Polka dots are fun and feminine. They add a little something-something to what could otherwise be a relatively plain piece of fabric. Dig a bit deeper into the history of polka dots, and you might find that they had a somewhat sinister origin. In medieval Europe, people were not allowed to wear dotted patterns on fabric. Partly it was because it was nearly impossible to create evenly spaced dots on fabric without a machine – which made production difficult. On the other hand, spotted cloth reminded people of diseases like the bubonic plague, measles, leprosy, and smallpox. Yikes!
The polka dot was seen on clothing as early as the 18th century when machine manufacturing made it possible to create fabric with polka dots – a clean and neat pattern compared to the floral brocade silks favored at the time. Even though polka dots were around for decades, it was first mentioned in Godey’s Lady’s Book – a women’s lifestyle magazine – in 1857. The magazine included a description of a muslin summer scarf embroidered in rows of polka dots. Fast forward to the 1920s when icons like Miss America and Minnie Mouse reintroduced society to the polka dot – it was linked to fun and femininity. The next decade saw a growth in the popularity of clothing embellished with these cheeky little dots. Frank Sinatra even had a song called ‘Polka Dots and Moonbeams’!
Polka Dots were again brought into the spotlight in the 1940s and 1950s when designer Christian Dior featured them in his designs. They remained a common pattern, especially in women’s fashion, decorating ladies’ dresses in the 1950s and 1960s and featuring in the more bohemian trends of the 1970s. They were present in the 1980s and 90s – and are trending again as a desirable pattern seen on runways today.
In the mid-19th century, the Czech peasant polka dance became trendy throughout Europe. The dance attributes its name to two origins: the Czech words ‘p?lka’, which means ‘little step,’ and Polka, which means ‘Polish woman.' This dance craze inspired business owners and marketers to cash in – and ‘polka’ became a prefix to everything from pudding to suspenders, even hats and jackets – although they didn’t all feature the iconic little dot. The polka dot has made a long journey from being a sign of disease in medieval Europe to multiple moments strutting down modern catwalks – and we love them for that!
