Popularised by Lucille Ball in the 1950s, the poodle cut sees its wearer brush their curls (natural or faux) into a giant pouff on top of their head – with the goal of very much resembling a best in show prize-winning poodle. As with most hair trends, the style is closely linked to wider trends in contemporary fashion and culture; the era saw women stop wearing hats, which meant there was more opportunity for hairstyles that involved voluminous silhouettes. The 1950s was also a boom time for the beauty salon, thanks to an empowered female workforce and rapid advances in technology that allowed services like perms to become more accessible and affordable. Spending hours in the salon getting the poodle look was now very much an option for those with the time, lifestyle and budget to do so – and with I Love Lucy one of the most-watched programmes in America at the time, it’s no wonder Lucille’s curly style became quite so popular.