Where did polka dots come from?

Answer 1

Polka dots first became common on clothing in the late nineteenth century in Britain. An early recorded use of the term "polka dot" is in 1873 in Godey's magazine, Volumes 86-87, Page 389. The pattern is named for the dance of the same name, it is suspected there is a connection linking the pattern to the dance. Instead, the name was settled upon because of the dance's popularity at the time the pattern became fashionable. Many contemporary products and fashions also adopted the name. -Wikipedia