I run the West Side Highway twice a day, mostly before the city is awake, and I pass a lot of people. This is what everyone is wearing right now, and what I’m buying so I look like I belong out there.

Bandit’s West Village store opens at 7am and sells coffee, so a lot of it starts there.

The one rule

Matching set, or a mismatch that is clearly on purpose. Mismatch by accident is the only real mistake.

Shorts

Split shorts on everyone. On women it’s mostly 3 inch, on guys the 5 inch splits with a real notch. Bandit’s Vento and RipSpeed, Tracksmith’s Twist and Session, and the LSKD Accelerate 3, which is what I’m in and costs less.

The bigger change is half tights. Two years ago a half tight was a track meet thing. Now New Balance sells one as an NYC Marathon product, everyone carrying gels is in Bandit’s 7-pocket half tight, and every small label put one out this year. My rule: half tights under about 50 degrees, for long runs, or when I need storage. Splits for speed and heat.

Easy days are a 7 inch pocketed short with the liner. LSKD Rep 7 or Bandit Stamina 7. That’s most of my mornings.

Tops

The most New York thing happening in women’s running right now is pockets in tops. Bandit’s Stamina Race Crop has three phone sized pockets, two under the arm and one at the back. When you run alone there’s nobody to hand your phone to, so a top that carries it is not a gimmick. Lululemon followed with pocketed bras and 7-pocket waistbands.

Visible bra straps under a loose tank are the default. Shelf-bra tanks like LSKD’s Base and Flow lines are the easy version.

Color

Black and earth tones are still the base. The accents this fall are poppy red, oxblood, acid green and butter yellow. Bandit’s fall palette is literally Black, NY Navy, Champagne, Poppy and Ink Blue. Lululemon’s fall run stuff went preppy, Oxford Red and Clubhouse Blue with racing stripes, and I see it constantly in the park.

New Balance’s NYC Marathon collection, out this month, is 1978 inspired wheat paste poster prints, so expect a retro track moment through November.

The stuff that gives you away

  • Crew socks, worn loud. Bandit socks are the New York tell. Nobody is hiding them.
  • A 5-panel cap. Ciele GOCap is the standard. Minted NY’s mesh 5-panel is the Brooklyn upgrade.
  • Sport shields. District Vision’s Junya Racer if you have the budget, Oakley Radar if you race, Goodr if you’re normal. I’m in the Radars every day and they get their own post. The bow and the pink glasses are actually free speed. [FILL: one line on why.]
  • Belt or vest. SPIbelt or FlipBelt on the road, Salomon Adv Skin 12 on long runs. I don’t do either, everything goes in the crop. More on that in Functionality.

Brands I keep seeing

Satisfy, Bandit, Tracksmith, Soar, District Vision, Ciele. Alphaflys on easy runs, which, okay. Lululemon is still the most common thing on women on any route I run. LSKD is the one that’s growing, and it costs a lot less.

What I’m actually wearing

If I were building a rotation from zero and wanted it to look right on the bridge at 6am without spending Satisfy money: a Bandit Stamina short for the pockets, LSKD Rep 7 for easy days, one split short for workouts, a shelf-bra tank, crew socks, a 5-panel, and sunglasses I won’t cry about losing. Then one loud color, and stop. Sizes for all of it are on the sizing page. Okay, I gotta go run.

Questions I get

What are runners wearing in New York in fall 2026?

Dark base, one loud color, split shorts or half tights, no big logos, a 5-panel cap, sport shields, and crew socks you can see. Matching set, or a mismatch that's clearly on purpose.

Which running brands are big in New York right now?

Bandit, Tracksmith, Satisfy, District Vision, Ciele and Soar. Nike, New Balance, Hoka, On and ASICS on feet. Lululemon is on most women I pass and LSKD is the one that's growing.

What colors are in for running this fall?

Black, navy and earth tones as the base, with poppy red, oxblood, acid green and butter yellow as the accent. Bandit's fall palette is Black, NY Navy, Champagne, Poppy and Ink Blue.