1951: Poodle my skirt
Out of all the peculiar vintage trends, the notorious poodle skirt is the most confusing one. As if the puffiness of the skirt or the material weren’t enough, people decided, for some reason, to embroider these skirts with different designs, the most common one being an ornamental poodle. Was this the result of women’s love for poodles?
The first poodle skirt was designed in the late forties, but it was only at the beginning of the fifties that it gained popularity. The American actress turned fashion designer, Juli Lynne Charlot, came up with the idea for this design when she needed a last-minute festive Christmas skirt, and felt was the most accessible material. The needlework was there, but the poodles were added later, due to public request.