My sister for years has been telling me how much she loathes polka dots. Hates them. Well my dear Paige, this is not your season. Dots are everywhere. Big and small, or a combination of the two, monotone black and white or a variety of colors. They’re covering dresses, pants, tunics, blouses and those naughty little unmentionables- undergarments. Whether you love them or hate them, you might have to give them a shot, because one thing’s for sure, you can’t get away from them.
The pattern surfaced in the late nineteenth century in England, and was used for formal wear. The famous small black dot-on-white print was seen everywhere from shirts, to children’s clothing, to lingerie. Once associated with the dance of the same name, a lot of people thought the pattern was named because it had some correlation to the dance. Untrue- it just happened to become popular around the same time. In the 1960’s, the song “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” gave homage to the pattern and the song is one that not only gives a pleasing mental image, but gets stuck in your head too. In the 80’s and 90’s, polka dots were commonly associated with designer Carolina Herrera as she used the pattern for many of her dresses and clothes of the time.
But now, 2012, and over a century after the pattern surfaced, dots are back, and with a bang. I wore my J. Crew jacquard polka dot pullover blouse to work last week and literally had people coming up to me left and right commenting on it. Who would have thought a simple white blouse with navy dots could be something to rave about. You can pair a dotted blouse with a light wash denim for a casual, pulled-together look, a scarf with a button up for a splash of print, or if you’re feeling wild, pair a polka dot top with a bottom of the same pattern. You might be surprised to find this look works for everyone. Hopefully my sister will be a believer after she tries and tests it.
(Anthropologie)
(J. Crew)
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