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Poodle skirts have long been a symbol of 1950s Americana, but did you know they date back to 1947? The same year that Christian Dior unveiled the New Look, these iconic wool circle skirts also came into being. The look emphasized a small waist with voluminous skirts and/or petticoats. But, most people don't know the real story behind why the silly designs of the poodle skirt became so popular.

The original designer of the poodle skirt was Juli Lynne Charlot who, in 1947, wanted to create a holiday skirt for herself but had little in the way of sewing skills.

In an interview from 1953 she described herself from the winter of '47 as being broke, frumpy, and unable to sew very well. What she came up with required only basic cutting and sewing. Charlot cut a large circle from a piece of wool felt and then cut another smaller circle in the middle for the waist of the skirt. There were no side seams. The simplicity of the design was appealing. Next, she stitched on appliqués also in wool felt, which did not need to be hemmed.

Charlot had the idea to produce these skirts for retail sale, with each design containing within it a fun story for the customer. The first designs were Christmas themed and the skirts that followed were dog themed, giving rise to the name "poodle skirt."

She was soon selling her skirts to shops and then later her designs were bought outright from companies who reproduced them en masse.

It wasn't long before making these skirts at home became the trend. And here's why the idea caught on so quickly: like Charlot, teenage girls with little sewing experience could whip these skirts up quickly and have a one-of-a-kind design that was on trend with only a few hours of work!

If you see vintage poodle skirts for sale in vintage stores or online you'll often see grosgrain ribbon as the waist band or waist lining since these were very often simply made at home with more creativity than skill. Pattern makers soon put out many designs which played on the appliqué skirts that Charlot had made popular.

Poodle skirt designs can range from the classic poodle to wiener dogs to birds, people, records, or even life-sized chess or badminton game boards. The designs were only limited by the imaginations of the teenaged girls making the skirts at home. The trend was soon translated into silk, cotton, and other fabrics and even later Charlot skirts were not always made in the simple wool style (for example their summer styles in 1953 were made from poplin).

While Charlot did have her own clothing line, she is also known for her acting and singing talents! If you have an original poodle skirt then clearly you have a treasure. But, if you have a Juli Lynn Charlot original poodle skirt? You might want to take care. We found one currently for sale online for $750!

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Most People Have No Idea Why the Poodle Skirt Became So Popular in the '50s!

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Poodle skirts have long been a symbol of 1950s Americana, but did you know they date back to 1947? The same year that Christian Dior unveiled the New Look, these iconic wool circle skirts also came into being. The look emphasized a small waist with voluminous skirts and/or petticoats.

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The New Look shape of 1947 carried over into the skirts worn in the '50s. Skirts were tight at the natural waist and were either very full or very fitted. The names of these style of skirts have changed over the decades. Today 50s skirts are often called full circle skirt, swing skirts, pencil skirts, wiggle skirts, tea length skirt, or midi skirts. They very figure flattering and very fun to wear, which is why 1950s skirts are must-have items in any vintage fashion lover's wardrobe.

Let us explore the many variations of 50s skirts with a bit of social history mixed in.

1950s Full Circle Skirts

The fuller the skirt the better in the 1950s! With the aid of multiple layers of stiff petticoats and a possibly a hoop skirt, '50s skirts were as voluminous as the wearer could make them. The skirt was at least 4 or 5 yards of fabric draped using a few different techniques.These 1950s skirts usually started with a 3 inch wide waistband at just above the natural waist. The band fastened on the side or back with a zipper and button. In order to get the most fullness with the neatest gathers, the fabric of choice was cotton broadcloth in a range of pastel solid colors (pink, lavender, turquoise) or big plaids. This is what most women wore on a daily basis. To be really in fashion, the skirt had to be made out of wool. Extremely heavy and difficult to keep full even with hoops AND petticoat underneath, they were only for the bravest of women or those willing to wear them without a stiff petticoat.

