The Menswear Edit

From loosened-up tailoring to the return of the tie, these are the menswear trends making their way from Brisbane Fashion Festival to the new season.

Menswear is relaxing its rules. At Brisbane Fashion Festival 2026, traditional codes were still there — tailoring, shirting, ties and polished layers — but the way they were worn felt decidedly less traditional.

Silhouettes were wider, jackets shorter, proportions more playful and styling more individual. Consider this the new menswear formula: polished, but never too perfect.

The Tie Is Back

The tie has officially moved beyond the boardroom.

Across BFF, ties appeared as a styling piece in their own right — oversized, patterned, loosely knotted and paired with everything from classic suiting to more relaxed separates. Rather than making an outfit feel corporate, the new approach adds personality.

For Spring, try a statement tie against a crisp shirt and relaxed trousers, or layer one beneath a jacket with a slightly unexpected proportion. The less conventional it feels, the better.

Relaxed Suiting

Tailoring is loosening up, quite literally.

The sharp, slim-cut suit has made way for softer construction, roomier trousers and jackets with a little more movement. We saw tonal suiting and classic neutrals styled with exaggerated ties and accessories, creating looks that still felt sophisticated without being overly formal.

The key is in the silhouette: think less perfectly fitted and more effortlessly considered.

The Preppy Cropped Jacket

One of the strongest shifts was towards shorter outerwear. Cropped leather jackets, lightweight blousons and collegiate-inspired shapes brought a preppy edge to otherwise simple looks.

Paired with a polo, tee or button-down and a wider trouser, the proportions immediately feel current. It’s an easy way to update pieces already in your wardrobe too — keep the base simple and let the shorter jacket change the silhouette.

Go Wide

If there is one trouser shape to know now, it’s wide.

Relaxed, pleated and fluid pants continued to dominate, sitting naturally alongside the move towards looser tailoring. From wide suit trousers to more casual utility-inspired styles, volume through the leg gives even classic menswear a more contemporary feel.

Balance is important here. Pair wider pants with a cropped jacket or tuck in your shirt to create some definition through the waist.

A New Take on Menswear

The takeaway from BFF? Menswear isn’t abandoning the classics — it’s simply wearing them differently.

A tie with more personality. A suit with more room. A jacket cut a little shorter. A trouser worn a little wider.

The new season is less about following traditional menswear rules and more about playing with proportion, texture and styling to make them your own.

Discover the new-season menswear edit at Wintergarden.