The Sweet Summer Trend That's Taking Over Your Instagram Feed

Polka dots are a print that instantly transport me to my childhood. My favorite dress I've owned — to this day — was a navy blue silk puff-sleeve party dress, complete with a lace-trimmed neckline, obi-style sash, and — you guessed it — large cream-colored polka dots. It was a flower girl dress, in theory, but I would have worn it to school, the park, and even bed, had I been allowed. Spoiler: I was not.

As it turns out (shocker), I was not alone in my love of the print. In fact, some of the most iconic moments in fashion have been made of polka dots. Julia Roberts's brown dress from Pretty Woman, Marilyn Monroe's black-and-white ruffle bikini, and too many to even begin to count that were seen on the unmatched Princess Diana. Today, it infiltrates our own fashion lexicon, seen on the Spring 2019 runways from designers such as Carolina Herrera, Max Mara, Celine, and more.

Polka dots are a unique print: both whimsical and elegant, loud and classic — it all depends on how you style it. You might choose a microdot skirt with a classic white tee or go all out with color and oversize circle prints that mix and match with similarly clad styling pieces. No matter how you wear yours, one thing's for sure: polka dots are the print of the season.

And now that the warm weather is here, we're busing out all our polka dots with reckless abandon. From shoes to dresses, swimwear and blouses, find some major speckled styling inspiration ahead from some of the chicest women to grace our Instagram feeds on the regular. Then shop my favorite polka dots of the moment, just in time for Summer.