A lot happens in a month—especially when we talk about shopping. New collections trickle in, past season pieces sell out, popular styles go in and out of stock. Most of our curations are defined by what we love in the moment, but that doesn’t make us any less curious about what you clicked on and bought. Our collective shopping carts act as a prism for a broader story of the brands we couldn’t get enough of, the trends that shape our wardrobes, and the outfits that captured the cultural zeitgeist. Here’s what rose to the Top of the Carts in January.
1. 2016 As a Trend
January is typically a month of reflection, but this year’s throwbacks were more of a time warp for another era altogether: 2016. Amusingly enough, key styles of that year—bomber jackets, backless loafers, and skinny jeans—have never felt more relevant, or ubiquitous, than right now. A reminder that what goes around comes around, and that maybe skinny jeans weren’t so bad after all? (Who are we kidding… they’ve been rebranded to “slim-straight” for a reason.)
2. The Red Knit
Call it the Michael Rider effect (as Vogue’s Nicole Phelps did in our staff meeting) but nowhere is the runway-to-reality pipeline as tangible as here. On one icy Wednesday, nearly all New York Vogue editors showed up in red sweaters. You had to see it to believe it.
3. The Rinse-Wash Denim
Denim washes don’t cause nearly as much a stir as cuts do (lest I remind you of the aforementioned skinny jean?), but there’s no denying the renewed fervor around selvedge and darker washes, captured both on the runway and in street style. It’s a more polished kind of jean you can wear to the office on a Monday—not just on a casual Friday.
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5. The Black Legging
There’s been a steady supply and demand for black leggings this month—partly for lounge, partly for movement (dare I say, is this The Year of the Fire Horse at work?). The Row and Celine might also have something to do with the legging’s comeback as a wardrobe essential, styled more intentionally than just white socks and a chunky sneaker. Rihanna shows us how it’s done in a zippered pair with python pumps and vintage Louis Vuitton.
6. Animal Print
Everyone’s clearly still wild for animal print. We counted leopard most often, followed by zebra, tiger stripes, and fawn spots.
8. The Purple Scarf
A key color trend for spring, sprinklings of which first came through from Zoë Kravitz in Rome last December and have been going steady ever since—most recently, with Jennifer Lawrence out and about in New York City this month. (They both wore La Ligne’s Ben scarf in “amethyst”—unfortunately still sold out, click at your own peril.) Auralee’s men’s show featured one too for FW26, styled with cobalt blue.
9. Cobalt Blue
Speaking of: My colleague Hannah Jackson traced cobalt blue’s rise earlier this month—a color first endorsed in 2025, but one that lacked wholesale enthusiasm until now. The IKB shade made waves in the spring 2026 shows—Tove, Chanel, and Fforme—before finding its footing in street style (Ramya Giangola carries Celine’s dustbag leather purse) and red carpet appearances (Bella Hadid in Saint Laurent, Amelia Gray in Gucci).
10. The Après-Ski Sweater
Maybe you’re headed to Cortina, by way of Zermatt or Val d’Isère; maybe the closest you get to après is the Winter Olympics commercial break. Either way, a cozy Fair Isle lets you look the part—no matter your level of commitment to mastering parallel turns. January gave us no shortage of multicolored patterns to choose from, including J.Crew’s official collection for the U.S. Ski Snowboard team, which launched the first week of the month. Cabin fever, but not as you know it.
