Polka dots have been around for centuries. But they weren’t always known for their association with joy and youthfulness- dots have a dark history dating back centuries.
You know I love fashion history and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share the story of what we know today to be “polka dots.” In today’s outfit, I am sporting a classic polka dot pattern in black and white from ASOS, paired with a pair of vegan leather pants from Aritzia, a fluffy heel, TED Baker Bag, and a vegan leather headband for a retro vibe, which feels appropriate given today’s lesson.
Before machines and computers came about, printing patterns on textiles was much more difficult. Textiles were handwoven and patterns would also have been hand-dyed or embroidered. Can you even imagine having to hand-embroider perfectly symmetrical circles on a piece of fabric?
For this reason, it was too difficult to make perfect circles with perfect spacing, and dots were not very common in early history. Uneven, asymmetrical dots reminded people of blemishes on the skin which were common with disease in this time of history. Syphilis, smallpox, bubonic plague, and measles ran rampant making any kind of dot an uncomfortable reminder of the grim fate that lie ahead. Other sinister signs of spots included blood in a handkerchief from tuberculosis and spotting associated with miscarriages.
Interestingly enough, if a person had 2 or 3 spots, a priest had deemed them unclean, however, if the body was covered in spots, they were deemed clean, aka on the brink of death that would soon turn into a spotless transcendence to heaven (Stewart).
Where they are dots, they are bound to be stripes (which have an equally dark history). A stripe is used to mark an absolute and unconditional boundary between the included and excluded(Stewart). Both dots and stripes marked social outcasts. We can think of many examples of stripes used in history to mark the outsider such as the uniforms for referees, prisoners in jail as well the famous pyjamas used in concentration camps.
While in Western cultures dots were a repugnant sign to society, in non-western cultures they had a completely different associate. Dots could convey magic, male fertility as well as the triumph of the hunt. We see dots in formations among Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic designs.
In non-western cultures, dots can convey magic, male fertility, and the triumph of the hunt. Dots in specific formations frequently pop up in Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic designs and practically served as the logo of the Ottoman Empire in the late 16th century. Often called the “lips and balls” pattern, çintamani consists of three dots arranged in a triangle connected by waxy, lip-shaped lines that represent a wish-fulfilling pearl, a gift from Buddha.
A new style is known as “patching” in Europe 1590-1720. Patching, (also known as Moucheron, French for little fly), involves sticking a dot of black fabric to the face to cover a blemish or enhance the beauty of otherwise flawless skin. This style comes as fashion’s role in high society becomes more than just a marker of class and occupation, but also of style and self-expression.
Neo-Classical styles in paler colors and small neat patterns against a crisp white background were the marks of the French Revolution. Machine production now allowed for even and symmetrical dot patterns to be created. The polka dot now ditching its status as a signifier of disease and anguish to become the perfect symbol of a rising manufacturing age.
Dot patterns continue to gain popularity in the 19th century. New technology and machinery bring about new opportunities with raised dots on transparent tulle (dotted Swiss), the 5 dot dice (Quinconce), and large dots on the fabric were named Thalertupfen after the coins in German currency until the 1900s (PrintAPattern).
In the 1840s to ’60s, a new music and dance style took the east and west of Europe. Known as “polka” after the Czech word for “little step”. It became so popular that by 1844, the dance comes to America, and coincidentally, President James K. Polk is elected.
The polka was so popular that marketers seized the opportunity to package it and sell it. Products such as polka pudding, polka curtains, polka gauze, polka hats, shoes, and vests were being advertised(Stewart). And though the connection from the polka to the pattern itself is obscure, we can credit the popularity of the polka as a cultural movement to the naming of this historically famous pattern. As the obsession with the polka movement died, the following of the polka dot stayed.
” In 1857, The American Women’s magazine, a very popular magazine at the time, coined the term ‘polka dot’ for the first time in a description of a ‘scarf of muslin, for light summer wear, surrounded by a scalloped edge, embroidered in rows of round polka dots.‘ ” (PrintAPattern).
Polka dots, known for their clean and simple aesthetic, were a popular choice for bedsheets, nightgowns, and children’s clothes. In 1928, polka dots make their cinematic debut on Minnie Mouse. Machine printing meant that the dots could be designed to produce different vibes. The polka dot now became a fashion statement for women as a combination of motherhood and sex. Polka dots became an attractive choice for lingerie, bathing suits, and dresses, as well as for Hollywood’s female stars.
In 1940, the Los Angeles Times writes: “You can sign your fashion life away on the polka-dotted line, and you’ll never regret it this season” (Stewart). Dior popularized the polka dots again in the ’50s with his New Look silhouette making them a popular choice for Housewives. 1960 marks the year the famous song “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Winnie Polka Dot Bikini” by Brian Hyland comes out. In 1962, Marvel comes out with the superhero character Polka Dot Man.
From Minnie Mouse to Hollywood stars and housewives, and even a Marvel superhero, it’s clear polka dots have a beloved place in our culture. However, with their dark beginnings in history and the technological advances that have facilitated pattern-making, the tale of the polka dot is one of triumph, making it the perfect symbol of how our times have changed.
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5 Responses
Whoo knewwww!! Polka dots had such a timeless history. Thank you for such a great article.
You look so lovely daughter and a very interesting piece of writing well done Cybil
Thanks Dad ! 🙂
Wow, what an interesting deep-dive into the history of the polka dot! I love fashion history but a lot of these facts I haf not heard about before. Thank you so much for sharing! 😍😍😍
You’re welcome! Thanks for reading 🙂