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Tag: 1950’s fashion

Juli Lynne Charlot-The Creator of the Poodle Skirt

When people think of 1950s fashions, the first thing that pops into their head, is the Poodle Skirt. This iconic fashion piece took the world by storm in the 1950s and remains a beloved symbol of the era to this day.

1950s vintage photo of a model in a poodle skirt posing with a poodle.

BUT! Did you know that the creator of the poodle skirt, Juli Lynne Charlot JUST passed away at the age of 101 on March 3rd, 2024? It’s true as you can see from the screen grab from the New York Times. Sad news, but what a long life!

Now after I saw this news (special shoutout to my amazing sister-in-law who brought this to my attention), I realized that I have never done a blog post on Juli before. Why? I have zero clue but today that all changes!

Let’s learn all about Juli Lynne Charlot’s fashion design path, see her creations and also view some items that are available for sale at the time of this post.

Let the fun begin!

Photo of the creator of the 1950s Poodle Skirt-Juli Lynn Charlot who lived to be a 101. She is posing with the famous poodle skirt.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

NOTE: If you click on any of the items featured below and they are not available, don’t fret! Hit the search button and see what else is on the websites. There are 1000’s and 1000’s of items being listed daily.


Juli’s Early Life

1940s vintage photo of Juli Lynn Charlot, the creator of the Poodle Skirt in her early days as an actress & singer. Love her hair flower in her 1940s hairstyle.
  • Born Shirley Ann Agin on October 26, 1922, in Manhattan, New York.
  • At the age of 13, she started voice lessons. She had dreams of becoming an opera singer and would eventually change her name to be more “diva like”.
  • When she was a child, her family moved to Southern California. There, her father, an electrician, and her mother, an embroiderer, plied their trades at Hollywood studios.
  • She attended ‘Hollywood High School’ with friends like Judy Garland, Ann Miller & Lana Turner.
  • After high school, Juli participated alongside the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera as a singer and also sang with an orchestra directed by Xavier Cugat.
  • She made her Broadway debut in 1945 in the Victor Herbert operetta “The Red Mill,” and was cast as a singer in the 1946 film comedy “Night in Paradise.” (source)
  • Throughout her performing years, she designed her own wardrobe. Because she had refused to learn to sew (“I didn’t want to be a drudge, like my mother”), she hired a seamstress to realize her designs in cloth (source).

Juli also performed with the Marx Brothers, who asked her to tour with them at several military bases during World War II (source).

1940s photo: Juli Lynne Charlot, wearing a dress of her own design, with Harpo Marx.

1940s vintage photo of Juli Lynne Charlot (the creator of the poodle skirt), wearing a dress of her own design, with Harpo Marx.
  • She also loved love and was married four times, “to two millionaires, a royal count and a Baron”.

Juli the Fashion Designer

In 1947, at age 25, Charlot was invited to a Christmas party in Los Angeles and planned to create a dress for the event. Having little money (her current husband, Philip Charlot had lost his job around this time & Juli was no longer a working singer), she decided to make her own skirt to wear, instead. 

“I couldn’t sew seams,” recalled Juli Lynne Charlot, “so I cut a circle with a hole in the middle, put it on a waistband and had my skirt.”

Spokesman.com

“If I had known how to sew, or had the money to purchase better materials, I would have never made the circle skirt.”

Wikipedia
1950s Fashion: A Christmas Holiday Circle Skirt designed by Julie Lynn Charlot the creator of the Poodle Skirt
A Christmas Holiday Circle Skirt designed by Julie Lynn Charlot (seen in the first image)

The Skirt:  Charlot’s mother owned a factory which used felt, which allowed her to use that material. It was also the height of the New Look when fabric restrictions were lifted and skirts got fuller and longer. So Juli added some Christmas motif appliques to the skirt and went off to the party.

A week later, Charlot made two more circle skirts due to how wonderful they turned out. She took them to a Beverly Hills, California boutique just prior to Christmas 1947. They were sold immediately; this started the Juli Lynne Charlot California company (great logo typography btw) (source).

Source: Etsy-VINTAGEVAVAVOOMZ

The Iconic Poodle Skirt Is Born

After Christmas 1947, the boutique requested a non-holiday motif. They figured that dogs were popular so it was suggested that Juli Lynne make a dog-themed skirt.  She came up with the idea of three dachshunds: two females and a male.  The first dog was a flirty girl, the seconds one was a girl with her nose stuck in the air, and the third was the male who was trying to get to the flirty girl.  But all the leashes became intertwined so the boy dog could only get to the stuck up girl (Source-Vintage Traveler).

