Polka-Dot Dresses Are Coming Back, and This Shoe Trend Will Make Them Feel New Again in 2026

Olivia Rodrigo says so.

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Olivia Rodrigo wearing a polka dot dress.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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While out in London promoting her new album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, Olivia Rodrigo paid homage to British mod style with her latest outfit.

The polka-dot dress appears to be layered under a cropped green vest, but it's actually all one piece by Rudi Gernreich from 1971. She added a modern spin with her Ray-Ban sunglasses, Coach bag, white over-the-knee socks, and little black Mary Jane pumps.

Olivia Rodrigo's Outfit

Olivia Rodrigo wearing a polka dot dress.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

On Olivia Rodrigo: Vintage Rudi Gernreich dress; Coach bag; Ray-Ban sunglasses

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Polka dots were by far the dominant print last summer, but their massive popularity hasn't led to trend fatigue. If anything, polka dots are set to be everywhere this summer as well. It's just a timeless pattern that feels retro rather than entirely outdated. Plus, it's whimsical without trying too hard.

If you want to wear polka dots this summer in a way that feels more 2026 and less 2025, just swap out the ballet flats for Mary Jane pumps like Rodrigo. The shoes literally elevate the look while giving it a distinct feel that's the right amount of twee.

Shop the shoe trend below

Tara Gonzalez
Tara Gonzalez
Senior Fashion & Social Editor

Tara Gonzalez is a senior fashion and social editor at WhoWhatWear. where she is interested in exploring the intersection of fashion and culture and why we are drawn to wearing the things we wear and what that says about the world we live in. Previously she worked as a senior fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar. When she isn't writing trend deep dives for WWW, she's working on her newsletter on Substack, Cult Classic, which explores the very best fashion in film and television. She has a degree in creative writing from The University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Brooklyn with her boyfriend and pug Bjork, the later of which has a very extensive collection of dog-sized Sandy Liang sweaters.