2026 Is The New 2016

I vividly remember getting dressed in 2016 for a night out in Brooklyn with a friend. For accessories, I was wearing a purple velvet choker and a black wide-brim Free People hat that kept my bangs perfectly in place over my forehead. My skinny jeans were tight enough to nearly cut circulation off to my legs, my top was covered entirely in bits of lace that exposed slivers of skin and my boots were just as sharp as my chunky cat-eye eyeliner. This was a look I would repeat weekend after weekend to go dancing at Williamsburg bars with sticky floors as 3OH3! and MGMT played in the background. And then one night I wore it for the very last time without even knowing it.

I’ve been thinking about this quintessentially 2016 outfit a lot because 2016 is the new 2026. I’m not exactly sure how it happened but in January of the new year everyone deemed that the months that awaited us were going to feel like a decade prior.

Part of it was perhaps willful nostalgia. The mid-2010s were great! Why wouldn’t anyone want it to feel like that time? I remember in the moment not thinking that the trends were anything special. Like most girls in their 20s back then, I romanticized the ‘90s. But I can see why everyone is loving what 2016 had to offer. Social media existed but in a totally different capacity than it does now. It didn’t dictate how people dressed and so the looks just felt more genuine. We were wearing chokers and skinny jeans and boho-chic tops for the love of the game. It’s hard to re-bottle that authenticity, especially given how much has changed, but it is extremely fun to try.

Below, six 2016 aesthetic outfit trends that’ll allow you to time-travel back to 2016 that’ll also look just as good in 2026.

There have been whispers about a skinny jean resurgence for years now but it is actually finally happening. Because the term ‘skinny jeans’ ignites a fear in the hearts of millennials everywhere, you may hear them rebranded as ‘cigarette jeans’ but the silhouette is still exactly the same: tight. After seasons of baggy denim dominating the trend cycle, it’s exciting to see something different that’s still familiar.

And truth be told, people can complain about the style all they want but they’re so easy to style and help create really interesting shapes with your outfit. You can go full 2016 and layer with a statement necklace and blazer (business casual in the club was big back then) or you can wear with a long loose top and ballet flats for a historically accurate 2016 fit that still really works today.

It’s impossible to talk about skinny jeans without discussing ankle boots, the two items were practically a packaged deal. These days ankle boots are making a major comeback after effectively disappearing from the fashion zeitgeist. But as pants get tighter, boots get shorter. It’s basically fashion science. There’s just nothing like a sharp toe peeking out from underneath a sleek denim cuff.

One thing about 2016 fashion was that it was silly in the best way. So many of the most popular accessories of the time were somewhat pointless. Take the skinny scarf. It’s not really a scarf because it’s too slender to actually provide any warmth. But it is extremely fun because you can toss it over your shoulder for dramatic effect. The look is something many rock stars have worn on stage and it’ll make any activity feel like a full-blown performance. It’s just undeniably cool and adds a much needed flourish if your outfit is missing something.

Lace was the defining fabric of 2016 and much of the 2010s in general. Bohemian fashion was majorly popularized by a nostalgia (of course) for the ‘70s and young people flocking to Coachella like it was a modern day Woodstock. Wearing lace is also just the easiest way to look as ethereal and dreamy as possible, and that kind of everyday whimsy and magic feels much needed in 2026.

Ballet flats were the building blocks of a proper twee wardrobe. Everyone needed multiple pairs and I amassed an impressive collection myself. Now ballet flats are the ‘It’ shoe of the moment. It’s not hard to see why. For one, they’re extremely comfortable. They’re also charming and cutesy and look just as good with pants as they do with skirts or dresses. You can wear ballet flats anywhere and everywhere and trust me when I say all the cool girls do.

No 2016 outfit was complete without a long pendant necklace with a large charm of some sorts dangling at the bottom. But instead of owls, 2026’s pendants take on many forms, from something most structural to something even more playful. After years of wearing jewelry that feels very subtle and serious, we’re definitely entering back into a time of fun. This jewelry is quite literally the opposite of quiet: it announces your entry with a delightful clang.

We're seeing skinny jeans, ankle boots, skinny scarves, boho-chic lace, ballet flats, and pendant necklaces make a major comeback. These pieces feel fresh again after years of different silhouettes dominating the trend cycle.

The mid-2010s had a genuine, authentic approach to style because social media existed in a totally different capacity and didn't dictate how people dressed. We were wearing chokers and skinny jeans for the love of the game, and that authenticity is extremely fun to revisit.

Pair them with a long loose top and ballet flats for a look that works today, or go full 2016 with a statement necklace and blazer. After seasons of baggy denim, tight silhouettes help create really interesting shapes with your outfit.

Absolutely—as pants get tighter, boots get shorter. There's nothing like a sharp toe peeking out from underneath a sleek denim cuff, and ankle boots are making a major comeback after effectively disappearing from the fashion zeitgeist.

They're undeniably cool and add a much-needed flourish if your outfit is missing something. You can toss them over your shoulder for dramatic effect—they make any activity feel like a full-blown performance.

Lace is the easiest way to look as ethereal and dreamy as possible, and that kind of everyday whimsy and magic feels much needed in 2026. It was the defining fabric of the 2010s bohemian fashion movement and brings instant romance to any look.

They look just as good with pants as they do with skirts or dresses, and you can wear them anywhere and everywhere. They're extremely comfortable, charming, and cute.

We're seeing everything from structural designs to playful charms—the opposite of quiet, subtle jewelry. After years of serious, minimal pieces, we're entering back into a time of fun with jewelry that announces your entry with a delightful clang.