Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered
Spring 2026 Fashion Trend Update

Living in New England is always an adventure! We went from blizzards (when I first started researching and writing this post) and 5 feet of snow on the ground to 70-degree days and now we’ve moderated and we’re in the 40’s and 50’s. But that hasn’t stopped me! As always, I will review what’s hot and share my thoughts on the upcoming trends…no holds barred.

I know you probably didn’t expect a weather report, but figuring out what to wear when there is such fluctuation can be challenging—at least here in New England. I think we are finally heading into slightly warmer territory and the new clothing and accessories are now flooding into the stores.

Spring fashion always has some familiar styles on repeat and this year is no exception. Florals, polka dots, pale or bright colors as well as details like lace and eyelet. Whether you love those options or not, the good news is that there are other choices as well and some of the tried and true styles even have a new twist.

As usual, I have taken a look at what’s on trend for the spring and I’ve divided them into 3 categories – Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered and I share my thoughts on each trend.

But that’s not all!

I have spent hours looking to see examples of the trends and have chosen over 140 that I think are worth exploring further. You’ll see a few below and you can click on any of the photos or this link (https://hueandstripe.com/catalog/105H-ScgQejmYc) and see them. Then simply click on the photo in the special catalogue and it will take you directly to the website so you can learn more.

As spring goes full steam ahead into summer, anytime between now and mid-June is a good time to add a few lovely new pieces to your wardrobe. Spring is generally a short buying season so be sure to explore the options over the next couple of months. If you live in the north, don’t wait for it to be 90 degrees before shopping for summer or you’ll miss out!

Most of all, have fun!

BEWITCHED

Color

The pantone color of the year is ‘Cloud Dancer’—a shade of off-white. This is good news and hopefully we’ll see clothing coming out in this lovely color. Cloud Dancer is a soft shade of white with a cool/warm balance so it works on almost everyone and is much less stark and harsh than pure white. Grab it when you see it!

We’ll also see all shades of green, icy blue is everywhere, powder pink (and other shades of pink), violet and gray. Here are just two examples of greens available this season and actually, both of these are wearable by a lot of people:

The fashion gurus still insist on showing us primary colors which can be rather annoying since they aren’t a lot of people’s best colors, but at least there are other options.

And, of course, the ubiquitous black and white combination is being touted as on trend. Really? When is it not? Black and white together is not the easiest combination to pull off without feeling overwhelmed by it, but that doesn’t stop them. If you look good in it, enjoy!

Prints

Polka dots, Stripes, Florals (from romantic to bedspread prints (think 1980’s Laura Ashley) to 3-D to those that look handpicked). Even checks are in! Florals are certainly no surprise although they seem to have quieted down some of the giant florals and gone to a more reasonable size. Single stem floral designs are in, as they were last spring, but the prints that are most prevalent are the woodland, bedspread, romantic type prints that have a fresh feel – without feeling like you’re wearing living room curtains!

Click the photo below to see an example romantic, woodland and a romantic polka dot print and there are many more in the specially curated catalogue I created for you.

Skirts

Skirts are always an option, of course, but this season skirts have exploded into every imaginable length, style, color and print. Something for everyone if you like wearing a skirt. Here’s one of my favorites (it comes in regular, petite and tall sizes), but you’ll find many more in the catalogue I created here: (https://hueandstripe.com/catalog/105H-ScgQejmYc)

Fabrics

There are so many fabrics and extra details this season including crinkled/crushed fabrics, sheer (which isn’t necessarily new this spring, but it’s bigger than ever) and lace trim on almost everything! All of these can be fun to play with and something like the crinkled fabrics make travel really easy. This top below is one of my favorites. I know how hard it can be to find sleeveless tanks that don’t cling. This one will be easy to wear and also comes in bright blue (sizes regular, petite and tall). Click on the photo to get more details:

And lace can be subtle like the top on the left or cover the entire garment like the pretty vest. Many more options here: (https://hueandstripe.com/catalog/105H-ScgQejmYc)

Bejeweled Jackets

This spring, jackets come in every form from cropped and boxy to fitted. Now you can add one more detail – bejeweling. You get to decide how much (if any) bling you want on your jacket. This simple casual jacket is one that can be worn anytime.

