Dark Regency is the latest fashion trend – here’s why it’s having a moment

For years, Regency fashion has existed in the same mental category as women fainting on chaise longues and people saying things like ‘pray, sir’ and ‘I beseech you’. Bonnet-heavy, corset-adjacent and wildly impractical, it’s the sort of clothing you associate with period dramas watched on a rainy Sunday, where everyone is deeply repressed and someone is always standing too close to a window. 

But the version of #Regencycore coming back now isn’t about dressing up in historical costume or about attending the ball; it’s about dressing for romance in its least performative form; darker, slightly gothic-leaning and more concerned with atmosphere. Long, skimming shapes instead of tight, shiny ones. Fabric that drapes and moves rather than grips. Necklines that soften rather than shout. Clothes that feel emotionally charged and – as Stylist’s acting fashion director Sophie Paxton puts it – “far easier to wear than people expect”.

The timing feels telling. With Bridgerton returning for a fourth season, period aesthetics are back in the spotlight. And with Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights heading to cinemas, Emily Brontë’s moors, melancholia and big, bottled-up feelings will be brought back into the cultural conversation too.

Helping define that mood is Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran, who has deliberately swerved the pastel prettiness we tend to expect from Regency dressing. Her approach leans into what Paxton describes as “the most recognisable Regency shapes, with silhouettes sitting just under the bust, but not letting them feel overdone”. It’s romantic, yes, but it’s also tactile, strange and emotionally loaded. Romance with bite.

That tension is most visible through Margot Robbie’s Catherine Earnshaw. Her wardrobe resists neat historical coding: a translucent, almost ghostlike wedding-night look; an enormous Russian fur hat worn with complete conviction; a knowingly off-kilter milkmaid outfit; longline opera gloves; a high-shine latex-look red dress that cuts clean through any lingering notions of pastoral sweetness. Even when early 19th century silhouettes appear, they’re filtered through texture and transparency – sheer layers, light-catching finishes and gauzy styles that feel fresh rather than faithfully reproduced.

Designers have clearly been paying attention. On the spring/summer 2026 catwalks, Regency wasn’t recreated so much as absorbed. At Erdem, 19th century references were filtered through a surreal, almost supernatural lens inspired by Hélène Smith, a French medium. Simone Rocha layered organza flowers over crinolines and trapeze shapes that felt romantic but unresolved, while Yuhan Wang worked in pale palettes of cream, blush and white, pairing stiff corsetry and armour with sheer overlays that nodded to history without becoming trapped by it. Across the collections, dresses skimmed the body, prioritising movement, softness and comfort.

So why now? Partly, it’s escapism. As fashion commentator Anastasia Vartanian notes, we’re seeing “renewed interest in all kinds of historical aesthetics – from medieval references to ancient Greece – and with everything happening in the world, it makes sense people are looking elsewhere”. But it’s also about resistance. “After years of utilitarian dressing and mass production, there’s a growing appetite for intricate, ornate, handmade clothing – craft and beauty for beauty’s sake. While we should be careful about romanticising the past too much, especially eras where women had far fewer rights than they do today. I think there is something really fun about picking out historical fashion you enjoy and translating it to modern contexts.”

And that’s where Regencycore really lands. Crucially, it’s also wearable. “Empire lines sitting just under the bust are the simplest way to nod to the era. Brands like Ganni and Damson Madder often have these elements in their clothing,” Paxton says, noting that soft pastels like blue, pink and yellow were historically popular but still feel modern now.

How to style the Dark Regency trend

“Proportions are key. Concentrate on cuts above the breast and create the illusion of cropped lengths here by opting for a cropped knit and a high collared ruffled blouse, but teamed with a floor-length dress or skirt to encapsulate the era.”

If a full dress feels like too much, let the details do the heavy lifting, suggests Paxton. “Jewellery featuring pearls, headbands embellished with beading and stonework, and diamond tennis necklaces or bracelets bring a sense of opulence in a lighter, more delicate way.” Look to the spring/summer 2026 catwalks at Simone Rocha and Susan Fang for cues: both designers sent models out crowned with sculptural headpieces, lavishly adorned with oversized beaded orbs and intricate, jewel-like embellishments.

“You could also try pintucked blouses that gather at the bust, gently puffed sleeves or frilled collars layered under knitwear,” says Paxton. “Footwear grounds the look from brands like Miista and Lili Curia. Think lace-up midi heels or strap-heavy Mary Janes, which reference history without getting stuck in it.”

Images: Warner Bros; Thomas Morgan for Authentic Beauty Concept; Ben Broomfield; Getty