The full skirt was popular because it was flattering. The fullness hid big hips and made waists look smaller. The fuller the skirt the more magic it had on slimming waistlines. Adding a wide cinch belt over the skirt band created an even more "wasp waist" look. Leather and plastic cinch belts were very popular, but they were prone to tearing and bunching up blouses. The elastic cinch belt was the best at both keeping blouses tucked and waists thin.

1950s skirts came in long or mid shin lengths. Floor length skirts were the most popular for lounging at home or in formal wear settings. The mid shin length was the most common length for anything from housework to dancing.

1950s Swing Skirt Styles

The 1950s full circle skirt was the least bulky of the full skirts. The pattern was cut from one very large square piece in the shape of a doughnut. The inside circle was the waist measurement and the outside circle created the fullness. The skirts hang beautifully in drapes that swing with movement. You can understand why they were so popular with the teen dancing set. They are also very easy to make.

While cotton and wool were used in circle skirts, wool felt was the best choice. It was thick yet light, which made it cover hoop skirt ridges easily. It also didn't need hemming since the edges never raveled. Add some rick rack and the skirt was really styling! In the age of "atomic" art, abstract designs circled the skirt hem such as these below.

50s Poodle Skirts

The 1950s poodle skirt was a '50s favorite swing style with a poodle standing at the hem of the skirt, complete with a curly embroidered or sequin leash. Other decorations came in the form of the large applique cats, squirrels, guitars, or catchy phrases like "See You Later Alligator." They were made of wool felt, a stiff fabric that didn't reveal hoop lines underneath. It was also quite light and never wrinkled. The poodle skirt became a lasting icon of the 1950s especially for girls and young teenagers, but women wore them, too, with more mature appliques such as the Eiffel tower, telephone, and martini pictured below. Poodle skirts were paired with a sweater tops or button-down blouses, white bobby socks and saddle shoes- the same ionic look worn to Sock Hop dances. Learn more about the origins of the Poodle Skirt or shop poodle skirts here with even more poodle skirt history.

Gathered skirts. A 1950s gathered skirt is made from a giant rectangle piece of fabric and is gathered in at a waistband so that it's fitted at the waist and full at the bottom. They were especially becoming on women without much natural hip since the bulky band gave instant curves. The shape rendered itself to be more A-line with the fullness at the hem instead of around the hip. This was a popular cut for button up skirts, similar to shirtwaist dresses.

Pleated skirts were also popular in the '50s, especially with Dior. They could be large pleats or tiny accordion ones, as long as there was plenty of fabric!

Gored skirts featured panels of triangles sewn together with the points coming into the waistband, once again making the skirt much wider at the bottom.

Lastly, tiered skirts, made from layers of gathered fabric that get wider and wider towards the bottom, allowed for fullness and added a peasant flair to the look. Tiered skirts were usually gathered at the top, but had more flounce than a regular gathered skirt. They were a style that came from the big trend for all things Western, Latin and folk art. 1940s had similar peasant skirts called Dirndl, inspired by German folk fashion.

Within these basic circle skirt constructions are even more variations. This 1952 article in McCalls magazine described the various skirt patterns they sold (from top left): Gathered all around except a flat front panel, high rising with bracket-shaped pockets, slim with pleats to round the hips above the flapped pockets, with a waist-cincher over a four-gored skirt, work skirt wrapped and tied with accordion pockets, flat over hips with set in panels, and straight with arched pockets.

1950s Pencil Skirts

1950s fashion was a time of opposites and nothing makes that point as much as the drastic difference between full and sheath skirts. Fitted sheath skirts were called hobble or pencil skirts during the '50s because they were so tight that they were difficult to walk in. For this same reason pencil skirts also called wiggle skirts today. Short pencil skirts that ended at the knee were a bit easier to walk in. Mid shin length skirts were much harder but more common. Some had a back vent or kick-pleat up the thigh to allow for movement. Some longer skirts only had a decorative kick pleat that went up to the knee- a useless ornament.

