Stripes dethrone polka dots: 10 fashion pieces to shop for the new season
The print of the new season may be about to change. After months of unchallenged dominance, the polka dot is showing its first signs of fatigue. Stripes, meanwhile, are gearing up to take over wardrobes come September.
Polka dots: a print running out of steam?
For months, fashion lovers wore nothing else. On matching sets, statement pieces, accessories, polka dots were everywhere. But their very ubiquity has become their undoing.
We had already predicted their decline last summer. Their blazing comeback since then forced us to revise our forecast. But the new season could well signal the end of their reign.
The question now is pressing: which print will take the baton? The Fashion Week runways, which are always one step ahead of the trends, have a clear answer.
Fashion Week and Pinterest confirm the shift
The catwalks have spoken: stripes are establishing themselves as the print of the new season. Come September, striped pieces could well flood our wardrobes and swiftly unseat the polka dot, which had seemed utterly irreplaceable.
Meanwhile, Pinterest is predicting a surge in searches this autumn 2026 for nautical style. Yet another sign that stripes will reign supreme this season.
« Come September, striped pieces could well flood our wardrobes and swiftly unseat the polka dot, which had seemed utterly irreplaceable. »
A new-generation stripe, far from the codes of the past
This is not the stripe we wore a few years ago. Back then, it was narrow, understated, in safe, neutral colours. This season, it goes big, bold enough that nothing else competes for attention.
As a total look, it takes over tailored trousers paired with a matching-print blazer. In more subtle doses, it appears on a multicoloured handbag or a pair of striped shoes. Every silhouette can make it its own.
This print of the new season works just as well as a single statement piece as it does in a coordinated set. It is precisely that versatility that makes it such a strong choice for the transition between late summer and early autumn.
Pieces for every taste and every budget
The good news is that stripes come at every price point. There is a Mango striped trouser at €29.99, accessible and easy to wear every day. At the other end of the spectrum, the Jacquemus heels available on Mytheresa come in at €595.
In between, the options are plentiful. An & Other Stories oversized trench at €99, a Soeur Paris bermuda short at €115.50, or a Sézane trouser at €130 all let you embrace this print of the new season without breaking the bank.
- Mango striped trouser: €29.99
- Sandro cropped top: €85
- & Other Stories oversized striped trench: €99
- Soeur Paris fine-stripe bermuda short: €115.50
- Staud striped tote bag: €280
10 striped pieces to embrace the print of the new season
To ease the transition from summer to autumn, ten striped pieces have been selected. Worn together or separately, they cover every style and every occasion. Better still, they let you ease into this print of the new season gradually, without overhauling your entire wardrobe at once.
The Reformation mini short at €188 extends the summer spirit with a graphic edge. The Surprise Paris striped knit at €155 prepares you for the first cool evenings. The Matteau long-sleeve T-shirt at €275, meanwhile, plays the premium-basics card.
For accessories, the Staud tote bag at €280 adds a striped note without committing the whole outfit. The Jacquemus heels at €595 are a statement piece for those who want to make stripes their signature. In this way, this print of the new season adapts to every existing wardrobe.
Whether you opt for a single piece or a full look, the stripe in its 2026 incarnation is the unmissable print of the season. Far from playing it safe, it takes up space, embraces colour, and fully owns its status as the new print of the new season, one to adopt without hesitation.
