Maxi cardigans and dress-over-jeans lead autumn 2026 fashion trends

The "dress over jeans" trend, popular in the early 2000s, is making a comeback in autumn 2026 with a new twist. Instead of fitted dresses, long flouncy maxi cardigans — blurring the line between cardigan, wrap and dress — are now the key item. Worn open or loosely draped and paired with jeans, they are the defining transitional-season look for summer-to-autumn 2026.