Think of pre-fall as the opening act to fall’s headlining trends. Quietly situated at the end of summer, when swimsuits and sandals are still working overtime but visions of cold-weather looks are creeping in, designers use this short window of time to offer a little taste of what’s to come along with one last look at summery favorites. In that sense, it’s your transitional wardrobe handbook, full of styling tricks you’ll want to take note of—with pieces you can instantly add to cart. This year, the pre-fall trends deliver on all points, and we’re here to share every piece worth noting.
A Guide to Pre-Fall 2026’s Top Fashion Trends:
Even though the word pre-fall technically does mention fall, these collections aren’t through with summer dressing quite yet. Heat-wave friendly trends include long shorts and cropped capris—as seen at Khaite, Dior, and Maria McManus. Slip dresses and pencil skirts are all about making a statement in summer brights with heavily embellished finishes, thanks to Chloe and Saint Laurent. White broderie anglaise remains in heavy rotation (Labor Day is still ages away), styled head-to-toe at Erdem and Sea NY.
That said… We are excited to get a headstart on fall, which means transitional outerwear is on the docket—we’re eyeing funnel necks and sporty zip-front jackets from the likes of Kallmeyer, Nour Hammour, Carven, and Nanushka. Designers are still mad for plaid, and a palette of paprika-esque colors (think burnt oranges and brick reds) stood out amongst neutrals. And we must mention the Chanel show, held in New York City’s subway, which showed us that a great pair of blue jeans is still the only staple you really need, no matter the season.
If any of that catches your ear, you’ll want to keep scrolling. We’ve assembled our 13 favorite pre-fall trends and all the newly arrived pieces you can start shopping, below.
The Short Cut
The length of the season is: awkward. Shorts are long and pant are cropped, which is to say that the closer you are to the knee, the closer you are to being right on trend. Khaite and Dior turn tailored trousers into schoolboy bermudas while Maria McManus and Isabel Marant make pedal-pushing leggings look cooler than ever.
The Plaid Piece
Patterns were subdued for pre-fall. Though checks and plaids featured heavily throughout collections like Chanel, TWP, and Stella McCartney, they were mostly small scale and neutral-toned. Incorporate just a touch with pieces by Bottega Veneta and Toteme, but don’t be afraid to wear them head-to-toe for more impact.
The Sheer Skirt
The sheer skirt is an editor and street style-favorite, and it’s back for another season. For pre-fall, choose from diaphanous slips trimmed with lace (à la Carven and Valentino), or simple organza in a tailored pencil silhouette, seen at By Malene Birger and Simkhai.
The High-Low Layer
We’re loving a bit of built-in drama this season thanks to long streaming sashes and scarves. The draped blouses with floor-grazing tails, seen at Kallmeyer, Heirlome, Dior, and Bottega Veneta, add dramatic flair to the simplest daytime looks, and are paired easily with a voluminous trouser.
The Prep School Shirt
From the World Cup to Knicks fever, it’s been one of the sportiest summers we’ve had in a long time. Channel your inner Sporty Spice with preppy tees featuring jersey numbers and rugby stripes, executed with fashionable precision by Versace, Nili Lotan, Staud, and TWP.
The Paprika Palette
Monochromatic dressing is far from bland with this season’s paprika hues. Think burnt orange and burgundy, brick red to warm peach. Chloé, Saint Laurent, and Ferragamo showed us how easy tonal dressing can be, pairing separates in the same range of spicy hues.
The Tea Skirt
It’s an undeniably ladylike silhouette—more than a midi but not quite a maxi, the tea skirt’s voluminous hem is meant to hit just at the ankle. Fforme, Khaite, and The Row make the look modern by pairing their skirts with masculine button-downs or casual tees and flip-flops.
The Technical Jacket
Balenciaga took to the gym for pre-fall; a perfect backdrop to capture our ongoing love affair with technical outerwear. These cropped jackets with blouson hems in techy fabrics are the perfect light layer for transitional dressing—just look to Christopher Esber, Kallmeyer, and Miu Miu who all have equally lust-worthy versions on offer.
The Anything-But-Simple Slip
It may be time to bid farewell to the minimalist ‘90s slipdress, as this season the slip got a maximalist makeover. From candy pink at Khaite to chartreuse at Comme Si, with ruching and lace trims galore, more is absolutely more when it comes to choosing your next body-skimming dress.
The Great Jean
When Chanel sent a camel half-zip and a pair of jeans down the runway (ahem, subway platform) to open their pre-fall show, the look was an instant fan favorite. Afterall, it captured how most of us dress already, making trusty daily denim feel elevated and chicer than ever. Follow in those well-heeled footsteps with wide-fit pairs in perfectly aged washes–Dior, Nili Lotan, and Chloé agree.
The Funnel-Neck Jacket
Pre-fall calls for lightweight outerwear, and the face-framing funnel neck continues to capture our attention. Nour Hammour, Nanushka, and Carven are just a few of the brands that showcased the silhouette, which comes with a built-in styling trick: the editor-approved hair tuck.
The Standout Pencil Skirt
Maximalists, rejoice! The pencil skirt is no longer just a stand-by thanks to this season’s joyful array of textures, colors, and finishes. Saint Laurent, Tory Burch, and Ferragamo went for high-shine metallic and patent leather skirts, while Chanel, Dries Van Noten, and Bottega Veneta offered up frilly, fringey texture. Let the skirt do the talking.
The Broderie Anglaise
An easy summer staple, broderie anglaise (also known as eyelet lace) makes a flawless transition to fall when styled top-to-bottom, pairing airy lace blouses with equally sweet shorts, skirts, or trousers. When temperatures drop simply add a tailored topper, à la Erdem and Magda Butrym.
