Ever since the Oscars, I've been itching to wear a certain something. Not sequins or satin gloves, but polka dots. And it's all thanks to Jennifer Lawrence. The Oscar-winning actor arrived on the red carpet wearing Dior Haute Couture, a black-and-white ball gown, complete with a shoulder wrap that slipped on the right side so that it rested in the crook of her elbow. Oh and it was covered, top to toe, in polka dots. You rarely see print on the red carpet, perhaps because it doesn't always look enough like evening attire, but this dress was a perfect 10 - and the polka dots made it.
The other day, I happened to be scrolling on Mango - and almost let out an audible yelp. There it was - a polka dot blouse, with one full sleeve to mimic the wrap on Lawrence's, and matching palazzo-style pants to turn it into a whole look if the wearer should so desire. With a summer event season on the horizon - well, almost - we thought we'd give it a try to see what all the fuss was about.
Grazia's shopping editor, Julia Harvey, took the look for a spin. Her verdict? 10/10.
'Whilst I like a strapless top, it's nice to have a little more coverage - especially when we're not quite into the long-awaited sunshine seasons yet. To keep things a little more casual, I wore mine with black tailored trousers and simple silver jewellery but will definitely be trying the matching palazzo pants when wedding season rolls around. I opted for a large as I didn't want the body to be tight across the chest and the sleeve had just right amount of drape so you can float around all day. If you're wearing a strapless bra, the sleeveless side comes up to your armpit high-enough to cover up any underwear, too!'
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Description
With one statement (and a half!) sleeve, Mango's asymmetric blouse is definitely the fun way to do polka dots this spring.
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Description
Pleated (and polka-dotted) palazzo pants aren't for the faint-hearted, but if you want to put a twist on the traditional print, they're perfect.
Who is famous for wearing polka dots?
Polka dots obviously have quite the fashion pedigree. Julia Roberts wore them to the polo in Pretty Woman. Princess Diana, of course, got there first, wearing a polka-dotted dress with a matching slanted-brim hat to watch the races from the royal box at Epsom.
Are polka dots in style for 2024?
The 2024 way to wear them outside of occasionwear season is to put a twist on the traditional. Instead of styling the top with the trousers, which is really more suited to a garden party than your average pub session, try pairing it instead with a flaring denim skirt, knee-high boots and a blazer. The trousers, meanwhile, just need a cropped white T-shirt (and maybe a slingback heel to avoid dragging the hem along the pavement).
Natalie Hammond is Grazia’s Senior Fashion News Editor. She loves winter, hates summer and can often be found writing about the weather (and what on earth to wear). Julia Harvey has been Shopping Editor at Grazia UK for the past two and a half years, overseeing and editing all things shopping for the title from trend pages, gift guides and the best things to buy now in both print and online.