[00:00:00] When was the last time you wore something and you thought, oh, this absolutely feels like me. So not only did it look good and really suited your body shape, but it actually felt like your brand, however you would describe it.
That feeling, that is what I was looking for when it comes to spring summer 25, and 26 really here in AU
Welcome to the Style and Strategy Podcast, where personal brand meets leadership and style. I'm Sonya, a personal brand and style coach who's been exactly where you are juggling career and business success. Personal growth and finding a style that truly fits. After decades in corporate leadership, I've learned that showing up isn't just about what you do, it's about how you align who you are [00:01:00] and how the world sees you.
This season, I'm bringing you practical strategies, bold insights, and honest conversations to help you amplify your presence, unlock your next level, and lead with clarity and confidence. Let's dive in.
so primarily this episode is going to be taking you through some of what I see coming down the pipe for spring, summer, 25, 26 here. But there is still this reminder from me to you that no trend list in the world can really give you that feeling. Unless you know how to decode it for your brand.
I really love this time of year. There is just something about the freshness of coming out of winter and heading into spring. I think I'm not the only one who's a little bit over, having to wear, multiple layers as well as puffer jackets and things like. That [00:02:00] I was in a train station, recently walking through and I happen to have a little bit of green on, and I think I may have been the only person in a slight bit of color, as I walk through that train station.
I don't think I've seen that many, Catman do, our equivalent brand puffer jackets through Sydney, in a really long time. , And predominantly black as well. So I felt like I was bringing a little bit of the color, back to the streets. So like you, many of my clients love to inject a little bit of freshness, as the seasons change, because you'll come to the end of a season, you'll start looking at what you may have in your wardrobe from the previous. Spring, summer, and it may be that some of those pieces sitting in there maybe no longer reflect your brand, potentially are worn and you really wanna look at replacing some.
But also it may be that you wanna [00:03:00] inject that freshness a new. Season always gives you such a beautiful time of year, to be able to do that. When it comes to your brand, there are a couple of key areas that normally I'm looking for and that will be, what are some of the trends that are coming through that will align?
To my client's brands and that's what we , usually walk through and think about how can we inject that into their wardrobes. Second will definitely be around the color palette. Obviously coming out of the autumn, winter seasons, the colors are much deeper. More muted, , whereas as we are heading into spring summer as expected, we are seeing a mix of those gelato, pastels .
And so many of my clients also start to go, oh my gosh, hang on. These are not my colors. They don't look good on me,what should I be doing in those circumstances?
So I really wanted to give you, my take on a quick overview [00:04:00] of what we are going to be seeing, this spring summer. You are actually gonna see this beautiful mix in strength and what I'm calling the soft femininity. So really that mix of maybe that, structured piece with something with, flow to it.
And also a mix of unexpected, utility pieces with, something softer. So being able to really stretch the boundaries. So if you are looking to actually push that edge when it comes to your brand and your style, this might be something that you may lean into. And of course we are continuing that code around the blurring of the traditional dress codes, that we have seen now really over the last five years.
But it's continuing to push through even further. I think a great example of this is because many [00:05:00] of people would've seen them now, is this injection of, the, side stripe. Tracksuits, we have seen them go from cash then into sort of elastic waist, worn with a heel, and now we're seeing them shift really into the office space, , in more of a tailored pant.
And for those of us who are, a little bit on the petite side, the lying down the side is fantastic to create that visual height, look as well. So I think we're gonna continue to see more and more of that. That's not to say in certain environments.
You may also see, the rise again of the more traditional dress codes just 'cause we're seeing that dial up of, you know what, I wanna get dressed up. Here in AU though we are definitely, loving our smart. Casual, wear as well. But when I talk about blurring of that traditional, dress code, you are also seeing [00:06:00] that blend of
using fabrications that we would expect to see potentially in more casual, cuts and styles being pushed in to a much more dressier. Styles. So it's a really beautiful blurring, when it comes to those kind of fabrications and looks. One of my favorite trends that I am seeing more and more , especially for spring summer is this, and I think it's also a bit of a take on what we've seen from the boho.
Resurgence through winter as inspired by Chloe again, really is picking up on some of those romantic and feminine details. So what do I mean by that? Think the beautiful bows on, shirts really, but extended, sizing and think about, lots of detail around the sleeves and the arms.
It might be even, fine stitching around blazers, that sort of thing. So really romantic and [00:07:00] feminine detailing that we haven't seen as much with the quiet luxury trend, that we saw push through
and I think we saw this through, autumn winter, but we're seeing it continue through to spring summer. Your sports luxe is going nowhere. Sports lux slash that preppy, look and feel really as I think categorized by polo. We are seeing that pull through to knitwear, and your everyday wear as well.
So keep an eye, out for that if that is part of your brand. And then also when I talk about textures. The number one thing that I'm seeing a real push, towards, and we saw at the end of, I believe it was last spring, summer, there was a lot of shear, coming around and what we're seeing again, some of those bigger trends were through the [00:08:00] skirts. Now we are seeing, the likes of blouses, coming back. We've had beautiful shirts around for a really long time, but most of that fabrication was in a cotton, and whereas now we are seeing that romantic detail come through in the textures.
