The New Leopard Print?
Spots, spots + polka dots!
Until very recently I always associated polka dots with Zooey Deschanel. Her style is (or was? I honestly don’t remember the last time I saw a recent picture of her) very twee, quirky and indie. She’s the first person that comes to mind when I see polka dots on anything. They also heavily remind me of the early 2010’s - the era of ironic moustaches on everything, thick rimmed glasses and anyone who dressed slightly alternative being branded a hipster. All the above considered, I always thought that they weren’t really my style, and never would be.
That was until last September when I spotted a black and white polka dot Topshop dress while mindlessly scrolling ASOS, and the shape looked so good that I decided to give it a go. It weirdly wasn’t even a dress I’d usually wear, it’s quite low cut and short but the frilly-ness around the hem and sleeves balanced that out perfectly. As soon as it arrived I was obsessed, it was insanely flattering and I hadn’t felt that good in a dress for a long time. I ended up wearing it the night I got engaged, and again on holiday, and again over Christmas styled with a pair of jeans and a thick jumper on top. I almost even wore it last night, and can’t wait to style it all summer long!
The only other polka dot item I remember ever owning was a pair of wedges that I bought on Depop while I was at uni, and I honestly have no idea where they ended up. Other than that, it’s been one of the only prints to never consistently hang in my wardrobe, unlike tartan or leopard print. However, that dress has sparked something in my brain and I’m now finding myself constantly searching for polka dot things on Vinted! (I’m currently anxiously waiting for a grandma to accept my £2 offer for a pair of swimming shorts).
Every time I’ve googled ‘polka dot skirt’ or something similar over the last few months, more and more results have come up each time. So I’ve been wondering where and how this trend resurfaced, and then something clicked. Over the last year we’ve seen such a dramatic rise in studded accessories, notably the viral Khaite bag and belt.
