The 411 On The Pattern Everyone's Obsessing Over This Summer
Calling all fashion investors! I have breaking news that is sure to excite fashionistas and shopaholics everywhere: polka dots are back in style just in time for the summer. From bikinis to sundresses to phone cases, the pattern we all know and love is making a serious comeback. Is this trend revolutionary, never seen before? Not quite, but another question still stands: is the trend worth investing in, or will we find ourselves donating our polka dot dresses to Goodwill come Labor Day? Polka dots have been around for…well, since forever, and one can argue they won’t ever go out of style. I’m sure I don’t need to explain to my loyal readers how trend cycles work, though.
Now, let’s get into the juicy part, what everyone comes here to find out: the facts. The specific kind of polka dots we are seeing can be linked back to the Fall/Winter 2025 shows, specifically those of Moschino and Vivienne Westwood. To be more precise, black and white polka dots are all the rage, which keeps on trend with the “quiet elegance” looks people are leaning towards these days. These are not to be confused with the bright and flashy polka dots from the 70s and 2000s, for example, which are iconic in their own right. According to my inside sources, the value score grew from 54 to 100 between January 5, 2025 and June 1, 2025. In other words, this is an 85.2% increase over 147 days. Move out of the way, bows! There’s a new hot pattern in town and considering the average gain of about 0.31 per day, which further proves polka dots’ slow but sure rise, she is here to stay. The pattern has spread far and wide, so if you’re looking for a new going out top, a new mini purse, or nail art inspiration, the speckled print you search for is just one click away.
Runway look from the Moschino Fall/Winter 2025 Show
Photo: Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com
Runway look from the Vivienne Westwood Fall/Winter 2025 Show
Photo: Umberto Fratini/Gorunway.com
But how did these lovely, round patches of black and white achieve their overnight fame? Well, avid Pinterest users already know that mood boards have been slowly filling with polka dot patterns since January. By mid May, searches for polka dots shot up and hit the platform’s peak popularity score of 100. What differentiates this trend from others we have seen is its prevalence on and off the runway, making it suitable for high fashion lovers and thrift store enthusiasts alike.
Black and white polka dot patterns are being seen on a variety of clothing and accessories
Photo: Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images
My take on whether or not polka dot fashion is a good investment? Well, let me put it this way–are Levi’s jeans a good investment? The clear answer is yes, yes, yes! Polka dots are timeless; even if you tire of this trend in a few months, you might appreciate your curated polka dot pieces 10 years from now, and again 10 years after that. As always, darlings, the only danger when it comes to investing in trends is your intention. Why buy into a stock you don’t believe will thrive? Fashionista to fashionista, trends only become tacky if the only reason you got into them is because they were trending. So have fun, and be sure to steer away from fast fashion’s alluring pull–because if I can promise you one thing, it’s that your Shein spotted jacket will not stand the test of time. Until next time, loyal readers. XOXO, The Fashion Stock Market.
Pinterest moodboard incorporating trendy polka dot patterns
Photo: STYLE BY EMMA/Pinterest
