Florals for spring? Groundbreaking. Here are five new ways to wear them

This year’s trends include appliqué designs and blooming hair accessories
Every spring, one fashion quote resurfaces.

It’s “Florals for spring?

Groundbreaking,” Miranda Priestley’s famously dry retort from The Devil Wears Prada .

But there are still new ways to wear florals as the weather gets warmer.

For 2026, florals are evolving into a cool yet elegant print.

“There’s a refusal to be sweet for sweetness’s sake” this season, luxury stylist Oriona Robb notes.

From sculptural blooms to painterly prints, here’s how to wear florals for 2026.

While a floral corsage may evoke memories of a Noughties wedding, according to the runways they are coming back in vogue.

“What struck me across the spring 2026 shows was how three-dimensional the [floral] trend has become,” says Robb.

Designers like Dior and Chanel showcased everything from sculpted rosettes to appliqué blooming camellias.

“The flower wears you now, not the other way around,” she says.

The key to making it work, Robb says, is to keep everything else simple.

A statement rosette top with tailored trousers or an embroidered jacket over a slip dress allows the texture to take centre stage without overwhelming the look.

Zara Flowing Shirt with Embossed Flowers, £27.99
River Island White 3D Floral Sleeveless Blouse, £49
Floral hair accessories are back, but this time, they’re more high-end as opposed to festival-ready.

At Annie’s (formerly Annie’s Ibiza) AW26 runway, undone updos were paired with bold blooms, while Dior opted for spherical hydrangeas hanging as earrings.

“The key word is textured,” says Robb, “they should feel nestled into the hair, not fighting against it.”
The golden rule is restraint.

One accessory is enough, says Robb, and if your outfit already features florals, skip them altogether.

Think of it as you would jewellery, “subtle and there to frame the face rather than dominate it,” she says.

By Anthropologie Orchid French Hair Pin, £20
Zara Maxi Embossed Flower Earrings, £17.99
3.

Abstract and painterly prints
While large and sprawling florals seemed to dominate the runways last year, this season abstract florals are taking over, with blurred, painterly patterns seen at Chloé and Zimmermann.

“There’s something more interesting about a floral that makes you question it,” says Robb, who says this style is easier to wear if you don’t usually opt for florals.

Painterly prints offer a more subtle and sophisticated take on florals.

And Other Stories Draped Sleeveless Midi Dress – Blue Floral Print , £67
“A floral needs something working against it to feel cool,” says Robb.

Florals, she says, can sometimes veer into overly sweet territory, particularly with smaller, ditsy prints, but introducing contrast a la Nineties grunge can help edge them up.

That could mean layering a romantic dress over a plain white T-shirt, or pairing it with something unexpected like a sharp loafer or a worn-in boot.

Another standout this season is the “dark rose” trend – “black-on-black florals or deep, moody tones,” explains Robb.

Designers like Richard Quinn and Alexander McQueen have leaned into this more gothic take, offering a more grown-up approach to the trend.

M&S Floral Lace Detail Midi Slip Skirt, £40
Colour is what truly makes florals appear on-trend or slightly dated.

And while the grunge approach is trending, the dominating colour palette this spring is pick ‘n’ mix pastels.

Chalky lavender, dusty sage and sky blue are continuing to be a floral favourite – but where the pick ‘n’ mix element comes in is down to the bold, juxtaposing shades.

Lime green, turquoise, cobalt blue and hot pink are bringing a dopamine hit to the trend.

Robb’s advice is to commit to one colour group.

“Pick your flower and your palette […] stick to it.”
Her standout combinations include green with lilac and black with a flash of fuchsia – two colour combinations that were huge on the runway.

Mango Strapless Floral Top, £49.99
Phase Eight Marcella Floral Sleeveless Halterneck Maxi Dress, £89 (was £179), John Lewis & Partners