Why did they wear poodle skirts in the

The poodle skirt is a garment that became popular in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Invented in the 1930s, the poodle skirt emerged shortly after World War II as an extension of the full skirts from that period, which would go on to inform fashion trends for the next two decades.

Teenagers from the post-war era, many of whom had lived through the Great Depression and rationing during World War II, gravitated to the lively color, fullness and pleating of the poodle skirt and its matching sweater as symbol of optimism and affluence. They further personalized the skirts with sewn-on designs and images using felt and rickrack. Poodle skirts were also widely popular among college women and were frequently featured in women's magazines.