Fall fashion is having a déjà vu moment
This fall, we are finding new ways to wear something old.

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September marks more than the beginning of another semester. As iced coffees turn into hot lattes and the city’s summer heat slowly gives way to sweater weather, our wardrobes begin their seasonal shift too. But this fall, you might not need an entirely new closet. Some of the season’s biggest trends may already look surprisingly familiar.

Fall 2026 fashion is embracing contrast, pairing practical silhouettes with more expressive colours, textures, and details. From ballet flats to polka dots and vibrant reds, styles from the past are finding their way back into the present, just slightly reinvented. Fall and winter 2026 collections have similarly emphasized contrast, combining practical silhouettes and classic wardrobe staples with richer textures and unexpected details.

Ballet flats aren’t going anywhere

If you bought ballet flats during the recent comeback, there is good news: they will survive another season. While they may feel like a product of the 2020s, ballet flats have a very extensive history. Their transition from dancewear to everyday fashion took off in the mid-20th century. In 1956, French shoemaker Rose Repetto created the now-famous Cendrillon ballet flat for the French actress and model, Brigitte Bardot, who wore the style in the movie And God Created Woman (1956). It was then that Bardot transformed the ballet-inspired shoe into an everyday fashion staple.

The simple shoe continues to appear across fashion this fall, as designers find new ways to play with the familiar silhouette. Fall collections have featured everything from classic low-cut flats to lace-up versions, as well as newer variations such as glove flats and ballet-sneaker hybrids as contrasting alternatives to the traditional ballerina style.

70 years later and the simple shoe continues to appear across fashion. Vogue’s 2026 fall collection has featured ballet flats alongside newer alternatives and hybrids, including kitten heels and ballet sneakers. Rather than disappearing and suddenly returning in 2026, the ballet flat has been experiencing another revival over the past several years.

For students, their appeal is easy to understand. Ballet flats can dress up a pair of jeans without looking overly formal and can be an outfit that easily transitions from a lecture-attendance to a dinner party fit. Add socks or tights when Toronto starts getting colder, and summer’s little flat can stay around for at least a few more weeks.

Polka dots make their return

Polka dots have escaped the back of the closet too, although they have been making their way in and out of fashion for more than a century.

The term “polka dots” first appeared in print as early as 1857, but the pattern became particularly fashionable during the 1920s. In 1926, Miss America winner, Norma Small, wore a polka-dot swimsuit, and by the 1940s and 1950s, the print had become a recognizable part of popular fashion, appearing on figures like Marilyn Monroe.

Now, the familiar dots are back for more. The print appeared prominently in multiple fall 2026 runway collections, including oversized versions across suits, shorts, and other pieces. While the pattern carries plenty of vintage associations, this season’s interpretation does not have to feel like a costume. 

A dotted blouse with jeans, a scarf tied around a bag, or a printed skirt under a simple sweater offers an easier way to get into the trend. For those willing to experiment, larger dots can turn an otherwise basic outfit into a statement itself. The pattern may be old, but that is partly what makes its return so accessible. There is a good chance a dotted piece is already hiding somewhere in your wardrobe.

Red gets brighter

Burgundy and fall have always paired together nicely. The deep wine shade returns this year, but it is sharing the spotlight with something much louder—bright red. Vogue’s Fall 2026 Colour Report identified both burgundy and bright red among the season’s major colours, with the colours appearing in Miu Miu, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and other fashion houses’ collections.

Unlike a particular shoe or print, red never really disappeared from fashion, so its 2026 presence is less of a comeback than a shift in shade and styling. Burgundy remains the familiar autumn choice, while brighter reds bring more energy into the season.

Instead of waiting for the holidays, cherry red can enter the wardrobe now. A red handbag against a neutral outfit, a scarf over a dark coat, or even a pair of red ballet flats can provide enough of a pop-of-colour. Meanwhile, burgundy offers a quieter option, especially when paired with grey, brown, cream, or denim.

Perhaps, the sense of nostalgia and familiarity is what makes this fall season’s trends so approachable. They may have long histories, but none of them are strangers to our recent wardrobes. Ballet flats have already spent several seasons making their comeback, polka dots have never completely disappeared, and red returns almost every autumn.

Fashion rarely returns exactly as we remember it. Instead, it bounces from its own history and gives familiar pieces another life. This fall, getting dressed for a new semester might simply mean finding a new way to wear something old.

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