The poncho has never quite gone away for me. But this autumn I see it again, and it is worn in new ways. Over a coat. With a belt. Over a long dress. Here are my ponchos, sorted by type, and how they can be worn.
My favourite is The Pink Hour – The Poncho. It is a little shorter than usual, and it goes perfectly with jeans. It is a real luxury poncho, knitted with three strands: alpaca, mohair and a gold carry-along thread. The poncho is inspired by the evening light and the pink hour. It is a true classic, and I think it could become a garment that is passed down.
The poncho on the runway
It is not just me who has noticed. The fashion site Fashionista has followed the autumn 2026 shows, and the poncho keeps coming back.
First came the scarves. In recent seasons they have been big and draped, often sewn onto coats and sweaters. Now designers have gone a step further, to garments that rest on the shoulders: capes, shawls and ponchos.
In the next round of shows, the poncho got its own place. Ermanno Scervino wrapped the models in ponchos that look like blankets. Etro sewed sequins and feathers onto a light poncho. Moschino took a brightly coloured rain poncho and made it fashion.
What they have in common is volume. The poncho should not fit close. It should fall.
Read the trend reports at Fashionista: capes, shawls and ponchos and Poncho Party.
Four ways to wear it
- Over a coat. Choose a wide poncho and layer it over a coat with narrow sleeves. The poncho becomes the outer layer and keeps your neck warm.
- With a belt. A narrow belt at the waist gathers the poncho at the front and gives it a waist. An open poncho works best.
- Over a dress. A shorter poncho over a long dress gives two lengths that play off each other.
- With a high neck. Then you do not need a scarf. The neck stands on its own and frames the face.
The hooded poncho
Adventure of a Lifetime – The Poncho begins with the hood. The poncho grows out from it, with two increase points that make points at the front and back. The tip of the hood folds down at the back and is fastened with a button, and the tassel hangs from the button. The yarn is Puno Metallic from Rauma Garn, with a subtle sheen. With the hood up you need neither hat nor scarf.
With fringes
Clocks – The Poncho is garter stitch all the way, in Puno 811 Natur. The neck is a double edge with a cord, and the hem falls in two points with fringes. It is big enough to wear over a thick sweater, and it sits well over a coat.
The Magic Woods – The Poncho is knitted with three strands held together: alpaca, mohair and gold thread. The colours go from champagne to blue and on to two greens. The fringes hang from an eyelet border at the bottom. Wear it over a dress.
O · The Poncho is solid orange Puno. At the bottom there is a wide eyelet border the light shines straight through, and 10 cm fringes.
Talk – The Poncho is open, with buttons at the neck and hand-embroidered flowers. The open shape takes a belt well.
You will find more under Ponchos with fringes.
Solid, with a high neck
Amsterdam · The Poncho is knitted in Ballerina Chunky Mohair, colour 1001 True White. A high ribbed neck and stockinette all the way down. On a 7 mm needle the mohair becomes so airy that light passes through. Then you can see the two increase lines running from the neck down.
The Hardest Part – The Poncho is beige on beige in Puno. A light shade in the top third, darker for the rest. The neck is high and has two buttons at the side. At the bottom, a wide ribbed border.
Leftover yarn and stripes
Lost · The Poncho has orange Puno at the neck. That is where everything planned in advance stops. The rest is leftover yarn. Each stripe is as wide as the yarn lasts, and then the next one is tied on. No two ponchos are alike. See also Knitting with leftover yarn.
Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall – The Poncho is garter stitch in Ballerina Chunky Mohair, in four colours. Dark blue, light blue, a thin line of pink, green. There is no neck to close. The wide ribbing at the bottom gives the garment its drape.
How I wear it
I like my poncho with a belt over it. Or just as it is, with jeans and sneakers.
I twist it a little, so the point ends up at the side instead of at the centre front. In summer I wear it over my swimsuit.
All the ponchos are gathered under Ponchos. Choose the one that suits your autumn.
Anne-Turid