Forget diamonds, Dalmatians are a girl’s best friend right now.

Classic yet quirky, spots have come of age since the days of Minnie Mouse. From micro to macro, and prints to sequins, polka dots are proving unstoppable in planet fashion.

It was the autumn/winter catwalks that went dotty first, with everyone from Marc Jacobs to Stella McCartney showcasing spots in abundance. With a variety of themes ranging from retro suiting to racy cut-out dresses, the designers proved there’s more than one way to look hot in dots, whether it’s daywear or evening glamour.

Go wild playing dot-to-dot with your wardrobe and you’ll find getting it ‘spot on’ has never been easier.

Print perfect

Opting for spot prints is the ideal way to work dotty daywear. Fit for a princess, Kate Middleton was recently ‘spotted’ snapping up a Marc Jacobs-inspired dot pencil skirt from Topshop.

Go back to basics with classic monochrome – white spots on black is the perennial colourway for instant prim appeal. Wear with courts and a smart jacket by day and up the ante for evening with red heels and scarlet lippy for Forties glamour.

Experiment with an autumnal colour palette for a more modern spin. This season, black spots have an elegant backdrop of berry reds, rust oranges and moss greens.

For fashionistas wanting to flaunt the look, clashing prints is the obvious way to make a statement. Combine different dot sizes or print colour contrasts to look like a walking work of art.

Cut-out class

Get your skin primed, the alternative way to wear spots is with peekaboo panels.

One of the first celebrities to hit the ‘spotlight’ on the red carpet this season was Kate Winslet in a slinky Stella McCartney dress featuring a see-through cutaway of spots.

While the actress’s super-sheer print panel ran down the side of her body, you don’t have to be so risque. The high street has adopted a more demure approach with fitted tops, jumpers and dresses featuring mesh spot panels that flaunt just the right amount of flesh on arms and decolletage.

If you’ve got the bod (and the bravery), make like Diane Von Furstenberg with cut-outs in spot shapes for a fun take on the trend. The designer emphasised the dotty detail by teaming her frocks with circular sunglasses.

You have more of a licence to go to town with these playful features by sticking to faithful old black for the most flattering and dramatic results.

Embellished beauty

Eveningwear demands a little extra from your spots and paillette sparkles are the way to do it.

These oversized sequins were scattered all over the catwalks, swinging down the runways in tune with the Sixties movement.

Cheryl Cole chose spot tactics for her 28th birthday party, wearing a sophisticated Stella McCartney sequin dress.

Look to Sixties A-line styles or sharp shifts to balance out the girly sequin embellishment. Remember these aren’t your average micro sequins. Think supersized that you can see from a distance with an effect that’s more scattered chic than metallic bling.

If you want texture that involves a little less magpie shine, choose leather or matte discs, rather than shiny numbers, that you can wear for day or night. Understated circular chic sorted.

The rules of print

Feel like you’ll be spotted as a fashion fraud in polka dots? Paula Reed, author of Style Clinic offers her tips to impress in printed spots.

• Big prints like large polka dots can add width to your frame.
• The darker the print’s background, the slimmer the look.
• A small, uniform all-over design keeps the eye moving and therefore camouflages lumps and bumps.
• Short figures are flattered by prints with low contrast (shades of one colour). Petites need to avoid overly busy prints.
• Taller bodies can take prints with more contrast.
• For most women, prints look better on relaxed pieces, rather than stretch or sharply tailored styles. Those who are toned can go for a little stretch or structure, but don’t ask a big print to give too much.
• If you’re new to wearing prints, go gently. Beginners are best off choosing something with lower contrast.
• Dark-toned prints can be worn by almost anyone, if they’re confined to one element of clothing and worn with a complementary solid colour piece.

Get the look

Give your dots some red carpet glamour like Mollie King from The Saturdays. Play spot the difference with Jaeger Boutique’s sequin dress, £199 (www.jaeger.co.uk/Boutique).

Buy it now

Denim has undergone a print makeover at Dorothy Perkins. Go wild with the new range of printed jeans featuring natural, grey or blue leopard print, as well as sexy black snakeskin. The skinny jeans are available from end of October, priced £39 each (0845 121 4515/www.dorothyperkins.com).

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