Polka dots

This goes back to the 19th century when the polka dance was the rage of America, just as the frug, watusi and other dances have had a great vogue. At that time, there was no radio, not even phonograph records. Songs and dances tended to last much longer than they do today and there was a custom of naming articles of dress after the most popular dances to gain “instant popularity” for them. So it was that those years saw “polka gauze,” “polka hats” and fabrics printed with polka dots. Only the dots lasted though, and next time you see a polka-dot dress, you can imagine your great-great grandmother dancing with her best beau to the tune of a lively polka, dressed in polka dots.