Fashion month has come and gone, and I’ve spent the past few weeks analyzing every collection from Chanel to Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent to Louis Vuitton. But here’s the thing: I’m not a fashion editor chasing the most avant-garde looks. I’m a professional woman over 40 who needs trends that translate into real life—into meetings, dinners, weekends, and everything in between. So I’ve filtered the spring summer 2026 runways through a very specific lens: what actually works for women like me who want to feel fresh and modern without looking like we’re trying too hard.
What follows are the 10 wearable trends I believe matter most this season. Each comes directly from the designer runways, but I’ve selected only what feels realistic, elegant, and ready to step off the catwalk and into your existing wardrobe. I’ll keep each trend brief—this isn’t about overwhelming you with options but about giving you clear direction. From Saint Laurent’s leather-on-leather statements to Louis Vuitton’s unexpected balloon silhouettes, these are the looks I saw that sparked pure joy and made me think: yes, I can actually wear that.
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1. Oversized Trench Coats
The classic trench coat has been completely reimagined for spring summer. At Celine, I saw flowy, almost liquid trenches that moved like fabric sculptures—nothing like the stiff, structured versions we’ve known for decades. Saint Laurent took things in another direction with leather trench coats in rich, deep tones that instantly elevates any outfit beneath. The silhouette across shows was consistent: long, relaxed, slightly oversized, with enough drama and movement that the coat does all the talking while everything else stays simple.
For women over 40, this trend is a gift. Throw an oversized trench over tailored trousers and a silk blouse for work, or pair it with a simple column dress for evening. The beauty is in the relaxed silhouettes—you’re not buttoned up and rigid, you’re commanding attention through proportion and movement. If you’re stuck in a style rut with your outerwear, this is the piece that breathes new life into your spring wardrobe. One well-chosen trench in a bold color or supple leather can transform everyday outfits from forgettable to intentional.
2. Oversized Coats and Jackets
Oversized outerwear was everywhere this new season. Saint Laurent showed gorgeous oversized leather jackets paired with leather skirts—monochromatic, powerful, unapologetic. Bottega Veneta seems to have made the oversized coat their secret weapon, presenting cocooning shapes that wrap around the body without swallowing it. The key features I noticed: strong shoulders, generous cuts, but always structured and refined. This isn’t about looking lost in fabric; it’s about deliberate volume that feels modern.
The styling logic for professional women is straightforward—balance is everything. Pair an oversized jacket with slimmer bottoms like pencil skirts, straight-leg pants, or slim jeans. This creates visual interest without overwhelming your frame. For the office, an oversized blazer over a midi skirt works beautifully. For evening, that same jacket over tailored trousers and a simple t shirt feels effortlessly sophisticated. The trend cycle has moved away from fitted everything, and embracing this broader silhouette actually feels more contemporary than clinging to outdated proportions.
3. Leather and leather over leather
Leather-over-leather styling made a powerful statement this season. At Saint Laurent, oversized leather jackets were paired with leather skirts for a cohesive, commanding look. Bottega Veneta presented several leather-forward ensembles, while Chanel introduced gorgeous brown leather pants that offered an alternative to the expected black. What struck me was the accessibility: leather appeared in softer finishes and rich neutrals—chocolate browns, deep blacks, warm tans—making it more wearable in daytime than the hard-edged leather of the past few seasons.
For professional women, the leather jacket remains a foundation piece, but this season invites you to go further. Swap one denim piece for leather—a leather skirt with a cotton button down shirt, for instance. Or try the full monochrome leather look but in relaxed cuts that don’t feel costumey. The quiet luxury approach here means choosing quality over flash: supple materials, clean lines, no excessive hardware. If you’ve been hesitant about leather beyond a basic jacket, this is the season to experiment with leather bags, skirts, or trousers in softer, more approachable iterations.
4. Balloon Hems
Balloon hems emerged as one of the most noticeable shapes across the spring summer 2026 collections. At Louis Vuitton, I saw a pink balloon skirt paired with a matching pink shirt that was absolutely exquisite. However, the balloon designs from Bottega Veneta are just stunning and completely wearable in real life. The silhouette is simple to understand: rounded volume at the hem that tapers at the ankle or edge, creating a sculptural but feminine shape. This is appearing on dresses, midi lengths, and even wide-leg pants that gather at the ankle.
The key to wearing balloon hems without feeling childish is restraint everywhere else. Pair a balloon skirt with a streamlined top in neutral colors, minimal sandals or block heels, and keep your hair and makeup clean and simple. Let the volume be the standout piece while everything else stays quiet. For floral prints or delicate fabrics in balloon shapes, stick to sophisticated color palettes rather than bright primaries. This is about proportion play for grown women who understand that one dramatic element, balanced correctly, creates elegance rather than costume.
5. Scarves as Multi-Use Accessories
The spring summer 2026 runways used scarves in ways I hadn’t considered—not just at the neck, but tied at the waist, attached to bags, and serving as subtle accent pieces throughout an outfit. This versatility makes scarves one of the easiest, lowest-commitment ways to tap into the season’s colors and floral patterns without overhauling your entire wardrobe.
