Category Archives: Vintage Stores

EBC 2012 Vendors

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Lindy Shopper | 5 Comments

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Merch upgrade: the Mint Julep Jazz Band was selling logo shoe bags and buttons at EBC and Creations by Crawford decided to take the buttons to the next level – available as a pin or hair flower.

The 9th annual Eastern Balboa Championships was another rousing success, with perhaps even more shenanigans, planned and unplanned, than usual. A highlight of the weekend was dressing in tweeds for the mock English hunt, led by Bobby White, where the tweeded and costumed EBC gentry gave organizer Chris Owens a sporting head start before we unleashed the Nerf guns on him. Perhaps the best part of the weekend for me was performing with my band, the Mint Julep Jazz Band, for the Friday night dance, receiving rave reviews for our performance, and launching a Kickstarter for our first CD.

Molly McGowan picked up the wonderful 1940′s dress on the right from Raleigh Vintage, and I had ideas that Adam Speen might like this sweater vest.

The vendors were out again this year, but in spite of not having a shoe vendor, the vendor area certainly looked full. Raleigh Vintage was back with their fabulous trunk show of 1920′s, 1930′s, and 1940′s clothing, as well as a full rack of tweed for some last-minute-pre-hunt shopping. Some of my favorite pieces from the collection are shown below, and I managed to do some Christmas shopping for my husband, as well. My favorite purchase for him was a 1933 World’s Fair tie clip and Raleigh Vintage had a set of three of them, in blue, white, and black. They also had some excellent ladies’ jewelry this time, bakelite, Art Deco necklaces, and clever pins. There was a hilarious pin with maracas and a plaque that said “Hasta Manana” that I loved – but what do you wear with this? I am pondering…

Red beauties from The Cleveland Shop

Following the success of their booth at All Balboa Weekend, The Cleveland Shop made the long journey to North Carolina with an impressive display of vintage dresses, separates, menswear, shoes, hats, and other vintage sundries. I especially appreciate that they brought books on vintage make-up and hair, which can be a chore to figure out without a tutorial. Favorites included the red shoes pictured at left, tons of wonderful rayon floral 30′s and 40′s dresses, and a plaid suit that I would wear loud and proud if I were a dude. I do hope their trip down here was fruitful and that they will return to us next year from the land of vintage with even more goodies.

Last, but certainly not least, Sharon Crawford of Creations by Crawford is the hardest working vendor at these events – most of her creations are custom made for you, during the weekend, and are sometimes being made for a dance that night. Sharon’s vendor table is also a social hub, so you can enjoy the warm, friendly conversation as she creates wonderful pieces made from vintage jewelry, feathers, ribbon, and other tiny pretty things. I’m willing to say that Sharon gets a lot of business from men, as well, and can create the perfect boutonniere to go with any jacket or ensemble.

Don’t miss out on the 10th anniversary party next year, the celebration is going to be huge and full of pranks, I’m sure!

Usually, one of Sharon’s creations begins with a piece of jewelry…

Ms. Crawford and her workstation

One of the books on vintage makeup at The Cleveland Shop’s table

I love the smocking on this dress from The Cleveland Shop

Plaid!

My GAWD the shoes – at Raleigh Vintage

Raleigh Vintage’s table of gentlemanly accoutrements

The jewelry case at Raleigh Vintage’s ladies’ table

This dead stock tie came with a matching pocket square!

Beautiful beading on this 1940′s dress

I do love a Peter Pan collar – at Raleigh Vintage

I REALLY wanted this dress, and it really didn’t have a zipper, snaps, or any way to get into the dress other than over the head – someone smaller than me should come crawl in and enjoy.

Another lovely green item, this time for the gents, from Raleigh Vintage.

Dress with matching necklace – how often does that happen? At Raleigh Vintage.

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Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, Accessories, Art Deco, Books, Dresses, Events, Gentlemen, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Ladies, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Skirts, Socks, Suits, Sweaters, Vintage Stores

Tagged 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, Balboa, Cleveland Shop, clothing, Creations by Crawford, Eastern Balboa Championships, EBC, event, jewelry, men, NC, North Carolina, Raleigh, Raleigh Vintage, Sharon Crawford, Shoes, swing dance, vendors, vintage, women

Field Trip: Amalgamated Classic Clothing and Dry Goods, Alexandria, VA

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Lindy Shopper | 6 Comments

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I have anticipated checking out Alexandria’s Amalgamated Classic Clothing and Dry Goods since April, when I heard of its opening shortly prior to DCLX and the wonders that awaited me – rumors that the owners have a warehouse where items are pulled for Hollywood movies, that the inventory has real swing era stuff, GOOD stuff, and I was salivating. As I ditched the Saturday afternoon DCLX dance to head over to Alexandria I got a text message from Bill Speidel that the shop was closed. Oh, the disappointment!

