I’ve Found it—The Elegant Dress Trend Fashion People Will Be Wearing To Their Chicest Occasions in 2026

Whether your 2026 diary is already filling up with weddings or you’re searching for a last-minute New Year’s Eve dress, there’s one style I’ll be recommending on repeat for the next 12 months. Elegant, directional and requiring very little styling effort, fashion people will be arriving at their chicest occasions of 2026 wearing the scarf dress trend.

Designed to do the accessorising for you, the scarf dress takes familiar silhouettes—think halterneck, sleeveless and long-sleeved styles—and elevates them with an attached or detachable scarf crafted from the same fabric. Draped or wrapped around the neck, this thoughtful detail brings instant cohesion to a look, adding polish and drama in one move.

Most commonly spotted in glossy satin and floor-sweeping cuts, the trend doesn’t stop there. I’ve also seen it take on shorter hemlines that cleverly tick both the LBD and scarf-dress boxes at once.

Given that 2025 has been a banner year for scarves—scarf-adorned jumpers, blouses and jackets have all had their time to shine, not to mention the resurgence of skinny scarves and bandanas earlier in the year—it’s hardly surprising that this evolution is happening now. As the season draws to a close and party invitations start rolling in, the scarf dress feels like the natural next step.

Elegant, impactful and surprisingly low-effort, it’s a trend worth investing in early. Read on to discover and shop my edit of the chicest scarf dresses available now.