Spotting the Trend of 2026: Polka Dots
- Kick The Concrete
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
What's old is new again!
That's the cycle of the fashion world.
Checkerboard has dominated the past few years of style. It was boosted by of the growth of Formula 1 and the surge of Louis Vuitton with Pharrell as its Men's Creative Director.
But now, a pattern with a lot of history is taking over the runway: polka dots. If you haven't caught on already, you are about to spot the classic print everywhere. Vogue named this year the "Summer of Subverted Polka Dots" and in 2026, the print will be on full display.
Polka dots have roots in the Medieval Period with a negative connotation because the pattern was associated with skin disease. The Industrial Revolution saw the print perfected and mass produced. Since then, Minnie Mouse, Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, Princess Diana, Yayoi Kusama and Damien Hirst all helped polka dots become the whimsical, eye-catching fashion statement we know and love today.
Here are some of Kick The Concrete’s favorite sightings of polka dots throughout 2025 showing that the print is bubbling to be the next big thing in 2026…
Christian Siriano Spring 26 proves Polka Dots are next up
Whatever Christian Siriano says, goes. The designer is well-known for his magnificent gowns, but his everyday clothing also exhibits excellent craftsmanship and taste. So when his Spring 2026 Ready-To-Wear show at New York Fashion Week was overloaded with polka dots, we knew we were onto something in formulating our idea of what was the upcoming fashion trend.
There is a billowing polka dot skirt, a slinky off-the-shoulder polka dot top, a playful polka dot puffy sleeve dress, an exquisite drop-waist polka dot coat dress, and an incredibly chic long sleeve mermaid gown where the polka dot flared skirt is complemented by peek-a-boo accents at the chest. Not to mention the classy polka dot pumps and the multiple hat styles all featuring the iconic print.
Credit: Armando Grillo/Gorunway.com
Khaite also got us excited for polka dots next year. Their Spring 2026 Ready-To-Wear collection featured an elegant polka dot blouse that ties at the neck and a flowy polka dot skirt available in two colors.
Sports World already embraces Polka Dots
Sports fashion is so much more than athletic wear. Player arrivals in several leagues have become fashion runways. Award shows are chances to dress one’s best and an athlete’s daily style has influenced the masses like never before.
There were lots of strong polka dot looks in the NFL tunnel this season, proving polka dots are set to be a trend for both men and women.
JACQUEMUS helped boost the polka dot back into popularity. There are two NFL players who wore the brand as part of their fashion-forward outfits this season. DJ Ivey was ahead of the polka dot trend when, in Week 2, he wore white shorts with black polka dots. Then, Stefon Diggs showed he knows game in Week 7 when he wore the Bateau polka dot windbreaker for a travel day.
Credit: Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots
There was a string of excellent polka dot ties. Nick Cross made his own statement by mixing prints via a metallic purple windowpane suit and a burgundy polka dot tie in Week 4. Puka Nacua, styled by Kylie Gelfand, wore a loose polka dot tie in Week 5 to finish off a business casual look. Kendrick Bourne kept the polka dot run going strong in Week 16 in a camel overcoat with a tie featuring white pindots against a black base.
Credit: Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers
The PWHL is quickly becoming a hotbed for sports fashion. This spring, Kayla Vespa stood out in an all-black look that featured polka dot tights.
Elsewhere, Venus Williams had a sparkling take on polka dots for the CFDA Fashion Awards. The tennis legend and beauty mogul wore a form-fitting long sleeve black velvet dress from Ronny Kobo with silver polka dots that made her look like the star she is.
Music Musings on rise of Polka Dots
The world of music is always a good indicator of what’s trending in fashion. There were plenty of signs from artists of all genres that polka dots are the next big thing.
Ariana Grande wore a stunning sweetheart-neck Fendi gown with a tutu-like peplum to channel Glinda for the MTV Video Music Awards. A majority of the custom polka dot statement, styled by Law Roach, was black with light pink dots and the peplum was a fun pop of the opposite color.
The singer wore polka dots on multiple occasions during her “Wicked: For Good” promo run this summer. She wore a sleeveless blouse in an interview with Vogue and, for the London premiere of the film, stunned in a black vintage dress from Adrian. It featured hidden polka dots that glistened in the light.
Gwen Stefani, who also embraced this year’s checkerboard trend with No Doubt's Sphere announcement, showed she is still a true fashionista by utilizing polka dots in her wardrobe. She wore the print in the form of a white bodysuit and tights to celebrate the Christmas season.
Perhaps what makes a lasting fashion statement more than wearing an outfit for a day is what an artist dons for an album cover. That’s what Lily Allen did for “West End Girl," which features a painting by Nieves González. While the actual cover art just shows Allen wearing a light blue polka dot puffer jacket, the full piece reveals she was also wearing stylish white boots with black polka dots. She wore the print in black and white for promotional material for the songs "Relapse" and "Just Enough."
A$AP Rocky exhibited how men can wear polka dots a la Cruella De Vil. The Harlem savant was given a Vogue cover story to celebrate his role as a co-chair of the Met Gala. The photo shoot took place in his hometown and was styled by Roach. In one of the scenes, Rocky is holding two Dalmatians while wearing a luxe white JACQUEMUS overcoat with black polka dots lining the interior. Roach finished the look with contrasting black pants with white polka dots to really make a statement.
It’s well-known that Flacko and Skepta have similar taste and great chemistry. Hello... "Praise The Lord!" So it’s no wonder that the British mogul wore the same jacket for a Fantastic Man cover story styled by Gerry O'Kane. Another look in the shoot featured a black and white polka dot skinny tie.
Credit: Oliver Hadlee Pearch
And that’s not the only time Skepta wore the nostalgic print. One of the looks from his British GQ Men of the Year feature, styled by KK Obi, included a black and white polka dot blazer and embroidered black polka dot pants by Tom Ford. Big Smoke's shirtless cover photo practically broke the internet. But the sartorial savvy to help launch the polka dot trend is what we were really impressed by.
Polka dots evoke sentiment and whimsy. It’s impossible not to smile when a dash of the dots comes across the timeline. In today’s style game, women are impressing in outfits that are traditionally considered menswear. A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar are faces of Chanel, a brand that only produces womenswear. Now it’s time for polka dots to be the next fashion statement that is for everyone.