Thankfully, I had already planned to attend the International Lindy Hop Championships in August, so I knew I’d get a second chance. I messaged the store’s Facebook page a few days prior to the event to make sure that they would be open and should I send my measuremnets. The answers were yes and yes, and I was elated.

I planned to go on Friday of ILHC and at the Thursday night dance I met Beth Midavaine, who had also planned to take a trip to Amalgamated with Bill Speidel, but Bill had bailed on her, so it seemed that fate would have it that we go shopping together. We headed to Amalgamated the next day with Jason Sager and arrived at the store at noon on the dot. The store was closed. I was frantic. We went next door to a knick knack store owner, who didn’t know why the shop wasn’t open. As we regrouped on the sidewalk, the door opened to Amalgamated and it was, after all, open for business. *phew!*

It took us three hours to get through everything in the store and try on the rack of clothes that Beth and I accumulated through our collective digging through the store. The store itself is small is square footage, but packed with everything good – there was no small rack where the few swing era items were delegated – the entire store was pre-1960′s, so 100% of their inventory was everything that you would want to see in a vintage store. It was glorious! The men’s section rivaled the women’s section in size and magnificence (who has an entire rack devoted to two tone Ricky Ricardo jackets?) and a men’s shoe section that took up an entire table, and included children’s shoes (tiny leather and mesh oxfords!). Owner Shelley White took us through boxes in the back room filled with delicate 1920′s beaded dresses, there were racks of glorious dresses and gowns, plus some very practical items that would be perfect for dancing. The women’s shoes had a good selection of larger women’s sizes, which was great for Beth, who picked up a pair of fantastic 1940′s heels.

I don’t think words or photos will do this place justice, so you’ll just have to go and see for yourself. Until then, check out some of our finds below:

The more choice men’s shoes behind glass.

The more choice women’s shoes behind glass – if you wear a size 5, those green t-straps could be yours!

On closer inspection, the print on this adorable 1940′s suit with giant lucite buttons features winged puppies! Does it get any cuter than freakin’ winged puppies???

Love this green 50′s dress, with a white scalloped stripe across the upper torso to draw the eye up and GIANT POCKETS.

Tie rack includes dead stock ties as well as used vintage ties.

Men’s shoes…

…and more men’s shoes…

Wide leg high waist women’s pants with adorable trim.

Ricky in purples

Ricky in brown and white

A shirt Jason considered…

Beth in a snappy hat

Jason snuggles with a vintage cat pillow.

A school spirited hat

A 1920′s beaded dress in my favorite color.

My find of the day – a 1930′s day dress in green. I’m holding the back because it will have to be taken in a bit, but I can’t pass up a green 30′s dress…

Beth’s find of the day – a gorgeous 1940′s gown with floral appliques and overlays

Love this Asian-inspired shape in a cotton leaf print.

Just about died when this almost-but-didn’t-quite fit

Gorgeous embroidery on this peach 1920′s day dress

A men’s vignette in the store

Another display at Amalgamated

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Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Dresses, Gentlemen, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Ladies, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Shorts, Skirts, Socks, Suits, Sweaters, Swimwear, Undergarments, Vests, Vintage Stores

Tagged 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Alexandria, Amalgamated, blouse, classic clothing, DC, dead stock, dress, dry goods, flapper, gown, men's, pants, Ricky Ricardo, shirt, Shoes, skirts, socks, suits, ties, tops, trousers, VA, vest, vintage clothing, Virginia, women's

All Balboa Weekend 2012 Vendors/Field Trip: Vintage Stores in Cleveland, OH

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Lindy Shopper | 1 Comment

The store front of Deering Vintage

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I have returned from the land of Balboa milk and honey, with tired feet, a warm heart, and a bag of vintage goodies in tow. The All Balboa Weekend organizers did another stellar job with the event this year and it remains my favorite swing dance event. Of course, the shopping helps…