BOTHERED

Drop Waist Trench Coats

Really? Why? Can someone please explain the appeal of these? Here’s an example of what I’m talking about and you can see more questionable styles in the section entitled ‘Styles to Skip’ here: (https://hueandstripe.com/catalog/105H-ScgQejmYc)

Denim Skirts

A denim skirt can be a fabulous staple in one’s wardrobe so why is it in the ‘Bothered’ category now? Because it’s so hard to find a basic denim skirt – not a mini- or midi-skirt, but a more traditional length—one that falls a bit above the knee. Denim midi skirts can easily feel frumpy so choose wisely if you go with that trend.

Here’s one of the few above the knee (without being mini) denim skirts (and I’ve included a promising denim midi-skirt in the catalogue):

BEWILDERED

Balloon Pants

These actually can look good, BUT you need to be very intentional in how you style them. They are trendy so they often don’t look right when styled in a traditional way and, being trendy, they probably won’t be around for long so if you get some wear them a lot now. Here’s an example of a balloon pants outfit that works:

Capri Leggings

Capri’s that end mid-calf have been out of style for a couple of years and they still aren’t back. What we are seeing on trend is a very slim, just below the knee capri. And it’s generally styled either for workouts or in a more upscale way (as seen below). The reason I’ve put this trend in the ‘Bewildered’ category is because the wider, mid-calf capris can easily look frumpy and dated on those of us who are older unless so perhaps try this trend if you like a shorter pant length.

Low Rise Skirts and Pants

Ugh! They are back. I was hoping never to see these again. Back in my teens they were referred to as hip huggers and I hated them even then (they never stayed up!). My apologies to those of you who like them. The one consolation, at least so far, is that they haven’t done away with mid- or high-rise pants or skirts.

Voluminous Skirts

Beware that there are many voluminous skirts out there right now which can be fun, but if they have a lot of gathers around the waist, they can also add volume. Choose the silhouette you feel most comfortable wearing.

ACCESSORIES

I had to add an additional section because accessories this season are fun. Of course, accessories are always in and they are an easy way to add visual interest to an outfit. This season scarves are trending (not that they ever really go out of style), pouch pendants and architectural jewelry, statement clutches and ostentatious hats. You can have a lot of fun with any of these. You’ll see a number of ideas from me here: (https://hueandstripe.com/catalog/105H-ScgQejmYc) And below are two fabulous clutches!

Phew! That’s a lot. One of the things I appreciate this season is that the designers have not put excessive ruffles and bows on everything. Yes, they are still out there and that’s fine, but in past spring/summer seasons, it was hard to find a top or dress that didn’t have a ruffle or bow. We get a bit of a respite this season.

We still have a lot of options for pant lengths, widths and rises, which is also good. The colors are generally what we expect in the spring in summer – light, bright and cool (which leaves me out!!). But, for those of you who wear warmer or deeper colors, if you look hard enough you’ll still find them so don’t give up.

Be sure to check out the 120+ styles I’ve chosen from the thousands I explored as I was researching the seasonal trends. You can seem them all here: https://hueandstripe.com/catalog/105H-ScgQejmYc

Have fun with your spring shopping and I’d love to hear what your favorite warm weather styles are!

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A Note About the Clothes: All of the garments pictured here are vegan (made from fabrics that did not harm any animals). Please note that I am passionate about ending animal suffering and choosing cruelty-free clothing is just one aspect of a vegan lifestyle. If you have any questions about being vegan or what fabrics are vegan please let me know. I am happy to help and will answer any questions with kindness and compassion.

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