When I was a kid, connect the dots was my favorite amongst all the games and puzzles in my Highlights magazines. There was something magical about transforming what looked to be a bunch of haphazard dots into a recognizable image with just the trace of my pencil. Although I have outgrown those puzzles, I still have an affinity for dots.

The dot design has been around since medieval times. It gained popularity in the mid 1800s when polka music was trendy. During this music and dance craze, everything and everyone and their mom was decked out in dots, and the name “polka dots” was coined. Anything with polka dots instantly conjures up a retro vibe, and reminds me of the 1950s, when it gained widespread popularity again.

I don’t think my outfit lives up to the polka, but rather should be more aptly called wallflower dots. It lacks the boldness of the polka dot and isn’t quite equally sized and spaced, but has a charm and daintiness about them none-the-less. Because of the relatively neutral nature of my patterns, I was able to mix and match them, and layered in different fabric textures as well. The dot theme is constant, but you will have to look closely to see. I threw in a cheetah print scarf to add an organic element to the otherwise structured graphic dots. The studded booties also make for an interesting 3-D take on the dot and are an edgy contrast to the overall feminine look, topped off with a retro cloche.

I promise to feature more polka dots in future posts, but don’t connect my dots please.