I usually do separate posts for event vendors and my “field trips” to a city’s brick-and-mortar stores, but was no way to separate the vendors from the stores because, in several cases, they were the same. I’ll run through the shopping activities chronologically:

My partners in crime for this round of shopping were Elizabeth Tietgen (she of the aqua velvet 30′s gown and other blue accoutrements from last year) and Molly McGowan (her first trip to ABW and first big vintage shopping endeavor). After a lunch of delicious crepes, we visited Deering Vintage first because they were not represented in the ABW vendor lineup and so I did not blow all of my money at Suite Lorain, as in past years, and actually make it to another store. Deering Vintage had a few swing era items, but was mostly filled with quality goods from later decades and tons of fantastic accessories, like purses and gloves. Elizabeth found a fantastic black and red velvet 40′s ice skater-ish dress (which she took home) and Molly found a gorgeous 1930′s tea dress, which we decided was not the most-dancer friendly dress and that we would keep looking. We also ran into Valerie Bissig and Stefan Deuber, who were also making the vintage store rounds, and I started to get really excited about the weekend and all the international dancers!

The magnetic pull was too strong, so we drove to Sweet Lorain, the vintage department store, for some shopping. There are some real heartbreakers there, in the form of gorgeous dresses suffering from fading, but there were some new gems in the midst as well. Favorites were a late teens/early 20′s dress that was screaming at me to take it home and dress up as someone from Downton Abbey for Halloween, a velvet gown with Art Deco burnouts on the sleeves, some purple canvas 1940′s platforms, and Molly’s navy blue 1940′s dress with matching bolero – win!

We pressed on, to Flower Child next, which appeared to be mostly furniture on the main level, and had vendor booths with clothing, records, knick-knacks, and other furniture downstairs. There were racks upon racks of polyester and, aside from a few slips, we deduced that the good stuff was already in the hallway at ABW (and we were right!). Nevertheless, an interesting space with some really good furniture pieces on display.

Our last stop before heading back to the hotel was The Cleveland Shop. At the front of the store when we walked in was an empty rack where all the swing era clothing used to be and we had to laugh because we all knew where it went. Still, it was nice to see the location and know where it is, for future reference. There were a couple of items left behind, namely a mint condition 1920′s beaver fur coat that was too small for my shoulders and a pair of silk tap pants that came home with me (my first purchase of the day, if you can believe it).

Side note: We were apparently right across the street from another treasure trove, Chelsea Costumes, and didn’t know it. Next year!

Back at the hotel, we began shopping immediately. The Flower Child vendors grabbed the prime spot at the top of the hallway, where you round the corner to go to the ballroom. These ladies get the most dedicated award, for being there the whole time and for bringing in new clothing and items daily. There were too many good things to name – gorgeous beaded and velvet 1920′s dresses, 40′s cocktail dresses, 30′s tea and house dresses, men’s military, sweaters, ties, hats, fabric, notions, you name it, Flower Child had a piece of it.

Next up in the hallway was Re-mix Vintage Shoes, where many would linger, ponder, and eventually part with their hard-earned cash for a fabulous pair of handmade leather reproduction heels. I didn’t notice any new models this year, but there were a few new colors available in the Emily t-strap and some new metallics in the Anita shoe. So much love for these shoes!

The Cleveland Shop set up almost across from Re-Mix and had a nice variety of clothing for ladies and gents, as well as some accessories and choice footwear. This is where I found my sole dress purchase of the weekend! I heard that The Cleveland Shop did so well at ABW, they are interested in attending the Eastern Balboa Championships this year as a vendor. Cleveland, North Carolina will certainly welcome you with open arms if you bring your vintage goods to our fair state…

Shannon Sheldon’s Bombshell Baubles were back this year, in all their petal and feather glory. Shannon added some new handmade items, like aprons, make-up bags in adorable fabrics, and hair flowers made of fabric and buttons. Of note, there were a lot of blue flowers in the collection, which is a color that is both hard to find and, if you do find it, hard to find in a GOOD blue. I made sure to pick up a blue hair bloom for myself.

