Television and movies have a long history of impacting trends in areas like fashion, how people decorate their homes, where they travel, and more. Think about how Rachel’s hairstyle on Friends inspired a wave of similar haircuts, or how the popularity of The White Lotus led to more visitors at the hotel where it was filmed. Mad Men also had a big effect, bringing back classic furniture styles from the mid-20th century.
Looking ahead to 2026, we’ve partnered with Pinterest’s Global Head of Trends, Sydney Stanback, to reveal the emerging trends that will impact your life this year. From fashion and home décor to how you entertain and connect with others, these trends – all inspired by television and film – offer a sneak peek at what you’ll be buying and the overall aesthetic you’ll be drawn to.
According to Stanback, the big fashion trend this year won’t be hairstyles taken from screens, but rather clothing inspired by the style of poets.
Fasten your cape
I have a feeling we’re going to see some amazing style moments on screen this year influencing how we dress. Seriously, I’m already obsessed with the looks from shows like Hamnet – Paul Mescal in that rugged leather jacket? Total icon material. And Carrie Coon’s costumes in The Gilded Age, especially that cape, are just stunning. I predict they’ll be setting trends all year long!
According to Stanback, these visuals will likely resonate with audiences due to their refined and bookish style, contributing to the growing “Poetcore” trend. Pinterest’s yearly trend report shows a significant increase in searches related to this aesthetic – searches for ‘the poet aesthetic’ jumped 175% and ‘cape outfit’ increased by 65% between September 2024 and August 2025.
The likes of Paul Mescal, wearing a worn leather jerkin in Hamnet, and Carrie Coon, donning a cape in The Gilded Age, will become our style icons this year
Poetcore is a gentler take on the popular ‘dark academia’ style, focusing on romanticizing the life of a poet, according to Stanback. It features delicate details like lace collars and cuffs, vintage brooches, and layered, textured clothing, often with high necklines.
Popular shows and movies like The Gilded Age, Seven Dials, and Hamnet are reflecting design trends that are already gaining traction on Pinterest, and we expect these styles to become even more popular next year.
The popular HBO historical drama, The Gilded Age, is likely to be back for a fourth season in late 2026. Meanwhile, two new shows debuted in January: Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao and offering a glimpse into the personal life of William and Agnes Shakespeare and the tragedy of their child’s death, and Seven Dials, a Netflix adaptation of an Agatha Christie murder mystery.
Lace it up
And there’ll be other unlikely style icons this year, with the (modernised) Regency-era outfits of Bridgerton also set to inspire our wardrobes.
I was completely captivated by the costumes in the new season of Bridgerton! Seriously, Luke Thompson as Benedict – that frilly black shirt and leather vest? Stunning. And Yerin Ha as the Lady in Silver? Her gown, covered in lace and crystals at the masquerade ball, was just breathtaking. I’ve only seen the first part that Netflix released so far, but the visuals are already incredible.
The thing about ‘laced up’ that stands out to me as it pertains to TV and film in 2026 is it’s very romantic
According to Stanback, the growing popularity of lace will inspire people to add delicate details and softer touches to their clothing, strengthening the “Laced Up” trend that Pinterest forecasts will be huge this year. Pinterest’s research shows a significant increase in searches for lace items – up 105% for “lace doily”, 150% for “lace bandana”, and 120% for “lace make-up”.
According to Stanback, the ‘laced up’ look is particularly appealing for TV and film in 2026 because it adds a romantic and slightly bohemian touch to any outfit.
Stanback believes “Laced Up” will become popular this year because people are feeling overwhelmed by the constant stream of information and the complexities of modern life. He explains that in 2026, the focus is shifting from trying to do everything to prioritizing personal energy and well-being, and taking control of how that energy is spent.
One way we’re seeing this shift happen, she explains, is through people choosing to personalize trends instead of simply copying them. Instead of blindly following what’s popular, consumers are gravitating towards trends that reflect their own identities or the people they want to become. The “Laced Up” style, because it’s adaptable and not overly restrictive, is a good example of this trend.
Cue theatrics
The glamorous masquerade ball in Bridgerton isn’t just inspiring fashion trends for 2026, it’s also influencing how we’ll decorate our homes.
Stanback believes the show will inspire people to throw their own masquerade parties or decorate their homes with a dramatic, theatrical style. This includes rich fabrics, flowing drapes, and eye-catching lighting.
Viewers will be inspired to host masquerade-style parties of their own
Pinterest predicts the “Opera Aesthetic” will become hugely popular in 2026, and it’s already gaining momentum. According to expert Stanback, it’s not just about costumes and parties – it’s influencing interior design too. We’re seeing more searches for things like ‘opera theatre’ and ‘midnight masquerade,’ suggesting people are drawn to the dramatic, old-world style of classic theaters.
Bridgerton season 4 starts with a masquerade ball, and I believe that event will inspire viewers to think about decorating their own homes.
Our homes will also be shaped by Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights in 2026, with viewers taking inspiration from the film’s moody, provocative and modern setting.
