Every Elite Dresser in Shoreditch and Manhattan Trusts This Top to Make Their Outfits Look Trendier

To quote T.S. Elliot, the polka-dot top trend began not with a bang, but with a whimper. While polka-dot dresses like Réalisation Par’s Sadie halter neck style or Nobody’s Child Felicity midi became the crowning occasion wear piece, spotty shirts were covertly cropping up as the everyday alternative to these minimalist yet statement-making ensembles.

At first, polka dot tops silently emerged as the successor to the elegant trend that defined high summer. Perhaps you saw the sole polka-dot top while wandering around London, worn by someone grabbing an iced latte in a ritzy Marylebone coffee shop. However, seemingly overnight, polka-dot tops became unavoidable, appearing in high-street windows, on cool patrons dining at a small plate establishment in Hackney and, crucially, a mainstay in the Who What Wear UK office. The collective adoration sent a clear message: polka dots pandemonium has reached feverish heights.

Are Polka-Dot Tops in Style?

Indeed, sleek dressers can’t get enough of this print. It’s not enough to wear it to a more formal event à la Margot Robbie at Wimbledon in 2024 or Kaia Gerber at a pre-Oscar party at the beginning of 2025. In dress form, polka dots are reminiscent of a sort of poshness synonymous with the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

The appeal of the speckled print is tied up with cultural moments like Princess Diana’s regal wardrobe and Julia Roberts’ transformation in Pretty Woman, evoking a primmed polish that’s exclusive to the circular pattern. That’s all well and good for special occasions like glamorous soirées or a visit to a swanky bar for expensive cocktails.

But where the best polka-dot tops succeed is in bringing that sensation to more casual moments like morning brunches or workplace attire. (Or, if you're Pedro Pascal, the red carpet of your latest project, Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps.)

The actor isn’t alone in embracing this trend. Sightings like these may affirm the popularity of polka-dot tops, yet they signal our appetite for the print in more mundane settings. According to Posse, the languidly luxurious brand beloved by the likes of Katie Holmes, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Sofia Richie Grainge, the rise of the best polka dot tops reflects our “shift towards pieces that feel joyful and considered”. Speaking to Posse's founder and creative director Danielle Mulham, this top style “really captures that mood”.

“People are craving pieces that feel familiar but still fresh, and polka dots tick both those boxes,” she adds. “There’s a real sense of nostalgia to the print, but it doesn’t feel overdone or trend-driven. It’s timeless in the same way gingham is, but there’s a softness to polka dots that makes them feel a little more romantic.” Mulham also notes that there’s something “timeless and joyful” about polka dot tops “It can be playful, romantic, or classic depending on how you style it, and that’s why I think it’s endured.

As Mulham attests, the best polka dot tops are more than a fleeting fad. From provincial-inspired puff sleeve tops from Mode Mischief to pretty scarf blouses from Anthropology, scrolling through for the ultimate edit of the best polka dot tops to shop in 2025 and keep forever.

Shop the Best Polka Dot Tops of 2025

Why Have Polka-Dot Tops Made a Comeback?

For a brand that dubs itself as “a celebration of femininity and an ode to the past”, it’s easy to see why polka dot tops have resonated with Posse's customer base. “We’ve always loved working with classic prints that have history—the ones you can envision being worn decades ago, but still feel completely relevant today,” Mulham mentions of the success of the label’s polka dot tops.

"Polka dot tops have always been a favourite among our buyers. There’s a charm to the print that really resonates - it evokes a sense of familiarity, yet still feels considered and refined. The success of both our petite and classic-scale polka dots shows there’s an appetite for variation," she explains of the style's comeback.

Sami Lorking-Tanner and Evangeline Titilas, the creative directors of Gold Coast-based label With Jéan, have featured an iteration of polka dots in nearly every collection since the brand launched in 2017. The revered Australian brand's co-founders acknowledge the style's lasting interest as a result of a balance between charming and classic styles. "They live in your wardrobe forever. Every time we release a polka dot piece, it’s met with overwhelming demand! Some of our fastest sellouts have been in polka dots."

Elsewhere, expensive-looking retailers like Mango and cult-favourite indie labels like Damson Madder are also seeing a favourable uptick in the sales of their polka dot top styles. As Mulham points out about the common prosperity of the trend, its appeal comes down to its versatility of wear. Unlike dresses or even the polka dot shorts or capris worn by Olivia Rodrigo and Hailey Bieber, respectively, polka dot tops aren’t limited by the other garments you’ll wear them with.

How to Style the Best Polka-Dot Tops

“The best thing about this print is that the styling possibilities are endless,” she explains. “The polka dot top is going to look just as chic styled as a set with the matching shorts as it will with your favourite denim jeans. There’s no one way to wear it, but I think the most important thing is to have fun with it, that’s when it really comes to life, when you make it your own.”

In the last few weeks alone, there’s been a slew of celebrities who have sported polka dot tops that you can seek out inspiration from; Simone Ashley in an asymmetric tan and black style from With Jéan, Gigi Hadid in a scooped open back iteration while on an Italian sojourn, even Rihanna wearing a polka-dot tie as a top while dining at Giorgio Baldi in Los Angeles.

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At Who What Wear UK, fashion is our speciality. Our editors have years of industry experience, from reporting on seasonal fashion trends seen at international fashion weeks to working with some of the most recognisable names in fashion. Every item we recommend is carefully selected based on current trends, quality and real-world wearability.

We regularly try pieces ourselves, everything from bestselling jeans to designer shoes, speak to external experts and fashion insiders and stay closely connected to what our readers are searching for. Our advice is grounded in expertise and has to pass our exceptional taste levels—so you can feel confident in every recommendation.