Spring style: lingerie, towels, and windbreakers

Spring 2026 style is pulling in two opposite directions at once: one side looks like the top drawer got promoted to outerwear, and the other looks like you grabbed a jacket from a 1990s track meet or an army surplus rack. Refinery29’s spring trend report puts lingerie-inspired pieces, towel textures, retro windbreakers, and military jackets in the same seasonal lineup. (refinery29.com) The soft side is not just lace slips and camisoles. Editors are calling out pieces that borrow from lingerie construction, which means satin finishes, delicate trims, visible straps, and silhouettes that sit closer to the body than the oversized tailoring that dominated a lot of recent seasons. (refinery29.com) (whowhatwear.com) The towel reference sounds strange until you picture terry cloth, the looped fabric used in bath towels and beach cover-ups. In spring collections and shopping edits, that texture is showing up in dresses, polos, matching sets, and easy separates that make casual clothes look intentionally tactile instead of plain. (refinery29.com) The sporty side is moving just as hard. Who What Wear says retro sportswear is back in spring 2026, with windbreakers and old-school trainers giving soft blouses and dresses a sharper, more athletic edge. (whowhatwear.com) That is why military jackets fit this moment so neatly. A military jacket brings pockets, structure, and a tougher shape, so it can sit over a slip skirt or lace-trim top and stop the outfit from looking too precious or too dressed for night. (refinery29.com) Runway coverage is backing up the jacket shift. Marie Claire’s spring 2026 outerwear report points to windbreakers as one of the season’s defining jackets, and it specifically notes nylon track jackets styled with khaki shirts and crinkled skirts instead of full gymwear. (marieclaire.com) Color is helping these opposites live together. Who What Wear’s spring 2026 color guide highlights combinations like cream with khaki, which is basically the palette version of this whole season: soft, clean, and romantic on top, grounded by something practical and slightly rugged underneath. (whowhatwear.com) The easiest way to wear the trend is not to choose a side. A lace-hem camisole under a windbreaker, a terry polo with tailored trousers, or a military jacket over a satin dress all follow the same spring 2026 formula of mixing delicate fabric with useful outerwear. (refinery29.com) (whowhatwear.com) What changed from earlier “underwear as outerwear” cycles is the mood. This version is less red-carpet shock and more everyday layering, with shopping edits and trend reports framing these pieces as wardrobe staples that work with neutrals, sneakers, and classic jackets instead of looking costume-like. (whowhatwear.com 1) (whowhatwear.com 2) So the spring uniform is oddly simple: something silky or textured close to the skin, and something crisp, nylon, or utility-driven on top. Spring 2026 is not asking you to dress romantic or practical; it is asking you to do both in the same outfit. (refinery29.com) (marieclaire.com)