Olivia Rodrigo Thinks Its Still a Mod, Mod World
With her latest outing, it’s clear Olivia Rodrigo has the London look down. The singer’s ongoing streak promoting her third album you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love has taken her to the United Kingdom, where she’s continued her penchant for girly, whimsical dressing. This time, however, she added a big dash of mod with a print that’s both a British fashion staple and one of spring’s biggest trends.
This morning, Rodrigo strolled through London in a black short-sleeved Rudi Gergenreich dress covered in white polka dots originally from 1971. The vintage collared piece was cheekily layered beneath a cropped lime green sweater vest, which was actually part of the dress. The singer’s look was complete with a smooth black leather Coach shoulder bag, dark Ray-Ban sunglasses, and tall white over-the-knee socks. Her outfit was given a preppy finish from smooth black leather slingback pumps, accentuated by short block heels and narrow rounded toes.
With her especially literal reference point, Rodrigo’s outfit particularly called back to the short-cut shapes and geometric details of “mod” fashion. Gergenreich was a top designer of this particular style era, which was popularized at the time by stars like Twiggy and Peggy Moffitt—making her look even more aligned with the decade’s rule-breaking, futuristic look. This year, the pattern’s also popped up in new collections by Altuzarra, Carolina Herrera, Fiorucci, Self-Portrait, and Khaite, affirming its longtime fashion appeal.
Given her latest nods to preppy, schoolgirl-adjacent fashion, Rodrigo’s polka-dotted dress was also in sync with her own recent personal style shift. While upholding her youthful streak, Rodrigo’s latest album cycle has seen her embrace feminine ensembles with soft colors and vintage inspirations. Bow-topped, feathered, and babydoll-style dresses have all been key to her rotation, hailing from labels including Vivienne Westwood, Nina Ricci, Anna Sui, Betsey Johnson, and Saint Laurent.
Rodrigo’s ensemble also channeled Britain’s longtime love of a good old polka dot print. Princess Diana famously wore polka dot dresses and gowns and the pattern later appeared in the wardrobes of Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, and Sienna Miller in the early 2000s. Most recently, it’s also been core to Lily Allen’s subversive looks tied to her post-divorce album West End Girl, and worn just this week for Cancer Research UK’s 125th anniversary by Kate Middleton—who’s frequently donned the print for a range of occasions.
Rodrigo’s dotty ensemble marks the latest instance of polka dots making a statement abroad, while also affirming her frequent penchant for vintage. It’s anyone’s guess which decades she’ll pull from next—whether in London or elsewhere.
