Tiny white dots on a black background read as arch but ladylike ... In 1804, she wrote excitedly to her sister about 10 yards of red “spotted" muslin she planned to have made into a dress.
Much depends on scale and color, of course. Tiny white dots on a black background read as arch but ladylike; multihued spots, especially if large or irregularly sized, have a more slapstick appeal.