It was while I was sat scrolling through the spring/summer ’26 fashion shows that a thought suddenly came to me: where exactly were the wearabie clothes? As a fashion editor, I often look to the runways for inspiration first, and whether that might be spotting a colour, print, or silhouette that I know will be huge, I’m often drawn to the pieces that shout the loudest for the talking point alone, but it’s rare that what we actually wear reflects the runway.

Take for example some of this season’s most discussed fashion moments. Bottega Veneta’s tufted fibreglass “fur”, Prada’s crinkled puffball skirts, or that Miu Miu apron, all undoubtedly beautiful and unforgettable pieces, but not ones you are unlikely to have hanging in your wardrobe.

The real star of Spring 2026 however? Mattheiu Blazy’s decision to open the Chanel Pre-fall show with a three-quarter zip camel sweater simply tucked into loose-leg jeans, a look that reappeared again at the MET Gala (albeit in couture reconstruction). Was it any coincidence that a luxury, French, heritage house would show this collection on the New York subway? I think not. Fashion, it would seem, is leaning into what I’ve suspected for months. New York’s brand of off-duty street style is the cool-girl’s new look du jour.

Even as we avidly discuss red carpet style in the wake of events season, it’s not what celebrities are wearing to events that truly influence our wardrobes, it’s what they’re wearing on the streets the morning after. Think Jennifer Lawrence, Zoe Kravitz, Emily Ratajkowski, and Katie Holmes on their coffee runs and dog walks, the celebrities who are the best dressed are the ones who are seen to be doing the least. French women may have been known for ‘chic sans effort’, but the West Village A-list need a whole new phrase for their approach to cool-meets-comfort.

Latest Videos From

So what exactly makes up the West Village wardrobe? In short, the opposite of 2026’s biggest runway trends. While most designers are championing the ultra-feminine and ultra-polished ‘ladylike’ look (think knee length skirts, kitten heels and cropped cardigans), in New York baggy fits and flats are top of the agenda. Take a cursory glance through the street style of the last couple of years and you’ll see Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen in supersized Oxford shirts and wide-leg trousers, Paloma Elsesser in a trench and flats, and Chloe Sevigny in a band tee and distressed denim. Remember how Katie Holmes’ slubby Khaite bra-digan fell intentionally off of one shoulder? If it looks like you rolled out of bed and rifled through your boyfriend’s wardrobe, it’s already nailing the brief.