Answer Angel: Lots of dots

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Is it just me or are we under attack by polka dots? In my strolls through various clothing shops and women's wear departments, I feel like there's a big movement to dotted fabrics, mostly in white on black or vice versa. I felt almost besieged by all the dots in women's clothing at Target.

In the back of my closet, I have a pair of black and white ankle-length polka dot pants that must be at least 10 years old. I haven't worn them for, probably, nine years. Can I start wearing them again (if they still fit)?

--Kitty D.

Dear Kitty: You absolutely can/should wear those not-quite-vintage pants if you're so inclined. Polka dots are a classic, much like stripes and gingham. Dotted clothing is for sale at JC Penney, Urban Outfitters, Lands' End, H&M, Chico's, Macy's, Abercrombie & Fitch and many, many more. And then there are the high-end designers who are also in a dot frenzy: Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Tom Ford, Prada and on and on.

The resurgence of The Dot actually started last year, but it took another spring to make the polka dots proliferate at every price point, head to toe (yes, shoes too). If you want to start slow, I found neckerchief scarves at Target (target.com) in a huge range of colors and fabrics for around $15. That's a lot of fashion bang for just a few bucks.

More trend spotting…

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: A fashion trend I've noticed recently is women wearing oversize shirts not tucked in and with collars "popped" (upturned). I thought it looked sloppy. Is this now a fashion statement?

--Viv J.

Dear Viv: The delight of getting dressed is to make our own choices -- something even toddlers inherently know as they often throw fits about being told what to wear (or not wear).

In fashion there are no rules. If the style looks sloppy to you, absolutely give it a pass. Women who carry more weight than they would like in their middle area, to take just one example, might find a beautiful, well-ironed button-up white shirt worn untucked with a popped collar makes them feel like a million bucks. Don't judge. No need to follow the crowd. Be you.

Angelic Readers

Alice S. has a suggestion for those of us who prefer no underwire bras: "If you want a wire-free bra but can't find one you like, but see a wired bra you do like, there's a simple solution. You can make a small slit at the top of the wire's casing and pull the wire out."

Susanne S. writes: "I hope you publish this as another view on your recent column where you advised readers that they should check resale sites before they handed over their credit card at a brick-and-mortar store. You pointed out that you often can find the same new or nearly new items for much less online. I wish we did not have the 'anything for a buck' mentality. That is a lowly thing to do. Legal, yes, but it is really not fair to the spirit of having a brick-and-mortar store. If I see something I want and I know I could get it somewhere else at a cheaper price, that store deserves to be paid for having it on display. I'm sure you know that it costs a lot of money to keep a brick-and-mortar store. To me it has a similar effect as shoplifting on the stores' bottom line." (From Ellen: I am a big supporter of shopping at smaller local-owned shops. Big box stores and conglomerate-owned chains have a lot more pricing wiggle room to charge fairly and still make a profit.)

Reader Rants

Christina S.'s gripe: "This is concerning the discontinuation of fragrances including two of my all time favorites: Envy by Gucci and Cristalle by Chanel. Chanel No. 19 is gone, too. Dior used to have a number of distinctive scents. Now all they have are variations on Miss Dior and J'Adore." (From Ellen: I'm with you. I often wonder why aren't manufacturers required to give consumers fair notice of plans to discontinue health and beauty products so we can stock up on favorites?)

Another fragrance complaint…

From Cheryl G.: "Why must hair products (sprays, styling products, etc.) be so heavily scented? They compete -- and generally overwhelm -- the fragrances of perfumes and colognes we choose so carefully. I want to smell of my signature scent, not some overwhelming cloud of mystery potion."

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 3:02 AM.