Lots and lots of dots!
Ever feel like everyone around you is going dotty? You’re not wrong – dots are one of many classic graphic patterns being revived in recent years to inject some nostalgic charm into clothing, décor, and other products for kids and adults. Here’s a little polka dot trivia – and a few products that will help you get on the spot!
Early marketing of regularly-spaced, uniformly-sized dots on clothing happened to coincide with a dance craze that swept Europe and the United States in the 1800s: the polka! This light-footed folk dance originated in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), and was a huge influence on fashion and culture from the 1840s through the 1870s. Godey’s Lady Book, the housewives’ Bible of its day, coined the phrase “polka dot” to describe a pattern they were popularizing at the time, and it stuck.
The dance has come and gone a few times over the years, and so has the dot. There was a major resurgence in the 1940s and again in the 1960s, when polka dots took a slightly sinister turn with the introduction of “Polka Dot Man,” a super-villain who tore dots off of his clown-like costume and turned them into weapons.
These days, we associate the polka dot with childhood, innocence, simplicity, and perhaps just a touch of naughtiness (think teeny weenie bikinis or Katy Perry). The limited edition Cath Kidston Maclaren Quest follows this playful theme with a head-turning take on a classic ultralight stroller, for moms who can’t stand to fade into the background on the playground. Big sisters can mimic mom with their own Corolle Baby Doll Umbrella Stroller in blue and green.
For a less eye-popping take on polka dots in baby gear, try the Skip Hop Duo Deluxe in Blossom or Wave Dot patterns. Or, bring it all home with a Four-Piece Bedding Set from Skip Hop or a heartbreakingly adorable Stokke Sleepi Mini Sleeping Bag.
We have plenty of other options for toys that will hit the spot. There’s no toy more simple or classic than a ball, and kids of all ages will enjoy the Crocodile Creek Playground Ball Red/Yellow Polka Dot. Girls will enjoy learning to tell time with the Watch It! Kit by Alex, which lets her wear a different polka-dotted or striped watchband for every day of the week.
And finally: no home is complete without board games, and no game collection is complete without Connect Four, which provides hours of strategic fun for the whole family… and will blend right in with your other dotty décor.
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