Sheath skirts started at a waistband at the natural waist and curved tightly over the hips and then tapered down the legs just below the knee or a bit longer. The straighter the fit the better for most of the '50s. The later part of the decade favored a rounded, fuller hip, that often required models to wear hip pads to achieve the perfect silhouette. For women with naturally round hips, the sheath skirt was perfect. What was hidden in full skirts was revealed in pencil skirts. They were sexy, especially when they were worn with a pair of high heel pumps. Together they made a woman wiggle her walk, hence the common name now: wiggle skirts.

Fitted 1950s skirts were usually plain colors or in a plaid or houndstooth pattern. They also sometimes had decorative buttons down the center or on one side or had large patch pockets on the front. They were a style of skirt for the mature women. Teens were encouraged to stay clear of the sheath skirt- they were too sexy for "children". Teens didn't pay attention to those rules and wore sheath skirts anyway. They felt so sophisticated in them.

Pencil skirts were not very good for dancing except while doing the twist. Latin inspired fringe skirts were a short lived fad. They were fun to dance in but impractical for most other occasions.

Another short lived variation of the of pencil skirt is what we call a mermaid or fishtail skirt. The bottom 1/3 featured a gathered ruffle or pleated hem.

Shop these 1950s inspired full circle skirts and pencil skirts from multiple retailers online. Add a wide cinch belt to create that idea 1950s wasp waist. Or if you prefer to make your own, there are some 1950s skirt patterns available, too.

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50s Skirt Styles | Poodle Skirts, Circle Skirts, Pencil Skirts

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The New Look shape of 1947 carried over into the skirts worn in the '50s. Skirts were tight at the natural waist and were either very full or very fitted. The names of these style of skirts have changed over the decades.

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The 1950s brought us a lot of things that we still love today. There's classic cars, UFO-inspired architecture and furniture (fun fact: that style is called "Googie" design - really), and plenty of great music.

And if you were a girl during those times, you might remember the full, swinging skirts with cute appliqués, popularly known as poodle skirts.

The cinched waist and full skirt was the silhouette of the era, and the skirts and dresses came in all kinds of styles and patterns. The poodle skirt became iconic, so much so that it's become the standard image when we imagine a quintessential '50s gal.

These circle skirts were decorated cloth cutouts that were sewn or ironed on.

They could be simple silhouettes or complex designs, and sometimes even letters.

The skirts were a favorite with teen girls, who paired them with sweaters. Appliquéd skirts also became popular with adult women, but usually with more subtle, less cutesy designs.

But where did the fashion statement come from? Why is it the one we remember so well today? And if you're a fan, is there a way to rock a poodle patch in the 21st century? (Short answer: yes.)

Take a walk back through time and see how the poodle skirt came to be, and how it's evolved over time!

[H/T: Vintage Everyday, The Poodle (and dog) Blog, The Vintage Traveler]

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The Fascinating True Story Behind 1950s Poodle Skirts Few People Have Ever Heard

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The 1950s brought us a lot of things that we still love today. There's classic cars, UFO-inspired architecture and furniture (fun fact: that style is called "Googie" design - really), and plenty of great music. And if you were a girl during those times, you might remember the full, swinging skirts with cute appliqués, popularly...

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This website tells a story about how poodle skirts are made and who wore them

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The website would give me information about how the poodle skirts are made, and how Juli Lynne Charlot started making them.

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This website would give me information about what about the poodle skirts is different from other skirts that were worn in the 1950's/

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This website tells how the poodle skirts are different than the other skirts that were popular.

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- She made a skirt  with felt for a Christmas party and got a lot of compliments on it.
- After the party, many people stared giving her requests for her to make them skirts.

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- There is a felt poodle embroidered to the bottom of the skirt.
- There is a sequin "leash" that goes from the poodle at the bottom, to the waist part of the skirt.

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This website would give me information about what made the poodle skirts such a popular thing.

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This website tells how the poodle skirt got its popularity.

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- Poodle skirts actually date beck to 1947
- The poodle skirt emphasizes a small waist