Of the styles as well. So beautiful, blouses in, really beautiful crepes. Soft silks. All of that with the sort of balloon, sleeves as well. Alternative, I guess on the flip side of that, we are seeing, again, really tactile, natural fibers when it comes to knits, and then finally, when it comes to prints and patterns, that polka dot, that we saw a couple of seasons ago is not going away anywhere yet.
It is still very much around. However, in line with that preppy feel, we are seeing a lot. More, touch of gingham as [00:09:00] well as, stripes for the floral lovers out there. Don't worry that is still available , but you will see a lot more injection of, that check at that gingham, come through to. I couldn't do a quick spring, summer update without talking, about a couple of, nostalgia pieces and specific silhouettes, that are still very much in force, especially if you were. Thinking of heading down that path, the nineties, two thousands slip dresses, especially with some of the, upcoming films coming out.
So for example, I think it's the, Carolyn Bassett and Kennedy film coming up. We've got the slip dresses you're seeing that come through and you'll see that play through spring, summer. My clients. Snow. I've been talking about this barrel pant for a really long time now. I think it's almost been, 12 to 18 months.
And you know what? So we've officially seen it in all [00:10:00] sort of major, mass brands. Now you will be able to find a barrel pant style, so if you haven't tried it yet. Give it a go and, let me know what your thoughts are on it. The crop style jackets absolutely still around as well.
And the double denim we are seeing, continue, to really become a staple, I would say, and potentially a main stay.
Now I wanted to just, really call out. You are going to be seeing everywhere, this spring summer,
the return of the flip flop, but this time it's the elevated version of that. So you know you're either gonna love them. Or you are not. they are going to be very trend driven. And when I say the elevated version, it's actually like a slide heel, with it.
And for [00:11:00] those of you who love a flat, the Mary Jane is going nowhere. But now we're shifting into more open, fabrications of that so you don't have to wear it with a sock or a stocking or a mini sock or anything like that. And then finally, you're still gonna be seeing a lot of these delicate peep toe, uh, styles as well.
there's lots of different areas that we are seeing come through, for the spring summer 26, trends, as the stores start to drop them.
So if you are heading out, I want you to be really clear what is your brand, right? That is your number one that you need to be absolutely crystal clear on. How is it that you want to now show up? What are the things that you wanna inject into your wardrobe to help really push your brand? To the forefront to give it that refreshed edge, going forward.
And what [00:12:00] area of some of these trends do you gravitate to and think, Ooh, actually I'd be really going to try that. Perhaps it's adding in a touch of the polka dot, maybe it's mixing in the more, structured pieces or unexpected pocket jackets with the, soft flowy skirts.
You pick what you would love to really inject in and give it a go, right? Then you wanna be thinking about your body shape. How is this working with you? Is it flattering those beautiful attributes that you have. And then finally, thinking about your colors as you step into this next season. As I said before, one of the biggest tips, I give my clients where they find it really hard to be able to find colors that work for them.
Especially as they get into those spring summer seasons. It's about really having a look to see what is it that's gonna be up and close to my face? And how can I potentially layer or find something with a print that will bring [00:13:00] through some of the colors that you really love up against perhaps some of the colors you're seeing around, in store as well.
So when you are thinking about going through each one of those processes and you've picked out this piece, I want you to think about as you go through each of those trends that every trend should really pass. Through one of these filters. When you are considering your brand, is it aligned for how I wanna be experienced?
Whether that's at work, whether that's on the weekend with friends? For me, it's always about thinking work to weekend. My brand is the same no matter where I go. I'm just projecting perhaps a more dialed up version and a dialed down version, right? So is it aligned with how I wanna be experienced?
Two, not just how it looks, , how does it actually land? Does it actually support the message that you want to [00:14:00] be portraying out to the world? Most importantly, does it feel like me in this season, not three roll ago, not last year, right now in this season, where you wanna go and where you wanna head?
Okay. And number four is really, can I use it in some way to help support my next move? Does it have the ability to speak to the future version of you that you are now stepping into? So when you apply this sort of lens, you move from not only considering the trends on its own, but how they can be brand aligned to you. Because in the end, that is the most important part, right? It's not just about, the trend itself.
why? Because that alignment between who you are on the [00:15:00] inside, what that visual wrapper and brand is on the outside has the ability to create confidence.
Confidence increases clarity, and clarity can impact how you lead. So this spring, summer, give it a go to do it a little bit differently as you start to inject some of those pieces into your wardrobe. And for those of you who are thinking, oh my goodness, I. Dread going into my wardrobe. I don't have the time to go through the whole thing and figure it all out. I have a special gift for you. it's called my Five Minute Leadership Wardrobe Reset.
It's a mini training that I have done just to help. Kickstart you in how you actually make your way through that wardrobe. If you'd love a copy, just DM me, drop me an email [00:16:00] and I will send it across to you enjoy the rest of your week and I will chat to you soon.
