This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I have always admired Aris Allen’s 1930’s heeled oxford, it’s such a lovely shoe. Here’s a pair, new in box, on eBay in a size 8. Starting price is $34.99, about half the price of ordering a new pair from Dancestore.com.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
As I was packing for Lindy Focus, I was thankful that I live close enough to the event to avoid air travel – I do have a tendency to over pack. I believe some event-goers have yet to make it here due to weather and road conditions from the snow in North Carolina. Flights are delayed or canceled, luggage is lost…it’s a big mess.
Aside from lost luggage and flight cancellations, one of my least favorite parts of air travel is the limitation on liquids. I refuse to check bags, so I’m stuck stuffing my tiny travel bottles of toiletries and cosmetics into an untrustworthy ziplock bag. A couple of years ago I came across Lush‘s solid shampoos and, after trying a few of them out, determined that they not only worked as well as my regular liquid shampoo and conditioner, but they were also the perfect way to eliminate additional liquids. Shampoo and conditioner in one bar means there are two less bottles in my ziplock bag, freeing up more space for necessary liquids. Take that, TSA!
I’ve tried a few, but Lush has come out with some more solid shampoos since I purchased mine and has also stopped carrying at least one type (namely, a certain solid shampoo I bought for my husband that makes his hair smell like he’s been in front of a charcoal grill all day or smoking a pork shoulder). Yes, they look like giant microbes, but bear with me – here’s what I’ve tried and what looks promising:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
This will be my last post before I head home for the holidays, to the land of no internets. After Christmas I’ll be driving to Asheville for Lindy Focus and will hopefully be able to report back on any vendors that may be there. There are rumors of certain things that may happen in the clothing realm, so I’ll wait and see what happens at the event, but I am planning on visiting some of Asheville’s vintage clothing stores, like Hip Replacements and Ragtime Vintage Clothing.
Until then…happy holidays!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
For the most part, apparel from the French Connection is not in Lindy Shopper’s budget, but if we’re talking 50% off, well…we are in the realm of possibility.
This British clothing and accessories retailer has some great vintage-inspired pieces in their line right now, for both men and women. I am particularly fond of their 1940’s inspired dresses and their menswear has some nice basics, like a cotton blazer. Here’s a taste of what’s available:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Since I can’t seem to keep up with the menswear side of things enough, I’m bringing on my good friend and fellow DJ Bill Speidel as a contributor to the blog. Bill definitely has the shopping bug and not only dresses himself impeccably, but also finds amazing clothes for his lovely wife! He’s already sending me things that I’ve re-posted here, so this time you will be getting things directly from the source. Thanks, Bill!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I love magazines that do the “real” v. “steal” spreads – taking designer and runway ensembles and translating them into more affordable pieces to create the same or a similar looking ensemble. I’ve been wanting to do this on Lindy Shopper, but instead of designer, take looks from iconic Lindy Hop photographs or videos and create an ensemble using modern pieces of clothing. I love doing this for Halloween costumes, but it does take patience to find each piece.
So here we go! For the first ensemble in this series, I’m looking to A Day at the Races, the classic Marx Brothers film from 1937 featuring Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers. For the most part, the dancers appear in street clothing, but there are two follows wearing bias cut plaid skirts that really pop on the silver screen, the bold pattern contrasting with the more solid colors on the extras in the background. It’s no secret that I love plaid and this is a great use of plaid to draw attention to these two follows.
For the most part, the two outfits are the same: bias cut plaid skirt, white socks, dark shoes, and a collared blouse/sweater. The first plaid skirted follow has a low heeled t-strap shoe and a wing collared short sleeve sweater, while the second has a low heeled oxford and a collared blouse, which may or may not be under some sort of short sleeved sweater. The white socks also help draw attention to the follower’s footwork, especially with the t-straps.
It’s always interesting to see exactly what pieces come together to make up an ensemble. Sometimes it’s more simple (or more complicated) than you think. I had no trouble finding the skirt or the shoes, but the tops were quite difficult and I’m still empty handed on the lace trim collared shirt. Here’s what I was able to dig up to help achieve this look:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Remix Vintage Shoes is having a sale, which is a rare occurrence! Get 15% off ALL Remix shoes now through December 29, just in time to spend your Christmas cash or get a pair for New Year’s Eve. As an added bonus, all domestic orders over $150 will receive free shipping through December 29. Cheers to Remix for making gorgeous reproduction footwear and offering a holiday discount!
In addition to the holiday sale, the Bauhaus shoe is available for the special price of $98.00. This is a great crossover shoe for Lindy and Balboa, with a 2 inch heel.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I heard on NPR this morning that it’s the last day to send packages that will be guaranteed delivery by December 25, so here’s your last holiday item post for the year.
