In case you’ve been living under a rock, polka dots are back. And not quite in the kitschy, Zooey Deschanel kind of way. When I first caught glances of the polka dot print across my social media feeds in the spring, my mind immediately jumped to the Peter Pan collars, colourful tights and retro-inspired silhouettes of the Twee style that dominated the early 2010s. I thought, “No way, already? But it hasn’t even been 20 years!” 

It may seem difficult to shake its association with Deschanel’s distinctive New Girl wardrobe and its whimsical, art-loving, Tumblr-using fans, but polka dots have reemerged once again in the wardrobes of the edgy, sexy, and cool. After all, as cheerful and almost childish as the print appears, its initial popularity can be attributed to some of Hollywood’s most iconic women: Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, and Audrey Hepburn. 

The pattern has now solidified its status as the print of the summer. If you’ve been flipping wistfully through the Instagram carousels of celebrities like Dua Lipa, Kylie Jenner, and Hailey Bieber, you would have spotted polka dots on warm weather staples like summer dresses, micro shorts, and bikinis. But that’s not to say it won’t survive through the autumn/winter months. If anything, the widespread resurgence of polka dots this season has seemingly inspired brands and designers to reimagine the typical applications of the print.

Acne Studios and Open YY have taken the seriousness out of preppy polos and button ups by rendering them in quirky polka dot printed fabrics; while Prada and Viktor & Rolf turned to sequinned and embroidered circles for a playful, tactile experience. Small, independent brands too, have RSVP’d to the polka dot party. Aussie label Sweet Bitter whipped up a trio of deliciously spotty ruched tees that layer like a dream; PAES from Korea showed us new ways to make split-toe flats even more fun; and London-based brand Eyland Jewellery have just expanded into clothing and leather accessories with brown cowhide handbags debossed with oversized polka dots. All that’s to say: Polka dots are here to stay. 

Shop the polka dot trend: