The woman that started off this fiery iconic trend, was Juli Lynne Charlot, who made her first appliqud skirt using felt material that was freely available from the factory her mother owned. Because times were hard and fashion wasn't exactly a roaring success (or affordable), Juli was forced to come up with her own creation to wear on Christmas day.
Passionate about fashion and beautiful clothes, Juli spun a modest-looking skirt made from felt with appliqus of Christmas motifs. This marked the beginning of a fashion rage that did so well, boutiques were showing off her creations in no time. Because dogs were a popular thing of the '50s, she was asked to include poodles as part of the skirt's design - giving birth to the all too familiar poodle skirt.
Her skirts told a story that she encouraged store owners to learn of, so that customers had a tale to tell as part of their lovely purchase. Her idea to instill a sense of personal appeal to her skirts with stories, was what made them extra special. They were voluptuous, full skirts with hemlines that grazed the knees or were a little longer. This DIY of a poodle skirt will give you a crisp, clean tutorial of how to make this all on your own.
How to Make a Poodle Skirt at Home
What You'll Need
- 1 large square piece of felt
- Measuring tape
- Velcro stick-ons
- Fabric-appropriate glue
- Scissors
- Sewing thread and needle (or machine)
- Appliqu options (of your choice; or poodles)
- Poodle printout (outline)
- Small pieces of felt in different colors
- Decorative ribbon (for poodle leash)
- Large chart paper
Poodle Skirt Measurements (Figure 1)
Use the measuring tape to measure your waist; write down the measurement, but add two inches to that number. Next, take the measurement of how long you want the skirt to be, and make a note of that too. On the chart paper, mark the two measurements using a pencil (as seen in figure 1) and then cut it down to size into a circle; it should resemble what you see in the diagram. Place this circular cutout on the large felt fabric piece, following the markings to make a replica of the circular felt.
The purpose of adding two inches to your measurement, is so the fabric can wrap itself a little bit around your waist. The material should now be a solid circle, with a hole in the middle (like a donut). See the arrow in the first figure that runs down from the waist measurement to the length measurement? Cut along that line on any one side.
Like a wraparound skirt, fold it around you and mark the spot where the fabric flap ends - this is where you will place your Velcro stick-ons. If you're good at sewing, you can put a colorful, decorative button instead. The next step is to use the poodle printout as a reference outline for the smaller felt material pieces. You can buy ready-made poodle appliqus, or any sort of motif that piques your interest. Once you have your cutouts ready, you can either sew the poodle onto the skirt, or use the glue as an easier alternative.
Diagram of Poodle Skirt (Figure 2)
Next, glue the decorative ribbon into place (as seen in figure 2). You can use an elastic belt/sequined ribbon to create a cinched-in look at the waist; this addition works wonders for those who want to show off a whittled waist. You could leave the poodle skirt as it is and continue to include optional finishing touches like, beaded eyes for the poodle appliqu, or glitter/stones along the ribbon.
The final step is to sew the rough ends of your skirt - which you can choose to leave as it is, as mentioned earlier - if you aren't finicky about perfect edges. Once you sew the ends of your skirt, you can now step back and admire your work and add more details to the skirt, if you wish. Feel free to experiment with patterns, colors, quirky motifs, sequin, lace, and whatever else comes to mind, to give your skirt a truly unique take on the classic poodle skirt.
While the quintessential poodle skirt comes with coiffured French poodles, you can always take it to the next level and do your own thing. With time, you'll find ways to turn mere fabric into a masterpiece of sorts. Enjoy your '50s creation.
