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 around during the industrial revolution and the invention of the first sewing machine around 1750's where perfectly round and evenly spaced dots were able to be created due to mechanized weaving. [4]
However, starting in middle of the 1800's, 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]
Later in 1962, DC Comics introduced Polka-Dot Man with irregularly-sized and differently coloured dots. Polka-Dot Man made his first theatrical debut in the film The Suicide Squad directed by James Gunn. He was played by actor David Dastmalchian.
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]
Much of the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's work features a polka dot motif, [10] [11] and the cryptocurrency Polkadot takes its name after the design. [12]
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.
The 1943 Twentieth Century Fox Technicolor musical film The Gang's All Here , directed by Busby Berkeley, featured a large production number "The Polka-Dot Polka". [14] The song was written by Harry Warren and Leo Robin, referencing the 19th century polka dot craze in the lyrics, and sung by Alice Faye with the Busby Berkeley dancers. [15]
A kerchief, also known as a bandana or bandanna, is a triangular or square piece of cloth tied around the head, face, or neck for protective or decorative purposes. The popularity of head kerchiefs may vary by culture or religion, often being used as a Christian headcovering by men and women of the Anabaptist, Eastern Orthodox, and Plymouth Brethren denominations, as well as by some Orthodox Jewish and Muslim men and women and is also considered a hat.
Minerva "Minnie" Mouse is an American cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. As the longtime sweetheart of Mickey Mouse, she is an anthropomorphic mouse with white gloves, a red or pink bow, blue polka-dotted dress, white bloomers and low-heeled shoes occasionally with ribbons on them. The Mickey Mouse comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse, although this is seldom used.
A swimsuit is an item of clothing designed to be worn by people engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, diving and surfing, or sun-orientated activities, such as sun bathing. Different types may be worn by men, women, and children. A swimsuit can be described by various names, some of which are used only in particular locations or for particular types of suit, including swimwear, bathing suit, bathing attire, swimming costume, bathing costume, swimming suit, swimmers, swimming togs, bathers, cossie, or swimming trunks, besides others.
Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese contemporary artist who works primarily in sculpture and installation, and is also active in painting, performance, video art, fashion, poetry, fiction, and other arts. Her work is based in conceptual art and shows some attributes of feminism, minimalism, surrealism, Art Brut, pop art, and abstract expressionism, and is infused with autobiographical, psychological, and sexual content. She has been acknowledged as one of the most important living artists to come out of Japan, the world's top-selling female artist, and the world's most successful living artist. Her work influenced that of her contemporaries, including Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg.
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"Polka Dots and Moonbeams" is 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 with arrangements by Gil Evans and others and notable recordings by Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Blue Mitchell, Wes Montgomery, Sarah Vaughan, Bud Powell, Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan, Lou Donaldson, Dexter Gordon and many others. American songwriter and guitarist John Denver also covered the song on his 1976 Spirit album. Bob Dylan covered this song in his 2016 album Fallen Angels.
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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.