Go dotty and wear polka dots

Little did Walt Disney know, when he designed Minnie Mouse in her iconic red polka dot dress, that he was heralding in an iconic fashion trend that would reappear season after season.

Since then, many celebrities and fashionistas have kept the polka dot trend firmly on the radar. It seems that the polka dot trend is never going to fade away and that our obsession with polka dots is here to stay!

The celebrity status of this print has, of course, been helped by several significant cultural milestones, such as Frank Sinatra’s ballad “Polka Dots and Moonbeams”, and the 1960’s hit “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini”, which shot the print to fame and convinced every woman that polka dots were “THE” print to be seen in!

It was further immortalised in the 1990’s film ‘Pretty Woman” – who didn’t dream of looking like Julia Roberts in the polo scene, in that iconic polka dot dress?

Many designers included this timeless trend in their Spring 2021 collections, and a number of ‘spotty’ creations were ‘spotted’ (haha!) in the Maison Margiela collection, with a midi dress complete with gloves. And brands, such as Dundas and Alessandra Rich, also incorporated this iconic print in their collections, incorporating puffed sleeves, silk and ruffles.

It is a timeless print, which despite its early negative association (dots on clothing in medieval Europe were seen as a symbol of the bubonic plague), has evolved to gather a cult following, thanks to the 19th Century polka dancing movement, where manufacturers capitalised on the popularity of the dance to create fashion pieces with this print.

Since then, the print has gone from strength to strength, and it resurfaces every season, as it is stylish, versatile and makes a statement without being too ‘loud’.

And, as always, if you don’t want to go “head to toe” polka dots, try incorporating them into your look with accessories.

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