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2026 fashion trends: which ones actually work for real bodies
25th May, 2026 10:38 AM
The global runways this year seem to carry a message: bigger, lower, bolder.
Oversized silhouettes dominate everywhere from Milan to Nairobi’s boutiques, low-rise waistbands are back with full force, and visible undergarments (bra straps, slip hems, elasticated waistbands) have crossed into everyday dressing.
It is all very exciting. But runway fashion and real-body fashion are not always the same conversation.
A 2024 study published in the Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research makes the case: “the effect of apparel fit on body image varies depending on the wearer’s gender, body size, and shape.”
In other words, what looks liberating on a model or a mannequin may not be for you.
The trends worth trying
A well-cut oversized blazer or wide-leg trouser works across body types because it does not attempt to define the body, it frames it.
For Kenyan women with fuller hips or curvier figures, an oversized top paired with fitted trousers or a midi skirt creates an elegant, proportioned look without restriction.
Taller men carry volume naturally; shorter or stockier builds can do the same with cropped-length oversized pieces that avoid the swamped look.
The slip dress and visible-hem also translates well – particularly the layered slip over a fitted t-shirt, which gives softness and movement without requiring a specific frame.
The ones to wear carefully – or skip
Low-rise everything is where the conversation gets complicated. Low-rise jeans and skirts work beautifully when there is a long torso to balance them.
For shorter frames (common among both Kenyan women and men), a low rise can visually compress height and significantly shorten the leg line.
If the trend still calls to you, a cropped top that ends precisely at the waistband helps reclaim proportion.
Visible undergarments (bra straps worn intentionally over a tank, a waistband pulled high above trousers) can absolutely work, but require precise styling that sits more naturally on slimmer or more angular builds. Worn without intention, the effect reads less “fashionable” and more “accidental.”
Research published in Frontiers in Psychology by Stolovy (2024) offers a useful guiding principle across all of it: the real value of clothing lies in “investing in clothing that are less driven by external standards and more by the expression of valued aspects of the self.”
Wear the trend that makes you feel like yourself, not the one that is everywhere.
