Some years ago, everyone wanted to dress like a retiree with a beach house. Cozy cable-knits, crisp button-downs, tasteful neutrals and nautical stripes galore. Think Diane Keaton in a Nancy Meyers movie. But for spring 2026, we’re seeing a kookier, kitschier and more colorful character start to curate our closets: the eccentric aunt.
Pop culture is full of them—and they usually come in pairs. Hilda and Zelda Spellman, aunts of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Aunt Frances and Aunt Jet, Practical Magic’s midnight margarita makers. And Aunt Lily and Aunt Vivian, style icons of ABC’s twee classic, Pushing Daisies. But even Friends’ Phoebe Buffay fits the bill (especially after giving birth to her own niece and nephews in the show—talk about unconventional).

















