Aside from my Dorothy-from-the-Wizard-of-Oz red glitter flats (that's a story for another day), my favorite item in my closet at age six was a red and white polka dotted umbrella. It made me feel glamorous, and was the perfect accessory for my trip to see Minnie Mouse as Disneyland.
Today, polka dots aren't so popular among the collegiette™ crowd. Sure, the sheer polka dotted tights were trendy last autumn/winter and tiny (really, miniscule!) dots can be cute on a playful skirt or pussy-bow blouse, but larger ones — unless you're still wearing your pin-up girl costume from Halloween weekend — look youthful in a childish way.
If you're going to wear polka dots, don't make it the main point of your outfit, and keep the pattern subtle. The red and the ruffles in the dress below feature a strong enough color and cut that the polka dots aren't the primary feature of the outfit. The different textures of the bag, albeit with large dots, keeps the polka dots interesting and are on an accessory that's enough to be a statement piece but one small enough not to grab unwanted attention. The socks make the perfect accent to your favorite tall fall boots, and the back-button top plays into this season's sheer trend.
Bordeaux Polka Dot Dress, Urban 1972, $38
Tulle Polka Dotted Sheer Bonnie Blouse, Fred Flare, $35
Polka Dot Thigh High, Karmaloop.com, $26
Polka Dot Minibag, Accessorize.com, $34
Are you simply dotty for polka dots, or are they too "Minnie Mouse" for you?
