stranger Things, Snapchat filters and Kylie’s lipkits, 2016 was hardly a boring year in pop culture. Whilst in fashion, it was a time when Alessandro Michele’s Gucci era was in its infancy, the Marc Jacobs now-iconic Kiki Boot and Vetements sock boots launched, and the heels of choice were either Stuart Weitzman knee-high’s or Valentino Rockstuds.

So, when I saw that the search volume for “2016 fashion trends” was through the roof last week on Google, I did take a pause. Because the trends in 2016 were quite divisive. To paint a vivid picture, rather than the carefully curated capsule wardrobe I pride myself on today, the heavy hitters in rotation consisted of Comme de Garçons Converse’s, Topshop Joni jeans, thigh-high boots, bomber jackets and kaleidoscopic graphic tees. Oh, and lest we forget—a pair of mirrored sunnies.

But before we get too cynical, it’s important to remember that this is often the beauty of the fashion cycle. Sometimes trends fade and we think they will surely never return, to then have it resurface a decade or two later (I’m looking at you, Y2K). So, before you write off 2016’s style as being too icky to ever come back, I’ve done the research and I predict these 7 trends will definitely be on the up this year, if not already on their way. Scroll to discover them below.

The 7 Trends From 2016 We’re backing in 2026

1. Skinny Jeans

Style Notes: Since the Y2K 2.0 movement, as well as Chemena Kamali’s decision to bring back the bootcut jean in her Chloé autumn/winter 2025 debut, we’ve been eagerly anticipating the return of the skinny jeans. Now feels like the right time. Whilst it may have been a staple in many wardrobe rotations 10 years ago, now it feels more like a marmite situation: you either love them or, inevitably, you hate them. From the subtle bootcut to the slimmer silhouette of the cigarette, the further into 2026 we get, the close we come to the skinny jean resurgence.

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2. Millennial Pink

Style Notes: Whilst pastels in spring, especially pink, are hardly groundbreaking, no year celebrated the shade like 2016. Whilst we’ve had a variety of iterations; candyfloss, plaster and even salmon, Millennial Pink walked so Barbie pink could run. A pastel, slightly dusty shade, this hue was everywhere in the mid-2010s. From Glossier branding to the cover of Sophia Amoruso’s #Girlboss book, this hue wasn’t just a colour but a cultural movement. As we come up to a decade since thinking pink this big, with Stella McCartney, Patou, N°21 and Blumarine all showing a slightly warmer rosey hue in their spring/summer 2026 runway shows, we’re just about ready for the comeback.

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3. Backless Loafer

Style Notes: In a year huge for divisive footwear, the Gucci Princetown backless loafers were undeniably one of the best. Gaining notoriety for the furry footbed, these shoes debuted on the autumn/winter 2015 runway, and were coveted amongst stylists, editors and influencers alike. Having fallen out of favour after a few years in the spotlight, the question of ‘why now?’ when considering its return is a valid one. With the search for ‘fur shoes’ up 170% on Google in the last week alone, it makes sense that people would move past the timeless boot and ‘trendy’ shearling-lined ballet flats of winter 2025, in search of something a touch more functional as we head into spring. Instead, they embody a chic, IYKYK energy, one which can easily elevate your cold-weather outfit.

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4. The ‘It’ Bags

Style Notes: From Kendall Jenner to Alexa Chung, regardless of personal style, in 2016, an “It Bag” was never far behind. From the Gucci Dionysus to the Saint Laurent Sac de Jour as well as the Givenchy Antigona, these bags were the ultimate status symbol and, honestly? They still hold up today. We’ve already anticipated and witnessed the return of the Gucci Indy and the Saint Laurent Mombasa from the ‘00s, so it makes sense that It accessories from the next decade are the next in line.

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5. Bombers

Style Notes: With everyone from Hailey Bieber to Gigi Hadid and Pharell rocking the puffer silhouette in 2016, it was one of the year’s most coveted pieces of outerwear (The New York Times reported a “500 per cent year-on-year increase in Google searches involving the term ‘bomber jacket’ the same year). From soft satin bombers to utilitarian camo, these jackets were laced with a model-of-duty energy; everyone wanted to own one and very rarely were we seen without one. So imagine my surprise when bomber jackets started to make the rounds of the runways again. Seen on the Rick Owens spring/summer 2026 runways and all over my social feeds this year, this transitional buy has piqued the interest of the fashion set again.

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6. Ankle Boots

Style Notes: When you think of 2016, the ankle boot is likely to come to mind. From the Jeffrey Campbell Elphie to the Balenciaga Ceinture, if you weren’t pairing fishnets with a graphic tee for a casual day out, what else were you wearing? As the popularity of trainers begins to plateau in 2026, fashion’s chicest dressers are turning to a variety of other footwear options instead, the tried-and-true ankle boot included. Whilst ankle boots haven’t actually gone anywhere, witchy laced shapes and chunky buckles which had fallen out of favour are definitely on their way back into the 2026 shoe rotation of the masses

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7. High Heels

Style Notes: From eye-watering thigh highs to strappy 6-inch platform pumps, in 2016, there was not a kitten heel in sight. As we prepare to embrace the return of the everyday high heel (this is more a trend relevant to the years just before 2010—just think of Lauren Conrad and her friends working as fashion interns in The Hills), with Alessandro Michele’s reintroduction of the Valentino Rockstud as seen in The Devil Wears Prada 2 trailer, we predict it will be styles post-2010 that are scheduled for a comeback.

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