News & Features Feedback
New This WeekAround TownMusicFilmArtTheaterNews & FeaturesFood & DrinkAstrology
  HOME
NEW THIS WEEK
EDITORS' PICKS
LISTINGS
NEWS & FEATURES
MUSIC
FILM
ART
BOOKS
THEATER
DANCE
TELEVISION
FOOD & DRINK
ARCHIVES
LETTERS
PERSONALS
CLASSIFIEDS
ADULT
ASTROLOGY
PHOENIX FORUM DOWNLOAD MP3s

  E-Mail This Article to a Friend
Roll out the barrels
It’s time to polka (dot, that is)
BY GENEVIEVE RAJEWSKI

This spring, the fashion forecast is spotty at best. In an apparent shout-out to a simpler time, polka dots abound in styles for both men and women.

Wish tops the list for ultra-feminine appeal, offering a silk pale-pink skirt ($262), cap-sleeved blouse ($202), and cap-sleeved dress ($350), all embroidered with tiny polka dots. Meanwhile, that bastion of professional chic, Ann Taylor, offers a silk slip-on dress ($149) with a V-neck, ruffled hem, and small white dots on black.

Bebe’s homage to vintage dots is rather transparent. It’s got a sheer, lace-trimmed polka-dot camisole ($39) and a sheer polka-dot blouse ($59) with a button front and point collar. Banana Republic uses bold white spots on a navy background to give geometric punch to its silk graphic-dot skirt ($88) and wrap-tie dress ($128). And while you won’t find an itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny yellow polka-dot bikini, you will find the aforementioned graphic-dot pattern on a string swim top ($36), string bikini bottom ($36), and sarong ($38).

Holidays Hallmark offers retroactive eyewear in the form of polka-dot cat’s-eye reading glasses ($17.95). Available in red or black with white dots, the glasses come with a matching fabric case. At Thomas Pink, men will find a wide variety of woven silk ties ($85), featuring polka dots on pink, royal blue, red, or navy. Banana Republic also carries silk ties ($48) with tiny dots on navy, khaki, or bright blue.

Worried about developing a spotty record? It’s easy to keep your yen for dots under wraps. The Gap has men’s boxer shorts ($14.50) featuring large white dots on navy, green, orange, or blue. And for women, Anthropologie has Polka Dot Skirt Spray ($15), a light fragrance of ylang-ylang, day lily, jasmine, and violet.

Where to find it:

• Ann Taylor, various locations, (800) DIAL-ANN; www.anntaylor.com.

• Anthropologie, 799 Boylston Street, Boston, (617) 262-0545; 300 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, (617) 559-9995; www.anthropologie.com.

• Banana Republic, various locations, (888) BR-STYLE; www.bananarepublic.com.

• Bebe, Copley Place, 100 Huntington Avenue, Boston, (617) 267-BEBE; CambridgeSide Galleria Mall, 100 CambridgeSide Place, Cambridge, (617) 225-0800; Atrium Mall, 300 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, (617) 928-1508; www.bebe.com.

• Gap, various locations, (800) GAP-STYLE; www.gap.com.

• Holidays Hallmark, Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, (617) 247-3900.

• Thomas Pink, Copley Place, 100 Huntington Avenue, Boston, (617) 267-0447.

• Wish, 49 Charles Street, Boston, (617) 227-4441.



Issue Date: April 25 - May 1, 2003


Archive of our Urban Buys
Back to the News & Features table of contents.
  E-Mail This Article to a Friend

home | feedback | about the phoenix | find the phoenix | advertising info | privacy policy | the masthead | work for us

 © 2003 Phoenix Media Communications Group