A History of the Polka Dot
Spotted patterns existed long before the term “polka dot” was coined. In many cultures, they were associated with magic and male potency. Ancient Egyptians used dots in hieroglyphics to represent the sun. Dots can be found in art across the world.
However, throughout the Renaissance, they were considered distasteful in the Western world. Patterns were not uniform and could easily resemble the marks of smallpox, the bubonic plague, and leprosy.
Over time, that connotation changed, and early versions of polka dot patterns began to appear in fashion. The earliest patterns featured dots not because they were considered attractive but because they made fabrics more durable.
In the mid-nineteenth century, technology was first able to print fabrics with polka dots evenly spaced across the surface. The print was extremely popular in the 1920s, from celebrities such as Marylin Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor to a new cartoon character named Minnie Mouse. (Minnie’s costume has changed over the decades but has always featured polka dots!) Norma Smallwood, the 1926 Miss America, wore a polka dot swimsuit.
There is no definitive answer to why the word polka became associated with these dotted patterns. What is known is that the Czech dance, and the accompanying style of music, were popular at the same time as the pattern. It appears that…
