On the DOT!

Polka dots and fashion seem to have quite a love affair and go way back! From Minnie Mouse sporting the epic red and white polka dotted look in the 1920s to Marilyn Monroe’s pretty high waisted bikini and Julia Robert’s look in Pretty Woman, polka dots have been stealing the spotlight since forever! Season after season, the look has made a comeback, and this year, as one of the key resort looks.

The pattern is known to evoke a sense of old-school charm. The usually monochrome palette has been re-imagined with ruffles, and crunched silhouettes now.

“A lot of people think polka dots give off a childish vibe because of the immediate connection to Minnie Mouse. But it’s so much more than any other retro look and can be styled very easily. Though it is also associated with ‘girliness’, if polka dotted pants are paired with a solid colour crop top, it is a sure hit,” opines local designer Neha Lewis.

Furthermore, the designer believes that the look can even take an edgy turn if necessary! “Chunky bracelets and neckpieces are sure to turn heads and give off a very casual and chic vibe that can be carried off with equal ease from day to night. I personally love that the dots are making a comeback because they are very versatile and hard to go wrong with,” she adds.

But the look is not always prim and proper, and adds a hint of boldness to one’s outfit, according to another designer and stylist Prarthana Sagar. “I think the look adds a lot to the contemporary fashion scene of today. It cannot be paired with a choker – that is definitely going to be a fashion faux pass, but a black midi dress paired with a slinky polka dotted scarf is sure to garner all the right kind of attention. If a scarf is too experimental, flared polka dotted trousers are a sure way to ace an outfit if paired with a simple white tee,” she says.

Though it is hard to go wrong with the fairly simple look, Parinitha MN believes it is possible. “I have an image of Ranveer Singh in a polka dotted suit stuck in my head. Even his shoes matched his attire, and even though it was too much, he looked stylish,” smiles the ooru designer.

“Polka dots have always been universal and the best way to contemporarise the look would be colour blocking and mixing it with bold stripes or checks. The options are limitless for both men as well as women. And the trend making a comeback has me grinning from ear to ear because  it’s one trend I can never get enough of! I’m also currently working on polka with a lot of sheers to give it that edgy yet chic look,” she adds in conclusion.