Hitting theaters on February 13th, the new film offers a passionate and raw take on the classic love story of Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi). It’s set against the dramatic and beautiful backdrop of 18th-century Yorkshire moors.
According to Stanback, people are interpreting the show’s dramatic and romantic imagery by incorporating rich fabrics, layered textures, and deep reds and golds into their home decor, along with dramatic lighting – all contributing to the growing “Opera Aesthetic” trend.
Rewind playtime
This year, popular shows and movies will impact not only what adults wear, but also the clothes parents choose for their kids.
Movies like the upcoming Toy Story 5 in June, and the return of Malcolm in the Middle with the original cast this April, are expected to evoke nostalgia, reminding millennials and parents of their childhoods and simpler times, and prompting them to reconnect with the past, according to Stanback.
Stanback believes these themes will encourage parents to dress their children in vintage clothing and rediscover classic toys, boosting the “Throwback Kid” trend Pinterest has noticed. Pinterest’s data shows a significant increase in interest, with searches for “nostalgia toys” up 225%, and searches for “1970s childhood toys” and “vintage kids fashion” rising by 125% and 35% respectively.
Toy Story 5 in particular looks set to spark nostalgia among parents and fuel demand for classic or retro toys given its focus on the conflict between toys and tech.
These titles will inspire viewers who are parents to dress their kids in vintage clothes, as well as to bring back vintage toys
The first trailer offered a sneak peek at the conflict, revealing eight-year-old Bonnie receiving a new, frog-shaped smart tablet called Lilypad. Her older toys watch with fear. The trailer ends with the question: “Is this the end of playtime for toys?”
According to Stanback, “Throwback Kid” will become popular this year, similar to “Laced Up,” as more people seek ways to escape the pressures of a fast-paced world.
Trends like retro toys and vintage children’s clothing tap into a desire for simpler, more comforting times by blending past and present styles. They help people feel connected to positive memories.
Write it out
As a lifelong movie and TV fan, I’ve always noticed how much what we see on screen impacts fashion, but it’s more than that, really. It actually has a way of influencing how we live our daily lives, which is something I find fascinating.
This year, we’ll see these details come to life in productions like Seven Dials, featuring Lady Eileen Bundle (Mia McKenna-Bruce) discovering a beautifully written letter that references “seven dials” and kicks off the main plot. We’ll also see it in Hamnet, where Shakespeare (Mescal) is shown trying to write with traditional tools – a quill, ink, and handmade paper – as he battles writer’s block.
The popularity of certain personalities is sparking renewed interest in traditional activities like writing letters, keeping journals, and enjoying peaceful moments at home. This is boosting Pinterest’s “Pen Pals” trend, with searches for “handwritten letters” increasing by 45% and “penpal letters” by 35%, according to the platform’s data.
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Cross into the mystic
On-screen realms will also spill into real-world travel plans this year.
Instead of ads or famous faces, people will be dreaming of traveling to the beautiful, imaginary worlds featured in new fantasy shows in 2026.
Think the striking valleys, beaches and castles in House of the Dragon, which wrapped filming on season 3 in North Wales last year, or the dramatic mountains and eerie forests of Rings of Power, which also shot scenes for its third season in various Welsh locations in 2025.
In 2026, stunning and fantastical landscapes in upcoming fantasy series will serve as our getaway inspiration
House of the Dragon’s new season is coming in summer 2026, while the next instalment of Rings of Power is expected at the end of the year or in early 2027.
And their releases will drive the “Mystic Outlands” trend identified in Pinterest’s trends forecast for 2026, which reported that searches for “ethereal places” rose by 45%, while searches for “Faroe Island aesthetic” almost doubled.
As a total movie and TV buff, I’d say both of those shows really deliver that ‘Mystic Outlands’ vibe – they’re just so otherworldly and fantastical. Honestly, they’re perfect for when you just want to completely lose yourself in another world.
As with “Laced Up” and “Throwback Kid”, Stanback says that “Mystic Outlands” will emerge this year as people try to avoid overstimulation and burnout, and “really ground themselves in optimism by engaging with trends that offer imaginative escapes”.
88% accuracy rate
It remains to be seen which of these trends will last, but Pinterest is confident in its predictions. The platform’s annual report has proven accurate 88% of the time, because it doesn’t just look at what its 600 million users are searching for and saving. It also analyzes how interests change and develop over time to predict future popular topics, according to Stanback.
“Castlecore”, for example, a fashion and design aesthetic that takes its cues from ancient castles and Gothic architecture that Pinterest identified in its 2025 report, “has evolved to ‘Poetcore’ in 2026”, which is “softer more romantic, and of course more wearable”.
“And so with our data we can really follow these movements as they grow, and track how they take over across fashion, beauty, lifestyle and beyond, and really see how people are translating them into every life.”
Authors
Molly Moss writes about the newest happenings in TV, movies, and other entertainment for TopMob. She has a master’s degree in journalism and has also contributed to major publications like The Guardian, The Times, and The Sun Online.
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2026-02-06 10:11