I Start Every Year With a Closet Cleanout—These 5 Trends Made the Cut

If I played my cards right the previous 12 months, I don’t necessarily need to start my year with a major closet cleanout. That said, I do make a point to take stock of what’s working, what doesn’t feel like me anymore, and what ended up being more of a microtrend blip than a solid investment. As a fashion editor, I love trying out new looks, but I’ve honed my taste over the years to have a pretty good idea of what’s actually worth the closet space.

For 2026, I ended up tossing a few short-sighted misses, but I’m proud to say a lot of what I loved last year not only still excites me, but will grow to become even more essential. A lot of these trends are still climbing towards their peak, and I’m glad to have some pieces already here at my disposal.

So, what made the cut? In terms of color palette, neutrals that go beyond classic black will be heavily prioritized in the year to come. And don’t worry if you really leaned into butter yellow—for now, you’re totally safe. Matching sets have also proven to be a great investment, as have silk and satin separates that make everyday garb feel fancy in a flash. Plus, I’m betting that two trends that started picking up speed as 2025 wrapped will be everywhere in 2026: track pants styled outside the gym and ridiculously big tote bags. Comfy! Practical! Don’t mind if I do.

Below, a few snaps of what survived my January closet cleanout—plus the trends I’m bringing with me into 2026 (and are worth trying for yourself).

Butter Yellow

While a bevy of new color trends are rolling in for 2026 (remind me to talk more about light blue soon, OK?), I’m happy to report that butter yellow won’t be leaving us anytime soon. In fact, with spring just around the corner, it’s about to be as prevalent as ever.

Alo’s Candlelight colorway might just be the most gorgeous shade of yellow I’ve seen to date. Lately, I’ve been layering this cashmere crewneck with a coordinating cardigan around the shoulders for some monochrome goodness.

Non-Black Neutrals

In 2025, I found myself eager to push beyond the comfort zone that an all-black look too easily provided. A simple switch from basic black to chocolatey browns and charcoal grays did wonders for my everyday wardrobe. Throw in some interesting taupes and olives, and, suddenly, neutrals felt as exciting as the rainbow.

Here, I’m wearing an all-bown look featuring this awesome faux jacket from HM and these brown Abercrombie jeans that haven’t left my legs since I got them—absolutely zero notes.

Matching Sets

Some of my best investments over the last year or so have been co-ords with major mix-and-match-ability. I love wearing a full set together, but the option to break it up and still like the pieces separately is what really guarantees they’ll stand the test of time in your wardrobe.

This grey jacket and trouser combo from Le Bop (ShopBop’s stellar in-house brand I only recently discovered, BTW) has been on repeat. It also plays into my love for non-black neutrals, of course.

Big Totes

I’ve recently been relying hard on my biggest, slouchiest tote bags. Compared to some previous handbag trends, this one is extremely practical, and the commuter in me absolutely loves it.

Speaking of my commute—I can’t tell you how many people have stopped to ask me about the bag I’m wearing above. It’s the Kite Hobo Maxi from Strathberry, and in addition to fitting a ton, it looks like it should cost at least triple what it actually does. The brand’s quality is exceptional.

Silks and Satins

First, it was the bias-cut satin skirt obsession of the late 2010s. Then, we moved on to the satin pant in the early 2020s. In ‘26, silks and satins are still reigning supreme as the best fabrics to elevate simple silhouettes for nights out and otherwise dressy occasions.

Luckily, I’ve been stocking up for a while, although this lacy cami and matching pant combo in navy are a newer addition from Loft that I can’t get enough of. And as a callback to my matching set praise earlier, let me point out that these look great styled separately as well. The satin pants with a cozy navy sweater up top for daytime? Chef’s kiss.

Track Pants

In 2026, I’m really leaning into an ABJ—“Anything But Jeans”—lifestyle. I mean it when I say my ‘fits hit the hardest when I’m not relying on denim.

My go-to at the moment are trackies, perhaps because I have the Winslow pants from Tibi in its iconic crispy nylon material in multiple colors. They have such a unique, slightly exaggerated silhouette that elevates them from mere track pants to a total fashion moment. Here, I styled them with a faux-layered sweater to show how great they look when you explore styling beyond an activewear approach.