Polka dots to say preggers?
Netizens moot a wild theory that there is a link between mom-to-be Bollywood actresses, and black polka dot dresses;
By : Kakoli Mukherjee
Update: 2025-03-01 21:35 GMT
After Bollywood couple Kiara Advani and Siddharth Malhotra announced that they are expecting, ‘polka dot voodoo’ started trending on social media. It refers to the coincidence that a couple of actresses wore black polka dotted dress around the announcement of their pregnancies.
What the clothes foretell
After the couple’s big announcement, fans have been commenting on a two-month old Christmas photo of Sid-Kiara. The snapshot shows the pair sharing a hug beside a decorated Christmas tree. While Sid sports T-shirt and black trousers, Kiara is seen wearing a black dress with white polka dots. A commentator wrote two months ago: “Polka dots.....samjh rahe ho!??” (She is wearing polka dots... do you get the reference?).
What the clothes foretell
After the couple’s big announcement, fans have been commenting on a two-month old Christmas photo of Sid-Kiara. The snapshot shows the pair sharing a hug beside a decorated Christmas tree. While Sid sports T-shirt and black trousers, Kiara is seen wearing a black dress with white polka dots. A commentator wrote two months ago: “Polka dots.....samjh rahe ho!??” (She is wearing polka dots... do you get the reference?).
This now has become one of the highest ‘liked’ comments as fans wrote: “The polka dot theory is real everyone!!!!!!”
The wild theory comes from the co-incidence that another actress — Anushka Sharma — too announced her pregnancy in a polka-dotted dress. Actress Natasa Stankovic, who was married to cricketer Hardik Pandya, also wore a similar dress around her pregnancy. All these examples gave rise to a theory that the black polka dot dress is the go-to pregnancy announcement outfit for celebrities.
The wild theory comes from the co-incidence that another actress — Anushka Sharma — too announced her pregnancy in a polka-dotted dress. Actress Natasa Stankovic, who was married to cricketer Hardik Pandya, also wore a similar dress around her pregnancy. All these examples gave rise to a theory that the black polka dot dress is the go-to pregnancy announcement outfit for celebrities.
There are other actresses too who wore the same pattern before announcing their pregnancies. Alia Bhatt was seen in a such a dress with a ruffled neckline, while Kareena Kapoor Khan was seen in a short polka-dotted dress before her second son, Jehangir, was born.
Timeless pattern
Fashion experts have pointed out that polka dot dresses are making a comeback in 2025. Reflecting on the origin of the pattern, designer Venkat Gaddam, who owns the label Whencut Goddamn, says: “I’ve always been drawn to patterns that tell a story, and polka dots have this beautiful way of blending nostalgia with modernity. Their origins date back to 19th-century Europe, but they’ve remained timeless, worn by icons across generations. To me, polka dots symbolize both playfulness and quiet confidence — qualities I love infusing into my work. Fashion is cyclical, but some things, like polka dots, never fade — they just evolve with us.”
Memes galore
l Netizens had a gala time connecting the polka dot dress to expectant mothers and wondered if this could be called the official dress to announce pregnancy in Bollywood.
l An ‘X’ user named Shubh wrote: “America: ‘guys i am happy to announce that i am pregnant’ India: shares a picture on Instagram handle wearing polka dot dress”
l Another user called Nomad wrote: “Anushka started two big trends amongst bollywood celebs — Pastel dreamy lehengas for wedding and Polka dot dress for pregnancy reveal.”