Definition

• Fashionable in the 1950s, a poodle skirt was a wide, full skirt, often made of felt, and so-named for the appliqued poodle prominently displayed near the hem. Made with a wide waistband and a side or back zipper, the poodle skirt was usually a bold, solid color. Blue, pink and red skirts were especially popular. Despite the name, not all skirts featured a canine with a curly leash. Some were adorned with flamingos, cats or even hot rods.
  
  

History

• Before the 1950s, teenagers did not get much press. Products, films, literature, music and fashion were primarily geared to the tastes of adults. New, young musicians such as Elvis Presley and actors such as James Dean changed all that. The '50s began the era of the cool teenager. In generations past, teenage girls dressed as mini-moms. Now they scorned the straight skirts, silky blouses and pearls worn by their mothers. Poodle skirts were identified as youthful attire, and in the 1950s no adult woman would be caught dead in one. Television shows such as "Father Knows Best" and "Leave It to Beaver" featured families with adolescent sons and daughters in the latest fashions. Soon, advertisers geared the majority of their marketing strategies to teenagers.
  
  

The Look

• To compliment the poodle skirt look, girls of the 1950s wore their hair in ponytails and shod their feet in bobby socks and saddle shoes. Often worn with crinolines underneath, a two-piece sweater set and a cinched belt, the outfit was the standard at school functions and dances known as sock hops.
  
  

Poodle Skirts Today

• Relegated to Halloween costumes and high school drama productions, many of today's reproduction poodle skirts are of poor quality, made to last just one day out of the year. Although hard to find, occasionally an original skirt may turn up at a vintage clothing shop, but felt and appliques generally do not wear well with age.
  
  

Where to Find a Poodle Skirt

• The simplest and most economical way to procure a well-made poodle skirt is by your own hands. Several yards of fabric are required, but poodle skirt patterns can be found online and are easy to sew, even for a novice seamstress. If sewing is not your thing, good-quality skirts can be purchased at online shops, including Annie Poodle Skirts and Hey Viv!