On the streets and runways of Paris and beyond, the preppy aesthetic is on the up and up, especially in the form of one particular cozy article: the polo knit. With both colorful and neutral interpretations in knit materials both airy and winter appropriate, Paris Fashion Week provided us with plenty of styling inspiration for all seasons. And, the Fendi Spring/Summer 2026 runway alone made a case for the trend as a tried and true staple that transcends season.
At Fendi, a handful of polo knit interpretations were put on display: black crochet with red and green floral embroideries, a bright cerulean blue with a matching skirt, and a series of color blocked options, both long sleeved and short. Other designers embraced this preppy style, too: Stella McCartney with a classic gray option that would be simple if not for the boxy, over exaggerated shoulders, and Miu Miu with a knit in the perfect spring yellow.
Fendi Spring/Summer 2026
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Fendi Spring/Summer 2026
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Stella McCartney Spring/Summer 2026
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Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2026
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Looking back, it's easy to trace preppy style to upper class students in the 1920s when knits layered over collared button up shirts were the go-to outfit formula on ivy league campuses. But this aesthetic was actually a symbol of status in the late 1890s and 1900s. We also, of course, have pop culture to thank for the endless preppy style inspiration: films of the '50s, Princess Diana's influential style in '80s, and iconic teen tv dramas (Dawson's Creek, Beverly Hills 90210, etc.) of the '90s.
Fendi Spring/Summer 2026
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Fendi Spring/Summer 2026
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Fendi Spring/Summer 2026
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Lately—with TikTok feeding us different cores on the daily—establishing personal style involves a lot of cosplaying. Some days we don't want to dress like ourselves, whatever that means exactly. We instead want to try being something or someone else, trying on a new aesthetic that might not feel instinctually true to us, just to see if it might fit. As winter, despite there currently being no sign of it, slowly approaching, I am personally always looking for ways to look polished while feeling cozy, and I'm open to (almost) anything regardless of genre or aesthetic. And, we may have just unlocked the easiest, fool-proof way of doing so.
