Pinup girls and Poodles are quintessential of the 1950s so I wanted to do a post for you all about the origins of the Poodle skirt and showcase one of my all time favorite Poodle skirts made by a brand you might not be familiar with – Dangerfield Clothing.
Rockabilly gals, Pinup dolls, and retro/vintage fashion enthusiasts can thank Juli Lynne Charlot for the Poodle skirt. Per Wikipedia – Juli Lynne was a young woman who wanted to be in fashion but she had no money for the new styles. In 1947, at the age of 25, Charlot was invited to a holiday party in Los Angeles and wanted to create a dress especially for the event. Not having money at the time Charlot decided to make her own skirt for the Christmas party. Charlot stated in an United Press International article of February 25, 1953 that, “If I had known how to sew, or had the money to purchase better materials, I would have never made the circle skirt.”
Today, when we think of 1950s clothing, the image that most often pops into our mind is the poodle skirt. Most vintage collectors know Charlot as the designer of some of the very best and most clever circle skirts to come out of the 1950s. It was quite fashionable at the time for women to be accompanied by dogs on leashes so Charlot decided to make a dog-themed skirt. And thus the iconic poodle skirt was born. Charlot’s creations were more than clothing – they told a story – and became conversation starters. Read more about Charlot and her company on Wikipedia–
In these pictures taken by my hubby Gary I am wearing my favorite Poodle skirt by Australian brand Dangerfield Clothing
The skirt is incredibly well constructed with a built-in petticoat hem and the white Poodles are adorable with red flowers and bows and they really pop against the fabric making them standout beautifully. This is such a great novelty print skirt!! I am wearing my Heart of Haute Lily top in red and added my vintage Poodle purse and red heels. This outfit is perfect for the Autumn and winter and not too heavy as all the fabrics breathe. Even my my fluff ball Bichon Frise puppy dog Luna decided to join in for some pictures!!