The 13 Biggest Style Trends Set to Define 2026, According to GQ Editors

The trend cycle moves at a breakneck clip, and keeping up can be a royal headache. Which is why, at the start of every new year, we like to wipe the slate clean and start fresh, setting last year’s trends entirely aside—sorry, flip-flops and butter yellow—in order to to clear make mental (and wardrobe) space for all the style swerves the next twelve months might have in store.

To predict the can’t-miss men’s fashion trends awaiting us in 2026, we scour runway stills, street style shots, and our very own personal mood boards to make sense of where the state of our highly specific union might be headed next. We also challenge ourselves not to predict anything too obvious: Yes, we expect prep’s return to march on, and bombers to again be relevant come spring, but really this story really is a place to take some bigger gambles.

Below, you’ll find a not-quite-comprehensive list of all the weirdest, wildest menswear moves we’re expecting to clock as the new year starts to ramp up—along with a handful of brands doing them best—hand-picked by the GQ Recommends squad.

Handbags, Finally

Men and small bags are no strangers, but 2025 was the year the gentleman’s handbag came into sharp focus: hard to miss on the runway, and front and center as famous guy after famous guy stepped out carrying petite styles that read as a sensible statement. It’s a pragmatic carry solution that men have avoided for far too long thanks to a handful of dopey, outdated norms, and heading into 2026, I’m expecting more guys willing to experiment and ease into smaller, structured bags that feel polished and practical. —Michael Nolledo, commerce director

High and Tight Vs

Sometimes, something is so out for so long that it comes full circle, and it’s imminent in-ness starts to feel inevitable. Such is the case with the v-neck, once relegated to the annals of indie sleaze and reruns of Jersey Shore. In 2025, I felt myself begin to crave v-neck knitwear for the first time in nearly a decade, and looking ahead to 2026, I can sense (against all odds) a v-neck tee in my future. But—importantly, integrally—not all Vs are created equal. In 2026, your v-neck should be tight and high; anything that reveals more than a whisper of clavicle should remain banished to the past … for now. —Tyler Lee Sparling, contributing commerce editor

Approach Shoes

I know damn well the only thing I’ve approached in my La Sportivas is my local cafe for a pour-over, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a great-looking shoe, and one I think is about to gain serious traction in your footwear rotation very soon. Long a staple for climbers who need something that can handle a scramble, the approach shoe combines the gorp-ness of a hiker with a slimmer, torpedo-like silhouette. The toe box is narrow, creating a more slender foot shape. Village PM, which took the approach shoe’s look and feel and reworked it for skateboarders, is a prime example of where the category is headed. —Jordan Bowman, commerce editor

Mid-Length Car Coats

I love a dramatically long topcoat as much as the next performative male, but I think that it’s a matter of nature that menswear try-hards (such as myself) will try to make mid-length, thigh-grazing coats a thing. TikTok has pummeled the menswear golden ratio into the ground, insisting that outerwear has to be either cropped to the waist—often much shorter—or fall well past the knee. There’s a reason this formula works, but the early adopters and innovators will want to rail against the algorithm. That’s where the car coats come in. Think of the coat that Dennis Quaid wears in The Parent Trap and you’re in the right place. —Gerald Ortiz, commerce writer

Ballet Flats For Boys

At GQ HQ, much has been written about the streamlining of sneaker silhouettes (see: torpedo sneakers). I’d like to contend that a similar slimming is in store for the loafer space. After years defined by lug-sole stompers and 2025’s emergence of potato shoe discourse, a new, counter-wave of minimalist leather shoes are destined to define 2026: Ballet flats for boys. I began to dabble in dancerly footwear when I purchased a pair of The Row’s Canal Slippers (really only ballet-adjacent) at the beginning of the year, but by October I was ready to go full-send and bought actual men’s ballet flats from Repetto. Slimmer and softer, they whisper where the larger shoes of yesteryear shouted—and we all know that great taste is discovered, not announced. –TLS

Engineer Boots

(Other) Tyler, I hear you, I respect you, but I counter your ballet flats with this: engineered boots. Cowboy boots have been huge recently, even for us city folks, but I’m pretty sure 2026 is going to get a little less yee-haw and a little more … whatever sound engineering makes. Clunkier, usually black boots are sure to make a statement in the upcoming year, and they’re especially great for us short (5’ 9” and under) kings. —Tyler Chin, associate commerce editor

