Lets Talk Fashion: The Circle Skirt

Over here at Rockamilly, we bring to you our new blog series ‘Lets Talk Fashion!’. Every week, we shall bring you a new year & new clothing item throughout the late forties to the swinging sixties & bring you all its cherished history to whom designed it, how it came about and how we wear it today! I hope you will join us throughout this series and learn a whole lot more about those gorgeous items sitting in your wardrobe! We begin with the ‘Circle Skirt’ – a staple item to release your inner silver starlet!

The iconic circle skirt. The shape and high waist is what you think of when it comes to the 1950’s. Its a ‘classic’ for any vintage loving girl & became famous, all thank to Christian Dior in 1947 with his ‘New Look‘.

During WW2, fabric & fashion was very much stretched, bringing about ‘Make Do & Mend’. By 1947, Paris had re-gained its fashion houses and grew back its reputation of couture fashion, primarily from Diors ‘New Look’. It brought back femininity & glamour. From what was known during & even before the war, fashion consisted of structure, box shoulders and straight shapes. A whole new era began with this new silhouette – showing off the woman figure, emphasising the waist & bust, with longer skirts and a wider hem. At first, it didn’t take off outside of Paris, America the first to resist the new founded silhoutte.

Christian Diors ‘New Look’ collection was his first for S/S47. This collection went down in fashion history with Harper Bazaar saying “It’s such a New Look!”. It revived the fashion of Paris! Dior is said to of used up to 20 yards of gorgeous fabric for one skirt, which in those times, wasn’t heard of due to the rationing of fabric. This brought about its own tribulations as people were unhappy with the amount of fabric he was using due to the fabric shortage and woman didn’t like that there legs were now covered up, which was unpopular for then.  However, Dior wasn’t phased & he styled his look with petticoats, hip padding, corsets and boned bodices, which all helped to achieve the ‘flare’. He is known to of said, about his collection, “I have designed flower women.”

The ‘New Look’ continued to grow in popularity and brought about new beginnings, not only in fabric usage or a ladys outer wardrobe, but with intimate garments. To achieve such a nipped in, yet curvy silhoutte, waspies, girdles and horsehair padding became essentials for a full skirt! Diors new collection introduced a whole new Nylon, doubled the sales of corsets & a new bra revolution which we now call the ‘bullet’ bra.

In America, they had the ‘poodle skirt’ & even though it looks uncanny to Diors full circle skirt, they are different. The Poodle Skirt was designed by Juli Lynne Charlot in the 50’s and soon became a classic for teenage girls to wear with a pair of white socks & a good pair of brogues! Unlike Diors circle skirt, the poodle was super easy to make at home due to not needing a huge amount of fabric or equipment! It was also made from felt with a applique rather than Diors extravagant fabrics.
The poodle skirt is a memorable symbol for America and is still popularly worn today or used in films for costume.

Here at Rockamilly, we sell a selection of circle skirts. The circle skirt is something you can wear up or down, depending on the print and fabric of the skirt.  It such a versatile piece and why its still so hugely popular. Not only does it have versatility, it gives you a fabulous shape with or without a petticoat. Its perfect for an effortlessly stylish outfit. So, why don’t you show us your circle skirts! Its a piece made to be shown off…

Thanks for reading Rockamillies!

xo