The skirts at the boutique in Beverly Hills were quite popular and sold out; in early 1948, Charlot designed a similar skirt with poodles, which was more successful than the previous skirts based on dachshunds (source).

The Poodle Skirt is born!

1950s Fashion / 1950s Vintage Photo of Juli Lynne Charlot the designer of the Poodle skirt wearing her design.
Juli Lynn Charlot in one of her first Poodle Skirt designs

Poodle Skirts & More!

Due to the incredible popularity of the skirts, Ms. Charlot soon had a poodle-skirt factory. She made skirts adorned with images of frogs and lily pads, Parisian street scenes, galloping racehorses, cascading flowers and champagne glasses and pink elephants, along with coordinating blouses, sweaters, dresses, hats and handbags.

Exclusive department stores, including Bullock’s Wilshire in Los Angeles, Neiman Marcus in Dallas and Bergdorf Goodman in New York, were carrying her designs. And by the early 1950s, her skirts were selling for about $35 apiece — some $400 in today’s money (source).

1950s Fashion: a 1950s Felt Circle skirt with a Paris scene designed by poodle skirt creator Juli Lynne Charlot
1950s Fashion: a 1950s Felt Circle skirt with flowers designed by poodle skirt creator Juli Lynne Charlot

Example of a sweater designed by Juli, a 1950s vintage novelty cardigan. Incredibly detailed applique throughout of a lively travel scene – mountains, buildings, boats and floral blooms (avail for sale at time of posting).

1950s Fashion: A Juli Lynn Charlot, 1950s vintage novelty cardigan. Incredibly detailed applique throughout of a lively travel scene - mountains, buildings, boats and floral blooms.

Source: Etsy-bellofbow

Charlot’s designs were so successful that one of them appeared in a national ad campaign for Maidenform bras in 1952 (seen below). Leading Designer Patterns, a mail order pattern company, also released one of her designs.

Juli was a huge success!

1950s vintage ad from 1952 for Maidenform bra's featuring a woman wearing a 1950s bra and a Juli Lynne Charlot Circle skirt. Juli was the creator of the poodle skirt.

Source: Pinterest

The skirts seemed to celebrate the postwar optimism in the United States and offer a canvas for the 1950s flood of consumer kitsch. The poodle skirt, especially for teen girls, also was a chance for an important style statement: I’m not wearing what my mom wore (source).

1950s vintage photo of two young girls in 1950s fashions. One girl is wearing jeans and plaid shirt and the other is wearing a felt circle skirt with an applique on it and saddle shoes.

Copycats Everywhere!

1950s vintage photo of a young woman in a 1950s circle skirt with poinsettias on the skirt putting decorations on a Aluminum Christmas Tree.

When one becomes popular, especially in the world of fashion, it is only a matter of time before others copy the designs. From mail order catalogues, to at home sewers (so many vintage sewing patterns out there), the skirts were seen everywhere! Especially because anyone could easily make it.

1950s vintage photo of a teenage girl in a circle skirt with Elvis Presley name on the skirt. The Circle Skirt aka the Poodle Skirt was originally created by Juli Lynn Charlot
A teenage girl wearing a circle skirt with Elvis Presley’s name on it.

Vintage 1950s Teenage circle skirt with poodle applique.

1950s vintage sewing pattern: 1950s Teen Age Circle Skirt with Poodle Applique

Source: Etsy-CloesCloset

1950s catalog page featuring a pretty felt circle skirt with floral applique and on the right a sewing pattern for women’s heart applique circle skirts (and one with just lines).

1950s fashion for young women as seen in this 1950s catalog page for 1950s circle skirt with floral applique and a women 1950s top and skirt.
1950s women's circle skirt vintage sewing pattern featuring circle skirts with hearts on them.

1956 Toronto Metropolitan University Fashion Design students sporting their own circle skirt designs.

Fun fact! I graduated from the fashion marketing program at TMU in 2003.

1950s vintage photo: 1956 Toronto Metropolitan University Fashion Design students sporting their own circle skirt designs with fun appliques on them. Like televisions and the Eiffel tower.