3-Button Suits

Around 2022, I asked a fashion friend of mine whether or not he thought 3-button suits would ever come back into vogue. He’s one of those dudes that’s very into bespoke tailoring and classic menswear, and after he explaining how 2-buttons and 3-roll-2s complement the male body, it made sense that they’d held their ground for so long. Naturally, he wasn’t convinced 3-button suits would see a resurgence anytime soon. I’ve been stewing on that idea ever since, and I think now is the time. Designers have always included them in their collections, of course, but I think we’ll see them become more popular with the broader fashion audience. —GO

A Little Fun, As A Treat

As I surveyed this coming Spring’s collections last summer in Paris, I noted that in and amongst the serious, dark tones of the cooler showrooms, every so often I’d come across something designed simply to make the wearer smile. At men’s-minded jeweler Bleue Burnham, there was a fine signet ring that said ‘Creme Brulée’ and a gold brooch that said ‘Olive Oil’. At Yoke, a cardigan attached to a shirt—or was it the other way around? At Gajiroc, a whimsical silk lining covered in chess pieces. The sense of play wasn’t limited to Paris, either: It seems that over in New York, the tee of the year was Emily Dawn Long’s tongue-in-cheek ‘Take Off Your Clothes’ reversible fader. My guess is that having a sense of humor, and wearing something that shows it, is going to become a move that shows you’re not just dressing to prove you know what’s up. —Louis Cheslaw, contributing commerce editor

Braided Belts

The menswear scene has been oversaturated with western belts over the last few years. Once men sink their teeth into an accessory, they hold onto those things with a falcon’s grip, but I’m begging us to let go. Those dainty metal tips end up dangling at your side like a loose tag you forgot to cut off, just a flap of leather blowing in the wind. I’m offering a worthy successor, the humble braided belt. It still can add a pop of texture to your fit, and if you’re like me, you’ll try and grab the Maximum Henry belt, which has a hefty metal keeper. —JB

Vintage DKNY

As vintage geeks continue to pilfer the bins and flea markets for ‘90s trends, it was inevitable that Donna Karan would get her turn in the secondhand sun. We’ve already had our fill of vintage Gap, Armani, and Prada Sport, so it makes sense that the market would move toward another icon of the era. I’ve come across some great ribbed DKNY sweaters and a ton of sleek outerwear that, at first glance, pass for old Stone Island or Helmut Lang. Donna Karan’s oeuvre spans from pre-gorp technical wear to BDSM-leaning designs to minimalist tailoring. And while I’m hesitant to open the gates, I do think there’s plenty to go around for those willing to dig. —GO

Argyle Sweaters

I used to despise argyle sweaters. They were frumpy and decidedly uncool. But recently, I’ve started to see them pop up in different lookbooks, or being worn by cool guys the world over. Suddenly, my third eye opened, and I saw the light. Of course, the knits that I’m talking about have been chopped and screwed and flipped into something more fun, but I expect you’ll see the pattern cropping up more frequently. After all, the pattern is a reminder that diamonds really are forever. —JB

The Last Shoes Standing

For a certain corner of the style crowd—the more, let’s say, artisanal leaning—the sneaker (or at least, getting publicly excited about sneakers) has been dead for a very long time. At the same time, the loafer has died a quiet death too—I truly cannot remember the last time one organically came across my field of vision. The logical endpoint of all this hating? Unless you’re a Chelsea boot-wearing Hedi Boy, all anyone’s going to be left with is the final boss of footwear, the black derby, which can anchor suits and denim alike, and fears no rainy conditions. Menswear’s best boutiques are increasingly stocking them, cult brands are designing them, and if you pick up a resoleable pair, you’ll even be making one of the rarest things in fashion: A sustainable purchase. —LC

Sexy Metal Frames

The reign of acetate frames is about to end. Whether they were thick chunky frames or daintier feminine ones, popular eyewear in recent years has tended to be mostly made from plastic. But I’m seeing metal frames starting to gain the edge. The difference this time around? These ones aren’t designed to disappear into your handsome face, but to draw attention to it. —TC