I love when guys wear holiday ties that are both festive and classic at the same time. So many fall victim to the novelty tie at this time of year, but there’s a way celebrate the holidays through your wardrobe without having to don Homer Simpson in a Santa suit. I found these ties at Beau Ties Ltd. of Vermont that would look great for a holiday dance or family occasion. I think the key here is subtlety, color, and repetition of pattern. For each tie you can specify width, neck size and style (freestyle, pre-tied, or clip-on). Also, for some of these items, the store offers a matching pocket square, ascot, cummerbund, and cravat.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. I ordered a dress from an online retailer and when it arrived it just didn’t fit well. Every once in a while I’ll order a dress that looks great in the photograph, but, upon arrival, was clearly made for someone 6 inches taller than me with long stems. I followed the directions to file for a return/exchange on the website, but discovered that my dress did not qualify for either a return or an exchange. I was baffled – not even an exchange? This was a first and I was certainly not warned of this consequence at checkout. What do you do with a dress you can’t return or exchange and doesn’t fit?
There’s always eBay, but I thought I’d offer it here first. I paid $70 for it, so I’d like to recoup that, but I’ll pay for the shipping. It’s a size large, which will fit 36-39 inch bust, 28-32 inch waist, and 40-43 inch hip. The dress is made by Bettie Page Clothing and it is adorable – I’ve seen it in green on both Shana Worel and Naomi Uyama and it looks like a dream. If you are interested or have any questions about the dress, please email me at caab241@gmail.com.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Every season, snow or sun, it appears that designers have forgotten how to make cute dresses with sleeves. There are notable exceptions, but the majority of the festive holiday dresses I have found this season are without sleeves, or even straps for that matter. I don’t like being cold and, when the thermometer reaches below freezing, I don’t feel right stepping out of the house without something on my shoulders, even to a dance, but I hate covering up my dress with a sweater or jacket.
Perhaps the solution lies somewhere between a bolero and a shrug – this adorable ruffled jacket, by Etsy seller dominiqueansari, covers the shoulders, leaves enough dress showing, and even enhances the loveliness of your ensemble. It reminds me of some 1930’s dress tops I’ve seen, with lovely, flattering draped ruffles over the sleeves, only you can add this jacket to any dress for the desired effect. The large sleeve openings make this jacket danceable and comfortable, with a modern nod to vintage. The Ruffled Jacket comes in 7 colors and will only set you back $39.98, plus shipping.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
‘Tis the season to get rid of your dance shoes? One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, so we don’t mind here at Lindy Shopper! Here’s this week’s eBay offerings to get your feet ready to go for the next dance:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Consider this dress the companion to the tuxedo I posted yesterday – classy, elegant, and perfect for a New Year’s Eve or Christmas cocktail party, with a starting price of $9.99 – affordable elegance at its best! I simply love beaded 1920’s dresses and this one from eBay seller malinalco is truly exceptional, with an amazing combination of beading and sequins straight from the Champs Elysees. I am at a loss for words….it’s just so beautiful!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
You could be dressed up like a million dollar trooper this holiday season in this fantastic 1930’s tuxedo, available on eBay from seller catalpa1961 with a starting bid of only $9.99! I do wish the seller had pressed the tuxedo and shirt before taking the photos, but you’ll have to imagine it after a pressing. Even with wrinkles, it’s easy to see that this tuxedo has some wonderful detailing, like the satin lapels, satin stripe down the leg, double breasted coat and vest, and, my favorite detail, checkerboard satin covered buttons on the coat and vest. This tuxedo has the rare added bonus of a period Arrow tuxedo shirt in good condition. Just add socks, shoes, studs, and cufflinks and a bow tie and you’re fit for any fête.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Black is a staple color and I’m sure most of you have a pair of basic black dance shoes, but there was something about this particular pair of black oxfords, offered by Etsy seller Raleigh Vintage, that caught my eye and made me wish I could make this pair mine. They have a graceful shape and this lovely “stitched” detail throughout, which gives the appearance of either large stitches or a thread of ribbon running through cutouts in the shoe. At a size 6, they are small, but not so narrow, as the shoe width comes in at 3 inches.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Lindy Hopper Jacqui Oakley is a dancer, instructor, and illustrator from Toronto, who has created several Lindy Hop-inspired illustrations and offers prints of her vivacious and colorful originals on her Etsy site. At $35.00 a pop, one of these prints would make a fantastic gift for your favorite Lindy Hopper, or treat yourself to one of these cheerful prints. The illustrations remind me of old comic book illustrations, the Dick and Jane books, a little bit of Disney circa All the Cat’s Join In, and photographs of Bobby White and Kate Hedin.
Lindy Shopper 