Here are three concrete ways to wear them this season: First, tie a scarf at the waist as a soft belt over tailored trousers or a simple dress—it creates definition without the weight of traditional belts and adds a pop of color. Second, drape one loosely at the neck with a blazer for romantic style that feels intentional. Third, tie it to your bag handle for an easy accessory update that adds personality to leather bags you already own. Scarves allow personal expression without requiring new clothes—just new thinking about pieces sitting in your spring closet.
6. Delicate Ruffles
Saint Laurent showed beautiful colorful dresses featuring delicate ruffles—not overwhelming tiers or excessive volume, but light, fluid ruffles placed strategically at sleeves, hems, and necklines. This distinction matters: the ruffles this season are subtle enough for women over 40 who want feminine polish without veering into territory that feels too young or fussy. Think of them as texture rather than statement.
Easy ways to try this trend include a ruffled blouse under a structured blazer for work, a midi dress with soft ruffles at the hem for evening, or a single-ruffle neckline that adds visual interest without overwhelming your frame. Designers like Isabel Marant and Dries Van Noten have also explored delicate textures this season, confirming that ruffles belong in sophisticated wardrobes when executed with restraint. If you’ve avoided ruffles in the past, this is the season to reconsider—they’ve grown up.
7. Oversized Glasses
Think Jackie O. The majority of designers paired their beautiful designs with oversized sunglasses, and I’m genuinely glad because these are incredibly flattering on all types of faces. I saw them at show after show—completing minimal outfits, adding instant polish, making even simple jeans-and-shirt combinations look entirely intentional. The frames were classic: square or softly rounded, in dark tortoiseshell or black.
For mature faces, oversized glasses have a subtle lifting effect that smaller frames simply don’t provide. They become the finishing touch that pulls an outfit together, whether you’re wearing an oversized trench, a leather jacket, or tailored trousers with lightweight sweaters. When choosing frames, stick to classic pieces in timeless colors rather than trendy shapes that will feel dated quickly. One excellent pair of oversized sunglasses—think Tom Ford or similar quality—can serve you across multiple seasons and countless looks. This is an accessory investment that pays dividends.
8. Big Earrings
Big accessories like earrings were a statement across nearly every collection I reviewed. But “big” doesn’t mean flashy or overwhelming—think sculptural gold hoops, geometric shapes, or oversized pearls that command attention through design rather than noise. These earrings transformed otherwise simple silhouettes into complete, considered looks.
For professional women, statement earrings offer one of the easiest style upgrades available. A simple black dress, a white shirt with jeans, a monochrome pantsuit—all of these become elevated with the right bold earring. The key is using them as the focal point: skip the layered necklaces and keep other jewelry minimal when wearing statement earrings. This approach allows you to modernize classic pieces already in your wardrobe without buying entirely new outfits. One pair of beautiful earrings can make your existing wardrobe feel fresh and current. Michael Kors and Tory Burch both showed this principle beautifully in their accessories.
9. Big Bags in Clean, Quiet Designs
The big-bag trend continues into spring summer 2026, but with a refined sensibility that appeals to professional women. What I saw on the runways were clean designs with no flashy logos—just natural fabrics and sublime elegance. The focus is on proportion, material quality, and thoughtful design rather than brand signaling. This is quiet luxury in accessory form.
These bags work beautifully with oversized trenches, leather looks, and everyday professional wear. They’re practical for women who actually carry things—laptops, documents, the miscellany of a full life. Look for canvas with leather trim, supple leather in tan, chocolate, or black, and structured shapes that sit comfortably on the shoulder. Celine and Bottega Veneta both excelled here, showing bags that could transition from office to travel without missing a beat. One well-chosen big bag in natural fabrics reinforces the season’s emphasis on elegance plus function—pieces that work as hard as you do.
10. Hair: Natural, Effortless Styling
This isn’t a clothing trend, but it’s impossible to ignore: the hair on the spring summer 2026 runways was notably natural. I saw soft down styles, loose waves, and relaxed buns that felt undone but intentional. No rigid styles, no messy chaos—just hair that looks like it belongs to a woman who has more important things to think about than perfecting every strand. This approach pairs perfectly with the season’s oversized coats, leather looks, and structured pieces, keeping the overall impression modern rather than overdone.
For women over 40, leaning into your natural texture is both practical and fashionable this season. Smooth blowouts left down, low chignons, or sleek buns with a few soft pieces around the face all align with what I saw at Chanel and beyond. The creative director choices across houses suggest that effortless hair is the deliberate complement to strong silhouettes and subtle accessories. This is how real life adoption of spring trends comes together: let your clothes and accessories make the statement while your hair—and your confidence—provide the foundation.
SUMMARY
What strikes me most about the spring summer 2026 collections is how they prioritize personal style over fleeting gimmicks. These aren’t trends that require you to abandon everything in your closet or reinvent yourself overnight. An oversized trench, a leather skirt, a pair of statement earrings—these are pieces that layer into what you already own and love. The inspiration this season comes from investment thinking: fewer, better pieces that serve multiple occasions and last beyond a single trend cycle.
Whether you start with one balloon-hem skirt or commit to the full leather-on-leather look, the goal is the same: clothes that enhance your life rather than complicate it. Fashion should feel like possibility, not obligation. These 10 wearable trends offer exactly that—runway-validated style filtered through the lens of women who know what actually works. Now it’s your turn to take what resonates and make it yours.
