Polka dots give annual dose of summer charm

Has a gloomy spring got you down?

Then it's time for your annual dose of dots.

Polka dots are back this year, projecting their whimsical summer charm.

"Polka dots are a trend that we see over and over again, but we never tire of them," says Suze Yalof Schwartz, Glamour magazine's executive fashion editor at large. "They are meant to be seen and admired and appreciated."

And who didn't appreciate that brown-and-white number that actress Julia Roberts wore in "Pretty Woman?" It's back, and the dress is selling fast, according to Marijo Crowe, buyer and saleswoman for Carabella boutique in Oakmont.

"It's my favorite polka-dot piece," she says. "We just call it the 'Pretty Woman' dress. We only have a few left."

Crowe says many designers are returning to the #21380s, creating more retro looks for dots in classic color combinations like black-and-white and equally spaced arrangements.

"That retro look is primarily showing up on tops and jackets," says Milissa Gazda, divisional merchandise manager for Boscov's stores. "We have some Liz Claiborne pieces that have a retro circle to them, as well as swing jackets. These things are a little more career-inspired."

But the designers not only are looking back, they are re-creating the dot look to keep up with this year's other hot trends -- geometrical shapes, artistic florals and bright colors.

"These dots are not like we've known them in the past," says Kyrel Howard, owner of Personalized Colors in Greensburg. "The pieces that have a polka-dot flair to them have more of an art-deco type of look. This has changed the flavor of the look dramatically."

Showing up on blouses, dresses, sweaters and even skimmers are twists like interlocking ring dots, burnout patterns and graduated flows, where the dots are scattered on the top of the piece and more are added gradually to the bottom.

Gazda also is seeing a lot of dot-with-dot looks, where one part of the garment has a dot pattern and another part, oftentimes the ruffled trim, has a smaller or larger dot pattern. Another hot look is the positive/negative effect. An example of this look is a dress that features a white background with black polka dots on the top, while the skirt sports the reverse look.

With 2008 quickly becoming the year of art in fashion, the polka dot won't be left out. Colorful spots fit tightly together in a pattern to create a true work of art.

"The big story this summer in fashion is the whole movement to impressionism and pointillism," Schwartz says. "A lot of the polka dots look like watercolors or splattered splashes of paint."

From tiny barely-there looks to big, bold, flashy rounds, there's one thing to keep in mind when placing your dots: Size does matter.

"Here's my little trick," says Schwartz. "If you're a larger woman, go with a smaller polka dot. Polka dots draw attention, so larger dots will draw attention to larger areas. Polka dots are not camouflage."

Because dots also are popular in swimwear, beachgoers should pay attention to Schwartz's advice, selecting polka-dot suits based on body type.

With so many options available in dots, from hats to scarves to sandals -- and everything in between -- it might be tempting to try them all at once. But the experts warn that too many can be overkill.

For a pop, try a polka-dot handbag with a solid outfit.

"Polka dots stand on their own. They take on their own personality," Howard says. "So you don't want to overdo them."

Much like the bold colors that are popular this season, polka dots are a fashion statement that always lifts the spirit.

"They are fresh and enchanting. There's just something about them that makes everybody happy," Howard says. "Polka dots are more playful, and that's what summer is all about. That's why we see them every year."