Picture Brian McEvoy
If you left your house at all this summer, you probably spotted polka dots everywhere. And no, you weren’t just going crazy, because they really were everywhere. Early this summer we saw the nostalgic, classic pattern brought back and plastered onto handbags, hairbands, skirts and tops all over the place.
But is anyone complaining? Because we’re definitely not. You really can’t go wrong with a bit of polka dots. The classic black and white pattern turns any outfit into a classy, chic yet not too flashy look. Of course if you were looking for a flashier, bolder look, polka dots aren’t afraid to experiment with a bit of colour, giving your outfits a funk and vibrant vibe that most other patterns just can’t bring.
However, some argue that this year, polka dots have been dragged down off their pedestal of nostalgia and class and tossed into the ever growing pile of ‘microtrends’. Micro trends are trends that grow rapidly over a very short period of time, leading to a massive increase in production and consumerism, only to fall out of popularity just as fast when people move onto the next big trend. Thousands and thousands of clothes, toys and other products made from the demand of a microtrend end up in landfills, so yeah, microtrends are super bad for everyone.
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If you’ve been following fashion and trends over the past decade, you might notice a specific pattern takes hold of us every year. We had moustaches on everything in 2014 (thanks Tumblr), cow print was at the core of the Covid lockdowns, and recently we’ve been going crazy for leopard print. Now, it’s polka dots.
Really, all polka dots have to do to avoid being labelled as a microtrend is maintain their popularity this season. Is that gonna happen? Probably.
This is because the pattern is so flexible and fun to work with that there is quite literally an endless list of ways to style it. This summer we saw a lot of skirts and sheer tank tops sporting the dots, but as the colder weather comes in, predictions are we’ll start seeing it on shoes, hats and scarves. As autumn and winter approach, we’ll all have to sacrifice a cute outfit or two by covering up against the cold, but polka dots offer a way to keep that pop of personality on display.
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We might also start being a little braver with the dots, experimenting with sizing, asymmetry and even combining other patterns with it. Essentially, by putting our own spin on the design, we’re not boxing ourselves into the “old-fashioned, Audrey Hepburn” vibe that polka dots used to emanate (not that there’s anything wrong with that – who doesn’t think Audrey Hepburn is an icon). We can play around with them, and that way the design can maintain its versatility and timeless appeal, and keep its spot in our wardrobe across all seasons.
Take a look at some ways to incorporate the pattern into your autumn wardrobe…
Very.ie – €21.50
Zalando – €209
boohoo – €52
Next – €51
Zara – €25.95