My Heinies grabbed a fair chunk of the vendor space to house all the lovely bloomers and Carol Fraser’s army of hot dance shoes. I spotted a number of these fabulous heels making their debut on the dance floor this past weekend. I stocked up on fancy hosiery while I was there and picked up some hair accessories that sparkle! As at ILHC, My Heinies paired up with Model J Vintage to offer a selection of vintage and vintage-inspired clothing.

Finally, Sweet Lorain set up a display case of rare gems (like 1920′s beaded bags and Art Deco jewels) at the end of the hallway, and I briefly saw a rack of clothing nearby, but did not see that they were present the way most of the other vendors were. Hence, the lack of reporting. Don’t worry, Sweet Lorain, I still love you!

And…that’s a wrap! I look forward to next year’s vendors and vintage shopping at ABW!

Molly’s find at Deering Vintage

Green guayabera at Deering Vintage

Bakelite bangles at Deering Vintage

Molly and her lovely dress with matching bolero from Sweet Lorain

Burnout velvet! at Sweet Lorain

The Downton Abbey dress at Sweet Lorain – I’ve already been yelled at today by my local vintage store owner for leaving it in the store after it fit me, lol

Purple 40′s slingbacks at Sweet Lorain

This was the creepiest thing at Sweet Lorain – can you guess what helpful household item it is supposed to be?

Flower Child’s men’s accessories at ABW

A selection of red goodies from Flower Child

Hotttt 1930′s shoes from The Cleveland Shop

David Lee, holding up one of many knit shirts I saw gents walk away with this past weekend from the vintage vendors

A letter sweater, possibly from my alma mater? at The Cleveland Shop

The My Heinies Army

Get your foxy legs at the My Heinies table

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Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Art Deco, Dresses, Events, Gentlemen, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Ladies, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Skirts, Socks, Suits, Sweaters, Undergarments, Vests, Vintage Stores

All Balboa Weekend 2012

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Lindy Shopper | 1 Comment

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

It’s that time of year – time for my epic journey to Cleveland, Ohio to spend the entire weekend dancing Balboa, DJ’ing all the fast songs I want to DJ, and shopping in Cleveland’s amazing vintage stores. All Balboa Weekend is also known for its fantastic vendors, like Re-Mix Vintage Shoes, Dancestore.com, and a myriad of hair flowers, reproduction clothing vendors, and vintage clothing. This year, ABW has upped the ante by inviting not one, not two, but three of Cleveland’s best vintage stores to set up shop in the halls of the Holiday Inn – Flower Child, The Cleveland Shop, and Sweet Lorain.

ABW veteran Flower Child usually sets up a mini-store and takes over an entire end of the hallway with their vintage men’s and women’s clothing and accessories. ABW organizer Valerie Salstrom says that the ladies at Flower Child have been shopping for swing era items for ABW all year! I am not familiar with the Cleveland Shop, but Sweet Lorain has been my go-to shop in Cleveland for several years (as in, I spend all my money at Suite Lorain and don’t have any money to go shopping at any of the other stores, lol), so I am very excited to see them setting up at ABW.

I hear that all three stores are making a concerted effort to bring more menswear this year, to answer the call and request of the gents who want to do their part to look fabulous. Val is also encouraging everyone to talk to the vintage vendors about what you are looking for, as they will be at ABW over the course of several days and can go back to their shops and warehouses for additional inventory! This was a very successful tactic for me last year, as I mentioned I was looking for fabric and that green was my favorite color and the ladies at Flower Child brought me 6 yards of 1930′s cotton (which are now a pair of fabulous beach pajamas).

I also plan on venturing out of the hotel to do a bit of shopping – I plan on visiting Deering Vintage for the first time, maybe pick up some crepes and cupcakes…

I’m getting excited just writing about all this! See you in Cleveland!

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Posted in Events, Vintage Stores

Tagged ABW, All Balboa, Cleveland, Cleveland Shop, clothing, dance, Deering Vintage, Flower Child, Ohio, Re-mix, store, Sweet Lorain, swing, Valerie Salstrom, vintage, weekend

Be My Jazz Baby 2012 Vendors

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Lindy Shopper | 4 Comments

Drew Nugent and the Midnight Society, dapper in tuxedos

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

This past weekend I attended a wonderful dance and workshop weekend in Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA called Be My Jazz Baby and blissed out on two nights of dancing to Drew Nugent and the Midnight Society. Be My Jazz Baby worked to bring in vendors, who set up their wares along the inside of the dance studio room where the Saturday night dance was held. This seemed to facilitate more interaction between the vendors and the dancers. Some of the vendors were old favorites and others were new to me.

