On the Dot

This Thursday, January 22nd is Polka Dot Day (#PolkaDotDay). Some people celebrate by wearing polka-dotted clothes, posting this pattern through their online accounts, or making art inspired by dots. The polka dot has widely become a symbol for fun, creativity and joy. We see it in our culture in places like Minnie Mouse’s outfits, Marilyn Monroe’s dress and Yayoi Kusama’s famous art. 

Polka dots are a simple motif that we’ve seen and used over the years at Figg Street Co. It has appeared on our tissue paper, on stickers, notebooks, notepads, decorative papers and greeting cards, among other items.

One of the main places we see dots in the shop is in our dot grid notebooks and journals. This paper format has become increasingly popular over the years because it offers several advantages. Some view it as a hybrid between a grid or lined format and a blank page. This is because the equally spaced dots create a subtle guideline for drawing lines, tables, and diagrams. It provides us with the flexibility to decide where we want visible lines, the dimensions (we can skip over a single dot or more), and the amount of white space we’d like on a page. 

How do you feel about dots? Here are a few dot-inspired items currently in stock:

Does this issue have you seeing spots? Whether you wear polka dots this Thursday or not, we do hope your week includes some time for creativity, fun and joy!