Fear not the poodle skirt

Outfit details
White stretch headband: Claire's
Black rhinestone earrings: Payless
Black knit top: Thrifted (Value Village)
White lace trimmed cotton camisole: Fairweather Black cinch belt: Hip Hop 50s Style
Royal blue poodle skirt: Hip Hop 50s Style White lace trimmed crinoline: Pettiskirt Style
Black and white plastic bangles: Claire's (the black ones at least, I know were from there)
White 1950s gloves: Gift from a dear vintage loving friend ♥
Black vintage patent handbag (not seen, used earlier in the day): etsy seller A Vintage Revival
Black opaque tights: Arden
White pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Antonio Cangiano  

♥ ♥ ♥

There are, undoubtedly, few items of clothing more iconic or evocative of the 1950s than the poodle skirt. Though circular skirts with wide sweeps were by no means a new fashion invention by the time the fifties rolled around (in recent times, Dior and his gorgeous New Look had already been employing them heavily from 1947 onward), it was American actress/singer/designer Juli Lynne Charlot who is credited with the invention of the the poodle skirt as we know it today (also in 1947), which she whipped up to wear to a holiday party.

Not being a sewer herself, she simply cut a large circle of felt, then a smaller one for her waist to fit through, and appliquéd Christmas trees onto it. Others who saw her delightful creation quickly wanted a similar skirt of their own which lead Juli to start selling them, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Commonly (both at the time and to this day) made from sturdy felt with an appliquéd poodle with or without a leash and collar (or other design, such a cats, horses, birds, flowers records and/or music notes, to name but a few), towards the hem of the skirt, there are few the world over who haven't at least seen a picture of a poodle skirt.

{A fabulous trio of 1950s poodle style felt skirts featuring fun novelty appliqués. Image via The Vintage Dancer's terrific post on the history of 1950s skirts.}


So tied to the 1950s are they in fact, that they've long been called into play as a quick and easy way to represent the look for Halloween and costume party ensembles, and as such some of us for whom mid-century vintage looks constitute our everyday attire, and is in no way costume-y in our eyes, tend to sidestep away from wearing poodle skirts (if you've already got everyone and their dog asking you when you go out if you're headed to a costume party, aka fancy dress party, there can be a bit of a natural aversion to wearing items that are all the more costume-esque in the eyes of the non-vintage sporting public).

I know that, as much as I truly love poodle skirts (the first "repro" item I ever had was a pink and white gingham poodle skirt that my mother made for me at my request, yes, for Halloween, when I was six years old and which I proceeded to wear once I got home after school nearly every day until I was nine years old), thus had been the case for me. One could find numerous 1950s circle skirts in my closet at anytime, but there was nary a poodle adorned one in sight (much as I'd thought about buying one plenty of times over the years).

As such, I was really excited when the fine folks at online retailer Hip Hop 50s Shop contacted me a little earlier this year to see if I'd be interested in receiving and reviewing one of their poodle skirts. I let them know right off the bat that I'd be styling it in a real world 1950s way, not a modern Halloween 50s inspired way, and they were completely on board with that, so things took off from there.

Boasting a wide range of colours, Hip Hop's poodle skirts are available in both adult and children's sizes. Adult skirts on their own (the site also offers poodle skirt outfits) retail for a very reasonable $32.99, children's are $24.99. There were many colours that called my name, but the gorgeous royal blue that you see in today's photos won out for me in the end. It's a hue that I adore, but own little of at the moment, so it felt like a really good choice.

In addition to poodle skirts and cinch belts, Hip Hop 50s Style also offers a range of related garments and accessories, including nylon net crinolines, fun jewelry, classic black and white saddle shoes, a rainbow of chiffon scarves (something that I really need to buy more of myself in the coming year), cute poodle tops, and charming cat's eye glasses.

As well, one can find a small assortment of vintage inspired dresses that channel a great 50s vibe. Hip Hop 50s Style has shared with me that they're looking to branch out into offering more vintage appropriate/repro style garments such as these dresses, which will no doubt appeal to many a mid-century wearer.

