Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth may be most closely associated with the phrase “Out, damned spot!” but when it comes to spring and summer 2025, polka dots are undeniably in.

Nowhere was this more apparent than at this month’s Derby Day races at Flemington, where the black-and-white dress code led to sightings of dots of every size and texture throughout the Birdcage. Whether it was the breezy, silk chiffon dress by Albus Lumen seen on actor Tessa James, or the Toni Maticevski hair tie in flocked tulle spotted on Lindy Klim, there was a spot for every taste.

The European runways have also been awash with more spots than an optometrist’s eye test. Those who did it best brought a fresh perspective, whether it was Carolina Herrera’s taco-shaped straw bags with spot appliqué, or Khaite’s unexpected colour combinations with spots – think monochrome and mustard.

Rather than exuding the prim, preppy vibes of seasons past (or Julia Roberts’ iconic polo dress in Pretty Woman), the 2025 spot has more edge, leading Vogue to declare this the summer of “subverted polka dots” alongside a photo of a pregnant Rihanna with a spotted tie nonchalantly draped around her neck and spilling over her growing belly.