It’s mid-July and the song of the summer has yet to be determined. However, the viral Zara piece of the season is already out of stock. This year, a sheer chocolate brown and blue polka dot midi skirt has taken over Instagram and TikTok, from being spotted in content creators’ FOMO-inducing Euro summer photo dumps to countless try-on hauls. The piece’s popularity shouldn’t come as a surprise — polka dots have been everywhere as of late. To clarify, the nostalgic print has never really gone out of style, but it suddenly feels fresh and exciting again. It’s all thanks to designers like Marc Jacobs, Jacquemus, and Valentino who creatively added dots to clothing, shoes, and bags for their Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 collections. While these runways have demonstrated that there are a number of ways to partake in the trend, polka dot skirts are arguably the most popular route this summer.
Here’s why: Opposed to dresses that serve as an entire outfit, you can mix and match a skirt with various pieces in your wardrobe for seemingly endless looks. Essentially, it’ll never come across like you’re over-wearing a polka dot skirt.
Whether you prefer fitted and mini or breezy and midi, there are a range of silhouettes and color combos to choose from. Ahead, I’ve rounded up the best polka dot skirts to wear throughout the rest of summer.
Slip skirts are the cornerstone of my summer wardrobe — they can be dressed up or down and pair well with virtually any type of top and shoe. A navy and white polka dot one is a level up from a solid skirt, but is just as versatile.
Scarf belts are having a moment this summer, and the breezy wrap silhouette of this Dries Van Noten skirt paired with the polka dot print offers a similar vibe. While I’d wear it to work or brunch on the weekend, it would make a great beach coverup, too.
If your taste skews maximalist, your summer wardrobe most likely consists of bright hues and vibrant prints. This baby blue and orange-dotted A-line midi skirt would look right at home in your closet. Bonus: It has a matching top for full-on polka dot moment.
This breezy wrap-around skirt is just the right amount of whimsy without reading too juvenile on a 30-something like myself. I’m in love with the red ribbon waist tie.
I’d wear Damson Madder’s burgundy and red spotted skirt now with sandals or ballet flats, and in the fall with knee-high boots or socks and loafers. The subtle ruffles along the hip is a fun addition — consider it further proof that even the tiniest details can make a major impact.
As someone who’s lived through the first wave of low-rise jeans, the resurgence of the Y2K trend sends shivers down my spine. However, a flowy low-rise skirt I can get behind. With Jean’s cream and chocolate brown dotted style is basically a neutral in my book.
Ah, the bubble skirt. For millennials the voluminous skirt elicits warm, fuzzy nostalgia for younger, carefree days or it’s cringe-worthy. If you’re up for revisiting the controversial trend, this dotted Reformation mini is an elevated silhouette, and would look incredibly chic with a simple tank and pair of kitten heel thong sandals for dinner on vacation or a date night in the city.
Power clash your prints with Etro’s tiered boho-inspired maxi skirt. This is another one I’d take with me into the fall and beyond.
For those who prefer something mini, might I suggest Norma Kamali’s shirred skirt? Again, it’s another piece that works well for evening or worn over a swimsuit at the beach.
Master two trends at once with Viktor & Rolf’s sheer polka dot midi skirt. The blush pink hue is also so unexpected and fresh in a sea of black and white options.
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