Circle skirts were popular in the 1950s, often worn with petticoats to show off their fullness while dancing to rock and roll. They remain popular today and are made from various fabrics. The skirt’s design reflects the end of fabric restrictions after WWII, and Mexican circle skirts became collectible. The skirt is flattering on most figures and has been worn by Audrey Hepburn and featured in designs by Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander McQueen. Patterns and tutorials are available for making circle skirts.
Circle skirts reached their heyday in the 1950s, and their classic statement silhouette is an iconic image of fashion from that era. The skirt is named for its construction from a circular piece of fabric, with a cutout at the center of the waist. Classic photographs from the 1950s show women seated, viewed from above, with the full circle of their skirts drawn around them to show off the design. Poodle skirts are one of the most well-known styles of the skirt, made from wool felt and decorated with appliqués, embroidery, and other embellishments. These skirts have remained popular both as vintage fashion clothing and as inspiration for new fashion trends.
If the design of the skirt is an example of form following function, then the function of this skirt is to dance. The rise in popularity of the circle skirt coincided with the rise in popularity of rock and roll music. Skirts were particularly popular with teenage boys, and the uniform of a typical teenage girl attending a sock dance in the 1950s was a sweater, poodle skirt, socks, and saddle shoes. The dances of that time were energetic, and the fullness of the skirt would be displayed to its best advantage, swirling around the dancer as she moved. Teenagers generally wore petticoats under their skirts to show off the highly decorative designs.
Vintage designs often reflect the trends of an era. The fashion of the early 1950s was a reflection of the end of restrictions placed on fabric during World War II, and skirts were fuller and had a lower hem than the pencil skirts popular in the 1940s. There was also an increase in travel to exotic locations, and Mexico became a popular tourist destination for travelers from the United States. Mexican circle skirts of the 1950s and 1960s became highly collectible fashion items.
The circle skirt’s appeal wasn’t limited to the teen ensemble. These skirts have broad appeal to women of all ages, as they are flattering on most figures and show off a woman’s legs. Audrey Hepburn wore a simple circle skirt, without a petticoat, in the movie Roman Holiday. These skirts have continued to appear periodically in popular trends, with the designs made popular by designers such as Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander McQueen.
In addition to felt typically used for poodle skirts, cotton, silk, muslin, and organdy are common fabric choices for constructing a circle skirt. Cotton and felt are particularly easy to work with, while more expensive fabrics are popular for formal designs because they flow and move beautifully. There are many patterns and tutorials available for making a circle skirt, in books and online. A true circle skirt can be made from a single piece of fabric with no seams. Variations on the basic design include the 1/2 and 3/4 circle skirts.
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