Poodle skirt

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A woman twirling her poodle skirt

A poodle skirt is a wide swing felt skirt of a solid bold color (often pink and powder blue) displaying a design appliquéd or transferred to the fabric.[1] The design was often a coiffed French poodle. Later substitutes for the poodle patch included flamingos, flowers, and hot rod cars.[2] Hemlines were to the knee or just below it.

People liked the poodle skirt because of its full, free-swinging shape that made it good for dancing. Magazines, ads, and movie stars were some of the most common places to see this cute skirt. Many were eager to keep up with Hollywood's fashions and so it became very popular.

It remains one of the most memorable symbols of 1950s Americana. Nowadays, the poodle skirt is regarded as a novelty retro item, worn as part of a 1950sish outfit.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Stephen Feinstein: The 1950s. 2006
  2. ^ Charles Panati: Panati’s Parade of Fads, Follies, and Manias. 1991