Why Polka Dots, Gingham & Plaid Are This Fall’s IT Girls

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Carleton chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Suffice it to say, what happens in the past does not stay in the past. Trends have been recycled for so long, it’s a miracle we haven’t brought back capris.

Oh wait, yeah those are back too. 

This fall, alongside your pumpkin spice latte, you’ll be seeing a lot more pattern: polka dots, gingham and plaid.

It’s amazing how trends come to be. Who would’ve thought—polka dots, gingham or plaid? To be fair, plaid is often synonymous with fall, but both gingham and polka dots slow-burned their way into fashion towards the end of the summer, and officially debuted on TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest in late September.

It’s easy to get caught up in trends, or to hate joining them at all. If you’re not a fan of any of those, I present to you:

Exhibit a) Butter Yellow

Prior to this summer, how many of you could vouch that you would, WILLINGLY, choose to wear butter yellow? Probably not many. It’s amazing how we as humans are so prone to following trends that even the most unwilling may eventually conform. I won’t deny it—I was a hater. I would have never even dreamt of myself in butter yellow, but all of a sudden, it was EVERYWHERE.

To be honest, I LOVE trends, I love when I match random people on the street, so who was I to miss this one?

Exhibit b) It’s already here 

As late as I am to the party, these three patterns have ALREADY started making their rounds through TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram. If you haven’t already, trust me—you’ll start seeing them everywhere now!

You know in a horror movie when you can just feel the jump scare approaching? That’s how trends are; slowly creeping up on you, and before you even get the chance to breathe, they overtake.

I’m not saying every trend is for everyone, and these ones certainly won’t be. But if your only remark is that you hate being dubbed a “trend follower,” I fear you’re in the wrong place as I will loudly and proudly admit to being one.

Exhibit c) Are they really that ugly? 

I may be biased, but these three patterns offer so much potential. Just feel like wearing jeans, pair them with a polka dot tee, and the outfit is already so much more elevated. Basic top? Add a gingham skirt. Simple base? Add a plaid scarf.

And if none of these have convinced you, I fear I have failed at my job. But if this fall, you at any point have the urge to try these patterns, I’ll happily say, “I told you so.”