Even though the official start of fall is on Tuesday, September 22, this year, back-to-school season always feels like the actual beginning of the season. With many brands and retailers releasing their fall 2026 collections, I decided to look through the new arrivals.

At COS, two on-trend items immediately caught my eye: satin ballet flats and a royal purple merino wool sweater. Over at Dôen, cozy knitwear and dainty dresses stood out, while Gap had wardrobe staples like classic button-down shirts (an item our editors have been wearing on repeat) and under-$100 sweaters. And Nordstrom had new flats from one of my all-time favorite shoe brands, Camper, alongside $98 satin pants and the Asics mules going viral on TikTok right now.