Polka Dot Secrets is now offering a variety of fabrics and handmade gifts in South Austin. (Courtesy Polka Dot Secrets) Polka Dot Secrets has expanded from an Etsy business to a brick and mortar in ...

Everything started with a dance, that spread in Europe and in the United States from Czechoslovakia. It was in vogue until the end of the 19th century, just the time to launch the polka dot pattern.

There’s nothing inherently childish about polka dots. And yet they’re typically associated with children’s decor, so people shy away from using them in more sophisticated spaces. Frankly, many of us ...