newsletter issue 259

Classic literature is fashionable right now. That’s clear from how obsessed we are with Emerald Fennell’s take on Wuthering Heights, the Chloé Zhao-directed Hamnet, or even Dior’s new book totes, which are embroidered to look like first-edition covers of stories like Dracula and Les Fleurs Du Mal. So, will this be the year I finally read all of these novels? No promises there, but before that I don’t mind dressing like a wandering poet or a lovestruck madam from a gothic period novel. Pinterest already declared ‘poetcore’ a key trend for 2026. Meanwhile, on the runway there were an array of ‘poet’ shirts—those floppy, folksy blouses that often feature bishop sleeves, ruffled collars, oversized cuffs, and loose ties, versions of which popped up at Chanel and Erdem fall/winter 2025-26 and more recently at Ralph Lauren spring/summer 2026. It’s the perfect layer for transitional weather. Wear it under your coat or jacket and let the sleeves peek out, like Jacob Elordi’s Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. Or channel his lost love Catherine and wear it unbuttoned under a tightly cinched corset. The blouse has enough going on that you could even keep it simple with jeans and lots of jewellery. For more Shakespeare-worthy options, consider these from Cord, Zara, or Marks & Spencer. Read on, fair traveller!