do the polka
There’s cause for celebration as fashion hits the spot
We’re going dotty over this fun and flirty trend.
There aren’t many things that elicit pure joy just at the very sight of them. Puppies, perhaps. A beautifully wrapped gift with your name on it. Depending on the kind of week you’ve had, a glass of rosé can come close. And polka dots. When those little happiness-inducing spots are speckled across a fabric, they can instantly lift our spirits like no other fashion can.
Maybe it’s the nostalgia of little girl dress-ups, or the future promise of Riviera romances, but a polka dot is unanimously loved and universally iconic. Think Julia Roberts in toffee-coloured spots at the polo in Pretty
Woman, Marilyn Monroe’s wiggle dress in the hallway scene of The
Seven Year Itch or Princess Diana’s debut at the Epsom Derby in peplumed dress and matching hat.
In fashion, few looks can be said to be on-trend and timeless all at once, but dots? They’re the exception, and designers are using it to their full advantage this season. In Paris alone, Loewe showed upgraded pyjama sets in black and white, Jacquemus was inspired by an impossible love story playing out in the south of France, teaming matador pants and corset-waist blouses with the most awesomely rounded shoulders, and Demna Gvasalia brought ease and wearability to Balenciaga couture when he sent out his spotted gown, a revived design celebrating 100 years of the house, with a matching tote bag slung over the shoulder.
The one thing connecting them all? An uplifting optimism that feels like the perfect antidote to life right now. And it’s come not a moment too soon. With the party season in full force, those festive spots are just the energy jolt we need. Take a tip from Bec & Bridge and team a flippy hemline with vivid red lipstick, or make like Zimmermann and take flamenco ruffles to the dance floor. The only rule? Wear them with childlike abandon. Christmas only comes once.