Fashion Preferences and Style Report

Gen Z young adults are heading back into stores to shop for clothes, teens are chasing trends with their friends, merch has become a closet staple, and social media keeps climbing as their go-to source for outfit ideas. But there’s one thing most of them say they’re missing when it comes to getting dressed. YPulse’s 2026 Fashion Preferences and Style Behavioral Report gets into what that is, plus what’s pulling them off their phones and onto the sales floor.

In YPulse’s 2026 Fashion Preferences and Style Report, we dive into why young adults would rather shop for clothes in a physical store, how social media became their top source of fashion inspiration, and what kinds of merch they’re adding to their wardrobes.

Inside

• Why young adults are driving a return to in-store clothes shopping, and how thrifting, fit, and deals help draw them in
• How teens use logos and friend groups to stay on trend, and what “dressing up” really means to Gen Z and Millennials who wish they had more reasons to do it
• How POC, LGBTQ+, and college student shoppers stand out, from bold, trendsetting style and thrifted gender-neutral finds to outfits bought for one campus event

Methodology

Report length: 20 pages, North America report is based on a survey of 1500 13-39-year-olds in the U.S. and Canada (n=1000 U.S., n=500 Canada), fielded September 1–9, 2026. Western Europe report is based on a survey of 2500 13-39-year-olds in the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, and Italy (n=500 for each country), fielded September 1-8, 2026.

YPulse subscribers can read the full report and download the data on ypulse.com: Fashion Preferences and Style Report.