The dresses in my teenage closet always included a pair of leggings on each hanger's lower bar. Whether it was a mini or maxi, I stayed loyal to the skintight layer for extra, albeit unnecessary, modesty. As an adult, I thought I'd never revive the dress-over-leggings looks of my youth—until Cardi B modernized the once-divisive duo with two rising trends at once.
Touching down in Manhattan on March 23, Cardi B doubled down on polka dots while doubling up on major appearances (her Little Miss Drama tour, plus a Grow-Good Beauty launch event). Cardi's longtime stylist, Kollin Carter, dressed her in a spotted, brown-and-white set from Rowen Rose, featuring the stirrup leggings trend as her base layer. The equestrian-inspired bottoms—which circled the arches of her feet—emerged from beneath a matching polo-style dress. Even her Rowen Rose headband got the polka-dot memo.
Cardi's dress-and-leggings set didn't look anywhere near as corny as my circa-2007 takes, though. Perhaps the fact that each piece actually matched helped smooth out the set. (Mine almost never coordinated.) What's more, stacking leggings underneath her maxi elongated the otherwise-concentrated pattern.
Polka-dots also helped ground the leggings look in today's trend cycle, as the print still dominated Spring 2026 runways from Elie Saab, Nina Ricci, Schiaparelli, Dries Van Noten, N°21, and more. To finish, the "I Like It" rapper ended the brown-and-white color story with a Ducie fur coat and pointy pumps, respectively.
Marie Claire first flagged stirrup leggings as the "here to stay" fixture of Fall 2025 fashion shows from Balmain and Dries Van Noten. By Spring 2026, they galloped back into the zeitgeist thanks to Vautrait and Conner Ives, as well as menswear collections from Rowen Rose and Fiorucci. That signature shape came in all shades and prints, including stripes at Fiorucci and neon pink at Conner Ives.
Turns out, my affinity for dresses-over-leggings never disappeared. It simply went on hiatus, only to be reinstated by a maximalist fashion muse like Cardi B. Thanks to her, I'm entering spring with a newfound courage to give my younger self's signature set another chance.