Juli’s Later Life

While in Mexico in the 1980s, Charlot took interest in a classic Mexican wedding dress and decided to create variations on it. This resulted in her purchase of a manufacturing plant in Mexico City to produce and export these dresses worldwide. The factory later collapsed during the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, forcing her to abandon the dress business (source).

Charlot died at her home in Tepoztlán on March 3, 2024, at age 101.

The Poodle Skirts Legacy

In later years, the poodle skirt became visual shorthand for the entire decade. Even now, a production of “Grease” or “Bye Bye Birdie” can scarcely be mounted without one in evidence (source).

I know when I worked as a waitress a 50’s diner in my hometown, we all wore poodle skirts as our uniform. Nothing else was an option.

Further Reading: Mini Guide To Holding The Ultimate 1950’s Themed Party

Butterick Sewing pattern-Children / Youth / Teen Sewing Pattern Girls' Circle Skirt / poodle skirt. Perfect for your next 1950s themed party, sock hop, kids party.

Source: Etsy-FindCraftyPatterns

Further Examples of Juli Lynne Charlot Circle Skirt Creations

1950s Fashion: a 1950s Felt Circle skirt with pink elephants with martini glasses designed by poodle skirt creator Juli Lynne Charlot

The Pink Elephant Circle Skirt-Source: New York Times

Would you like to own a stunning ‘Romeo and Juliet’ 1950s felt circle skirt designed by Juli Lynn Charlot that was ALSO seen on the late Queen Elizabeth II? Well as of the time of this posting, you could!

The story of this skirt & Queen Elizabeth II:

The time was 1951, and the place was Ottawa, where the woman was attending a hoedown at the home of Canada’s governor general. At 25, she had never seen a hoedown, and was tutored privately in its mysteries before the dancing began.

The woman, attired in a steel blue circle skirt by Ms. Charlot appliquéd with hearts, flowering branches and stylized figures of Romeo and Juliet, acquitted herself admirably, according to news reports.

Her name was Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, and she would be known from the next year on as Queen Elizabeth II (source).

1950s vintage photo of Queen Elizabeth in a Juli Lynn Charlot 1950s Felt Skirt with appliques at a square dance in the 50s
1950s Fashion: A 1950s Circle Skirt with appliques featuring a Romeo and Juliet design by Juli Lynn Charlot, the creator of the poodle skirt.

Source: Etsy-VINTAGEVAVAVOOMZ

Vintage 1950s felt circle skirt with Samba Dancers and Palm Trees.

1950s Fashion: Vintage 1950s Skirt - Authentic Juli Lynne Charlot Felt Circle Skirt with Samba Dancers and Palm Trees - Rio. Juli was the creator of the Poodle Skirt.

Source: Etsy-FabGabs

Chess Game 1950’s felt skirt. All of the appliques are decorated with sequins and beads.

1950s Fashion: Juli Lynne Charlot Chess Game -1950's Felt circle Skirt. Juli was the creator of the Poodle Skirt

Source: 1stdibs.com

Last but not least a Fun Liz fact! I own my own 1950s vintage felt circle skirt that I picked up years ago at an amazing vintage store in Toronto, called ‘Gadabout‘. It has a giant accordion, musical notes and a conductor. It’s a prized possession in my small but mighty vintage clothing collection. Take a look at a video I made of the skirt below (video link).

Liz Note: After looking at the quality of these skirts from this post, I am beginning to wonder if my skirt was a Juli Lynn Charlot design? There is no tag but the skirt is incredibly well made. If anyone knows, please comment below!

@tovintagelizzie I love Accordions! Especially on a 1950s true vintage circle skirt in my collection. 🎶 #1950s #1950sfashion #accordion #vintagetiktok ♬ Music Box Polka – George Staiduhar

Further Reading: Interview with Juli from the Vintage Traveler


Thank you for taking the time to read all about Juli, who was an incredible woman who struck gold with an idea that was just simple in it’s design. I am happy to have been able to of shared her story.

Question Time: Did you wear a poodle skirt / circle skirt? Own one? Hate them, love them? Share any thoughts on this topic in the comment section below.

