It may have been over a decade ago, but the fashion trends that defined 2016 are suddenly back with a vengeance. From skinny jeans and pointed ankle boots to Beyoncé-inspired ruffled dresses, the sartorial hallmarks of the mid-2010s are having a major resurgence in 2026.
What this really means is that the fashion industry has entered a period of nostalgic longing for a simpler, more carefree time - despite the fact that 2016 itself was marked by political turmoil and global unrest. As Vogue points out, the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia have caused many to gloss over the real challenges of that era.
Skinny Jeans and Ankle Boots Rule Again
The bigger picture here is that the current generation of fashion consumers are craving a return to the aesthetic touchstones of their youth. Sartorial signifiers like skinny jeans, pointed ankle boots, and metallic heels have become a shorthand for the carefree, pre-smartphone days of the mid-2010s.
As Vogue's trend analysis indicates, this nostalgic pull is even impacting the runway, with designers embracing more romantic, historical silhouettes and textures for Fall/Winter 2026. The Wuthering Heights effect, as it were, is driving a surge in velvet, ruffles, and capes - all hallmarks of the 2016 aesthetic.
So while the world may be a very different place in 2026, it seems that when it comes to fashion, we're all craving a return to simpler times. The 2016 trends making a comeback prove that sometimes, the best way forward is to look back.