My skirt arrived in good time, was very well packaged and even came with a surprise gift, the classic black elastic cinch belt that I wore with it here (which I just love and, believe it or not, didn't own one of, because the risk of the nickel, which I'm very allergic to, in the belt used on belts like that had scared me away from buying one before). I can honestly say that the quality of this felt poodle skirt is excellent. It features a sturdy, flexible black elastic waistband, high quality felt, a charming white poodle appliqué, a rickrack leash that's stitched on (not merely glued or just tacked down, as those on many store bought poodle skirts tend to be), and a full, wonderful sweep that easily allowed me to get one of my beloved Pettiskirt Style crinolines underneath.

This past weekend Tony and I had taken a day trip to the small town of Armstrong, which is about an hour and forty-five minutes away (more on what we did, and where we shopped, there will be featured in a post of its own at some point in the new year that I'm really looking forward to writing). As many of you know, such a trek is tricky for me because of my health at the best of times and when I make journeys of such a length, comfortable vintage clothes are a must. I'm happy to say that this skirt was as comfortable as a cloud, while (thanks to the fact that it's felt) not wrinkling in the slightest during the whole trip.

As well, it was wonderfully warm, especially when worn over opaque black tights and a crinoline, as I did here. The temperature outside that day was at about freezing, but it might as well have been a balmy May day as far as my legs were concerned. A black vintage appropriate thin knit top with monochromatic fabric flowers that I thrifted last year atop a white lace trimmed cami, classic white pumps, three lovely fauceted plastic bangles, the cinch belt from Hip Hop 50s Shop, a simple white headband, and one of my favourite vintage purses rounded out the ensemble.

By the time we got home, night had fallen and sleet was coming down in buckets, so we opted to shoot against a narrow white paper photograph's background that we have downstairs in our basement. I'm really glad that we did actually, because it allowed the poodle skirt to be the star of the show here, without any kind of distraction going on in the photos.

Though I did get four "Are you going to a costume party?" type questions from strangers while out and about that day, they didn't actually phase me any more than the when I'm asked the same question while wearing other vintage, repro or vintage appropriate garments. In fact, it felt really good to rock a poodle skirt again for the first time since I was about 14 years old and I couldn't help but feel a little silly about not adding one to my current vintage wardrobe sooner. They're cute as a button, warm, comfortable, easy to style in a myriad of directions, and just plain enjoyable to wear - I'll readily admit to taking more than one twirl in mine that day, just to watch its generous shape fan out in the icy breeze.

Even though poodle skirts have come to be seen as more costume-y than many other garments from that era, that doesn't mean you need to shy away from them, if they're a style that you adore. If you want to tone down their inherent costume quality, try partnering yours with a cardigan or twin set, halter or bustier top, 1950s blouse or shirt, vintage or vintage appropriate stockings and shoes, and your hair styled in a fifties approved manner (instead of "just" a ponytail, which can often read as Halloween-y, especially if you tie a scarf around your neck or ponytail itself).

Add some great vintage jewelry, a handbag and, if so desired, gloves and/or a hat, and you're good to go. While women of all ages wore felt circle skirts in the 50s, the iconic poodle skirt was most often donned by teenagers and very young women, so if you're wearing one, keep its youthful vibe in mind when styling the rest of your ensemble.

There's a reason after all, why the poodle skirt remained as such an integral symbol of the 1950s in the decades that followed: they're fun, beautiful, and representative of the teenage culture and styles that really emerged in full force in a way never before seen during the fifties. And though they may sometimes be seen as costume-y today, that's no reason not to sport one yourself. Many people who don't wear vintage themselves already see our attire in that light anyhow (unfortunately), so what difference does it make if you add another yesteryear style to your wardrobe that falls into that camp anyways? None, I tell you, none at all.

I love that my closet now houses a well made, classically lovely poodle skirt. It's not genuine vintage, but it channels the spirit and look of those from the 50s splendidly. I really want to thank Hip Hop 50s Style for providing me with this beautiful royal blue poodle skirt to review. I sincerely appreciate it and eagerly look forward to wearing my skirt in many different outfits in the months and years to come - with plenty of twirling involved each time. :)