Further Reading from the Vintage Inn Blog (archived posts):

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

Vintage Fashion Spotlight: Vicky Vaughn

Are you ready to take a chic step back in time to the 1950s and 1960s? When Vicky Vaughn Junior Fashions were the must-have for stylish young people around the country. From a variety of pastel-colored, boxy plaid skirts to the classic form-fitting sheath dress, Vicky Vaughn was a popular go-to designer.

In this article, you’ll learn the history of this fashion line, see the vintage ads and be mesmerized by the stunning real life examples of 1950s & 1960s dresses.

Let’s begin!

1950s Fashion: 1950s Vicky Vaughn Junior Early 50s Fit & Flare with wide strips in brown, blue, grey and white.

Source: Bobbins & Bombshells


Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

NOTE: If you click on any of the items featured below and they are not available, don’t fret! Hit the search button and see what else is on the websites. There are 1000’s and 1000’s of items being listed daily.


Vintage Fashion Spotlight: Vicky Vaughn

Vicky Vaughn History

Vicky Vaughn was the junior division of R & M Kaufmann, Inc in Aurora, Illinois (NOT an actual designer).  The Kaufman brothers began making ladies dresses in the 1920s.  They built their business by producing high quality but moderately priced dresses and sleepwear.  The company was able to keep prices low by mass producing garments in their own factories.  In fact, their motto was “Only the LOOK is expensive.”  Sales grew steadily through the use of full page advertisements in Seventeen, Mademoiselle and Charm magazines as well as the use of live television commercials on shows such as “Beat the Clock.”  The Kaufmann’s also produced the Toni Todd line for misses sizes.  The company was sold to Russ Togs in 1969 (Source).

Vintage 1950s & 1960s Fashion Advertising

1951 fashion ad featuring some pretty fantastic 1950s dresses.

Oh my, they are all so beautiful, I just don’t know which one I would pick!

1950s Fashion Advertisement featuring Three 1950s Vicky Vaughn Junior Dresses.

Source: Pinterest

“Campus Cottons from Vicky Vaughn”. 1953 fashion ad.

I simply adore all these dress styles (especially the green one).

1950s Fashion: "Campus Cottons from Vicky Vaughn". 1953 fashion ad featuring beautiful 1950s dresses.

Source: Pinterest

1956 fashion ad featuring dresses in the prettiest of summer plaid (checks).

1950s Fashion: 1956 fashion ad featuring Vicky Vaughn dresses in the prettiest of summer plaid (checks). Pretty 1950s dresses.

Source: Pinterest

‘Tippi’ Hedren modeling a Vicky Vaughn dress (1954).

Note: The next photo is the leaf dress for sale RIGHT NOW! It’s more stunning in real life!

1950s Fashion Ad: 'Tippi' Hedren modeling Vicky Vaughn fashion (1954)

Source: Pinterest

A 1950s black and white check sleeveless cotton wiggle dress with scoop neck. The dress features leaf shaped appliques (dress is in the above ad). FANTASTIC!

1950s Fashion: A 1950s Vicky Vaughn black and white check sleeveless cotton wiggle dress with scoop neck. The dress features leaf shaped appliques. So Cute!

Source: Etsy – Nightofjoyvintage

The bigger the skirt, the cutier the dress gets. 1955 fashion ad featuring three outstanding full skirt dresses.

1950s Fashion Ad from 1955 featuring Vicky Vaughn 1950s dresses. Big Full skirts on the dresses with the prettiest of patterns.

1958 fashion ad. The dress with the bows is so lovely.

1950s fashion Ad from 1958 featuring Vicky Vaughn dresses. A Fit & Flare Dress and a two piece skirt and oversized top.

“Red Carpet looks with a spanish feel’ – 1960s vintage fashion ad (possibly 1960).

1960s Fashion Ad for Vicky Vaughn Junior 1960s (possibly 1960s) Dresses.

Source: Pinterest

1960 ad featuring 1960s dresses perfect for spring time rides on a bike.

1960s fashion ad for Vicky Vaughn dresses featuring 1960 Fit and Flare Dresses perfect for spring time.

Source: Pinterest

1960s Fashion Ad for Vicky Vaughn 1968 jersey shift dresses.

So fun! Love the Monopoly themed ad.

1960s Fashion Ad for Vicky Vaughn 1968 Jersey Shift Dresses featuring a Monopoly themed ad.

Source: Flickr

Marian McKnight, Miss America 1957, in John Wolf’s Everglaze taffetized cotton dress by Vicky Vaughn Juniors for R. & M. Kaufman (Source).

