What is a Polka Dot? And what's it got to do with dancing?

Polka. Dot. 
We know that Polka is a kind of music and also a dance. And dot, well that's just a simple small round mark.  So what's one got to do with the other and why, when put together, do they refer to that pattern made so popular by I Love Lucy?

Polka comes from the Polish word “pulka,” meaning half-step, as in the dance.  The dance was first introduced into the ballrooms of Prague in 1835.  It was a Czech peasant dance in 2/4 time, developed in Eastern Bohemia (now part of Czechoslovakia). Depending on the region is is performed, polka music can have different influences giving it a more Latin or German (Oktoberfest) feel,  but most definitely all include the telltale accordion.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “polka dot” as “Any of a number of round dots of uniform size repeated so as to form a regular pattern, usually on fabric.” The term itself first appeared in the mid-1800s (”Scarf of muslin, for light summer wear … surrounded by a scalloped edge, embroidered in rows of round polka dots,” 1857).  So, what does the polka dance have to do with polka dots? Nothing - just timing - and marketing. The polka craze, which lasted for several decades in the 1800s, was a pretty big fad so every industry tried to capitalize on it.  Fashion just started adding the word 'polka' to everything.  They had polka jackets, polka hats, polka socks, men's ties, you name it. Sound e-familiar? iDon't know. Then In the '50s and '60s the polka dot had a resurgence and appeared on swimwear (and pop music: 'The Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini'), Lucille Ball's dresses, dinnerware, handbags, ties, you name it. That pattern today can be considered kitschy but contemporary depending on the placement and color combinations.  Polka dots have graced high-end wedding dresses, invitations, pillows and bedding, handbags, umbrellas, scarves and dresses.  So you can wear the pattern even if you can't polka. 

Above photo (courtesy Country Living ) features Echo's Pin Dot Shirt Dress.