Why is every person using the 'Zara gown' this summer?

A product of clothes doesn't typically go viral. When a polka dot maxi gown from Zara becomes so popular that it spawns its own Instagram manage and acquires a definitive nickname (" the dress"), it's on par with feline memes and tweets about Trump.

This modest "printed dress", as it's called on the merchant's website, costs just ₤ 39.99 and has actually been found in myriad settings, from dance floors and beer gardens to lecture halls and wedding party.

One quick appearance at the gown's devoted Instagram account, @hot4thespot, and it's clear that this is a dress enjoyed by females of all ages. What is it about this dress in specific that has made it so widely popular?

Almost no one has actually mentioned its print, which may simply be the most essential component of all.

Polka dots have been progressively rising on the pattern circuit since March, with online searches for the print having actually increased by 120 percent according to global fashion search platform Lyst.

It is, nevertheless, a timeless print with an abundant sartorial history, one that is essential to its appeal today.

The significance behind dotted fabric patterns has developed over the years, with the extremely first ones emerging in medieval Europe-- however at the time, dots on clothes were seen as a symbol of the bubonic afflict. Not precisely a style statement.

" Negative associations with dotted patterns reminded individuals of fatal and contagious diseases," describes fashion historian Edite Parute.

Such undertones continued throughout the Renaissance, Parute informs The Independent, explaining that it wasn't up until the mid-19th century, when polka dancing was having its moment in main Europe, that the pattern began to collect a cult following amongst the style set.

" The polka dance fad of the 1840s prompted producers to produce polka-themed clothes to capitalise on the appeal of the dance, leading them to develop hats, coats and a lot more items with the pattern," Parute explains.

It was in the 1920s when the polka dot as we understand it came into its own, making its way onto a swimwear worn by Miss America, Norma Smallwood, in 1926. And, obviously, Disney's leading girl: Minnie Mouse, whose red polka dot dress and matching bow stay a staple in children's costume boxes.

Ever since, the pattern has been in and out of fashion for years, notes Emily Gordon-Smith, director of consumer item at patterns intelligence business Stylus. In the 1940s, it came in understated sombre tones before ending up being oversized and lively in the 1950s and being reimagined in garish multicolour variations during the 1980s.

There have actually been several significant cultural turning points that have actually assisted eternalize the print over the years too, keeps in mind Padute. In 1940, for instance, Frank Sinatra's ballad "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" propelled the pattern into a duration of appeal.

The print then reached the upper echelons of style in 1954, when Dior's couture collection featured a classy, structured black gown with white dots. And who could forget Brian Hyland's 1960 hit "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini"? The jubilant jingle convinced every female around she need to be wearing polka dots.

Another noteworthy polka dot pop culture entry was available in 1990 by means of Julia Roberts' character, Vivian Ward, in the hit romantic funny Pretty Woman. In the film's race day scene, when Vivian attends the polo, the former sex employee caps her style trajectory with a brown silk polka dot dress complete with a boater hat and matching patterned ribbon.

Given its historical significance, polka dots have an extremely strong link to the vintage aesthetic, keeps in mind Pardute, who argues that this is the reason they stay so popular today.

Designer sell nostalgia, with designers constantly remodeling and reviving patterns and trends from a bygone age. Think About Marc Jacobs' recent resurgence of his 1992 Perry Ellis grunge collection, or hot British brands such as Kitri and Shrimps that produce dresses with clear 1950s influences.

Which brings us back to that Zara dress, or, "the dress".

" There's a certain nostalgic interest the Zara dress," notes Dr Harriet Atkinson, senior lecturer in design history at the University of Brighton, pointing out that its cut is more modest than its earlier, cinched-in equivalents, considered that it is smocked, with long sleeves and loose fitting to mid-length.

While the shape is crucial to its appeal, Laura Yiannakou, senior womenswear editor at global patterns anticipating business WGSN, explains that thanks to the long history of polka dots, they are nearly era-less.

" The polka dot print resurfaces every season," she informs The Independent. "It's also not aligned with any specific period in history, unlike the current trend surge in tie-dye in the youth market, which WGSN has actually been tracking for a while. Polka dots are era-neutral, whereas numerous ladies won't be fans of tie-dye due to the fact that it advises them of when they experimented with it the very first time round, in the 1970s and 1960s."

Polka dots stand the test of time thanks to their versatility. "They likewise make a statement without being too standout," she explains, noting that "the gown" is the ideal example of a flattering and stylish product of clothes that can be worn throughout both casual and formal events, which is hugely preferable to consumers at the minute.