1950s Photo: Marian McKnight, Miss America 1957, in John Wolf's Everglaze taffetized cotton dress by Vicky Vaughn Juniors for R. & M. Kaufman

Sourve: Digital.hagley.org

Real Life Vintage Vicky Vaughn Junior Dress Examples


Note: I have put together a collection on ETSY of Vicky Vaughn dresses that is updated monthly).  eBay also has these dresses available if you don’t find what your looking for on Etsy.


1950s Vicky Vaughn turquoise halter dress with matching bolero and belt with tassel embroidery.

1950s fashion: 1950s Vicky Vaughn turquoise halter dress with matching bolero and belt with tassel embroidery.

Source: Etsy – ScoutedVintage

1950s Vicky Vaughn Tulips dress as seen in the vintage advertisement from the same time period. I LOVE when the matching ad is found (or catalog page).

1950s Fashion: 1950s Vicky Vaughn Tulips dress as seen in a 1950s vintage advertisement.
1950s Fashion: 1950s Vicky Vaughn Tulips dress

Source: Etsy – Vintagevavavoomz

1950’s lemon meringue color, embroidered shelf-bust full skirt dress with semi-sheer peekaboo panel. Adorable!

1950s Fashion: vintage 1950's dress ...pretty VICKY VAUGHN lemon meringue color, embroidered shelf-bust full skirt dress with semi-sheer peekaboo panel

Source: Etsy – traven7

Darling vintage 1950s classic Vicky Vaughn fit and flare style dress in 2 layers – blue floral acetate/nylon with matching blue floral nylon chiffon overlay.

1950s Fashion: Darling vintage 1950s classic Vicky Vaughn fit and flare style dress in 2 layers - blue floral acetate/nylon with matching blue floral nylon chiffon overlay.

Source: Etsy – RetrouverBizVintage

1950s Vicky Vaughn turquoise blue cotton fit & flare dress.

1950s Fashion: Lovely turquoise blue cotton dress / Vicky
Vaughn 1950’s fit & flare dress - button front with side metal zipper - eyelet embroidered bodice - full pleated skirt bottom - Bloused top with full sleeves button closure on sleeves -  The perfect spring summer dress in vibrant color!

Source: Etsy – DarlingDawnVintage

Gorgeous coral pink early 1950s cotton frock by Vicky Vaughn Junior. Charming big patch pockets, white appliqué.

1950s Fashion: Gorgeous coral pink 1940s/ early 1950s cotton frock by Vicky Vaughn Junior. Charming big patch pockets, white appliqué.

Source: Etsy – SkirtChaserVintageLA

1950s scarf print dress with the cutest bows on the shoulders.

1950s Fashion: 1950s Vicky Vaughn Scarf Print Dress with a full skirt and bows on the shoulders.

Source: dethrosevintage.com

1960s Vicky Vaughn mini dress in a pretty light blue with a cute bow at the waist and lace on the cuffs and waistline.

1960s Fashion: 1960s Vicky Vaughn Mini Dress in a pretty light blue with a cute bow at the waist and lace on the cuffs and waistline.

Source: Etsy – BackToCamelotVintage

Adorable vintage 1950’s zoo animal novelty print cotton day dress.

1950s Fashion: Adorable vintage 1950's zoo animal novelty print cotton day dress.

Source: Etsy- zwzzy

1950s pink floral fit and flare dress. A fantastic cocktail dress.

1950s Fashion: 1950s pink floral fit and flare dress from Vicky Vaughn. A fantastic cocktail dress.

Source: Etsy – LoQueFueBoutiqueShop

What a fun dress! A 1960’s yellow & white lace chiffon mini GoGo dress that feels a bit 1920s.

1960s Fashion: Vicky Vaughn 1960's Yellow White Lace Chiffon Mini GoGo Dress

Source: Etsy – JellyEyesVintage

I don’t know about you, but until I stumbled upon the first dress in this post online from Bobbins & Bombshells, I had never heard of Vicky Vaughn, but boy did that dress catch my attention. STUNNING! I can now say that I’m a fan and will 100% be looking for this label when I am out vintage shopping.

Question Time: Have you heard of this fashion line? Do you own a Vicky Vaughn? What dress did you love above? Share any thoughts about this post in the comments section below.

Further Reading: