The polka dot is a pattern consisting of an array of large filled circles of the same size.[1]
Polka dots are commonly seen on children's clothing, toys, furniture, ceramics, and Central European folk art, but they appear in a wide array of contexts. The pattern rarely appears in formal contexts and is generally confined to more playful attire such as bathing suits and lingerie.
The term likely originated because of the popularity of the polka dance around the same time the pattern became fashionable, just as many other products and fashions of the era also adopted the "polka" name.[1]
The invention of dotted patterns is believed to have started in medieval times, but due to lack of fabric machines and modern medicine, the pattern of irregularly spaced dots made people think of the rashes caused by diseases like leprosy, syphilis, smallpox, bubonic plague, and measles.[2] Hence, the pattern was associated with plague and uncleanliness.[3] The modern version of polka dots are believed to have become widespread during the industrial revolution and the invention of the first sewing machine around the 1750s where perfectly round and evenly spaced dots were able to be created due to mechanized weaving.[4]
However, starting in middle of the 1800s, it was starting to get spread out with the lower classes of society at that time, who were looking for more “interesting” colors and patterns but could not afford the silks of the upper classes. It was also at this time, the name 'polka dots" are believed to be connected to a Eastern European dance called the polka, though the reasons behind this association are varied and mostly discredited. Before the name polka dots are ingrained, the dotted fabric had gone by various monikers, including dotted-Swiss (possibly alludes to the holes in Swiss cheese), the Spanish name lunares, the French term quinconce, and thalertupfen in German.[5]
However, the polka dots really take off in the United States around the time of roaring 20's era due to Norma Smallwood, winner of Miss America 1926 wore a polka dot swimsuit influencing the general public about the latest fad of that time. [6]
One of the earliest media that showcase the popularity of polka dots is Minnie Mouse started to wear iconic red dress with white Polka Dots in 1928 title card animations Plane Crazy. [7]
Since 1975, a red-on-white polka-dotted jersey has been awarded to the leader in the mountain stages of the annual Tour de France cycling tournament.[8]
Some people associate polka dots with Venezuelan fashion designer Carolina Herrera, who used polka dots on most of her dresses during the late 1980s and early 1990s, as well as on the boxes of perfume Carolina Herrera, Herrera For Men, Aquaflore and Flore.[9]
The polka dot also appears in popular music. "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" is a novelty song telling the story of a shy girl in a very revealing bathing suit who stays immersed in the ocean water to hide from view. It was written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss and first released in June 1960 by Brian Hyland. Before that, however, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" was a popular song with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke, published in 1940. It was Frank Sinatra's first hit, recorded with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The song is one of the top 100 most-frequently recorded jazz standards[13] with arrangements by Gil Evans and others and notable recordings by Lester Young, Sarah Vaughn and many others.
^ ab"polka", Oxford English Dictionary, On account of the popularity of the dance, polka was prefixed as a trade name to articles of all kinds (cf. quot. 1898 in 1); e.g. the polka curtain-band (for looping up curtains), polka-gauze, polka hat; {polka-dot}, a pattern consisting of dots of uniform size and arrangement; also fig., attrib. or as adj., and as v. trans.; hence polka-dotted adj.
