Move over baggy jorts, Bermudas and cargo shorts — capri pants and pedal pushers are still going strong as one of the biggest pants trends for summer 2026.
As seen on the likes of Bella Hadid, Tessa Thompson, Hailey Bieber and more, the cropped silhouette, often paired with little kitten heels, provides versatility, ease and comfort from day to night.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Rihanna even donned the styles for their performances during Jay-Z’s weekend concerts at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. Knowles-Carter opted for a custom Giuseppe di Morabito with directional, tailored crop trousers, while Rihanna’s full Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello look featured slick leather capris.
Rihanna performs onstage on July 12 at at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y.
But the nostalgic ’90s and Y2K style (that recalls 1950s fashion) isn’t just for dinner dates and parties. Off of the runways and outside of the city street style, activewear companies have been getting in on the trend with sport-friendly, comfortable capri-length leggings.
Highlights in the activewear market include Paige Lorenze’s new Wag Capris (in blue Greenwich Plaid, Saltwater Stripe, True Black and Space Gray) from her debut Dairy Boy Sport collection.
“They look simple, but every detail was incredibly considered, from the fit to the fabric to the branding. It took a lot of refinement to get them to feel exactly right, but now they’re one of those pieces that just works. They feel polished, flattering and effortless,” Lorenze previously told WWD of the styles.
A look from Db Sport.
Elsewhere, Alo and Fabletics black cropped leggings with white piping subtly nod to Meredith Blake’s iconic sporty look in “The Parent Trap,” while colorful and printed styles from Free People Movement, Norma Kamali, Kim Kardashian’s NikeSkims and Beyond Yoga bring a sense of playfulness to the workout studio.
Here, WWD highlights 13 capri-length workout leggings that channel one of the summer’s biggest trends.