First in the lineup, Sharon Crawford was there with her needle, thread, and supplies, whipping up custom Creations by Crawford for people on the fly, as well as vending some ready-to-wear items. Sharon prefers to create custom pieces for people, based on what they are wearing or something they own, which is entirely practical and takes the guesswork out of knowing what you’ll pair with one of her floral or feather pieces.

Next we had a new addition to our regional vendors, Norfolk-based Kelsie McNair and her collection of vintage dresses, shoes, ties, and other sundries from With Lavender and Lace. It’s always wonderful to welcome the vintage clothing community into the swing dance community and I think Kelsie was pleased with the response.

Dancestore.com, by way of Kara Fabina, was present to vend their quality dance shoes to anyone who needs or wants (or desperately needs because their shoes are falling apart) a new pair of swing dance shoes. I’m excited to see Aris Allen as a consistent vendor and events – after going through a patent leather oxford boy’s ballroom shoe nightmare this week, being able to try on the shoes is worth its weight in gold.

Also new-ish to the vendor squad (but not new to the Raleigh Durham dancers) is Hairzapoppin, the floral creations of Kristy Milliken. Kristy is probably her own best advertising, as she always has a bevy of blossoms tucked into her impeccable updo. Not to mention the Lite-Brite sign, acting as a beacon to draw you to her table…

Vintage Visage came next, which I first encountered at Jammin’ on the James in Richmond, VA this past fall. Wares include reproduction and vintage items, like hats, gloves, fans, hair accessories, ties, and purses, that little something extra you may need to complete your outfit. Kathryn Ann Meyer, the curator of the Vintage Visage collection, graciously let us use one of her hats to draw names for the competition – thanks again for that!

Finally, Be My Jazz Baby had a roving vendor – Caroline Langdon, dolled up in a gorgeous cigarette girl ensemble, peddled vintage ties and other vintage goodies from her tray instead of cigarettes on behalf of Moderlux, a vintage clothing and furniture store in Hampton, VA. Sadly, Caroline and I were both so busy that I didn’t catch sight of her wares, but she’s provided this information on the store: “Modernlux is a truly unique little store I operate with owner/founder Gary MacIntyre located in the heart of old Hampton at 47 East Queens Way (23669). We specialize in Mid-Century design including housewares, household gadgets, furniture, objets d’art, and, naturally, fashion – for both men and women!”

Thanks to Bill Speidel and Victor Celania for hosting a lovely weekend of dancing and shopping!

Some samples of Creations by Crawford - what you don't see is all the custom pieces she made on-site over the weekend!

Kelsie McNair and her goods from With Lavender and Lace

The spread of shoes from Dancestore.com

Kristy delivers the goods at Hairzapoppin'

Vintage Visage's table runneth over...

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Posted in 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Dresses, Events, Hats, Jewelry, Shoes, Vintage Stores

Tagged accessories, Aris Allen, Be My Jazz Baby, Boutonnieres, Caroline Langdon, clothing, Creations by Crawford, dance, dancestore.com, Drew Nugent, fascinator, feathers, flower, hair, Hairzapoppin', Hampton, hat, jazz, Kelsie McNair, Kristy Milliken, Midnight Society, Modernlux, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Sharon Crawford, Shoes, swing, vintage, Vintage Visage, Virginia, With Lavender and Lace

Shopping Locally for Swing: The Triangle, NC

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Lindy Shopper | 1 Comment

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

The Triangle Swing Dance Society has requested a post about where to shop locally for vintage or vintage-inspired swing dance clothing in the Triangle area of North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill). In the spirit of shopping locally, there are a few places I would recommend to find garments, but keep in mind that this is never a sure thing – vintage shops have one of a kind items and you may have to visit a shop several times before finding anything; similarly for retailers, things that may be in stock one season will not be carried for another season. I’ll list some of the more consistent producers and some general ideas about where to look for these things.

Dolly’s Vintage

Dolly’s Vintage is in the forefront of my vintage shopping right now because my office is two blocks away from this delightful shop and I often (read: 2 or 3 times a week) stop by the shop to chat with Jennifer Donner, the amazing and talented owner of Dolly’s, and to soak up some of the cheerful atmosphere of the store. Dolly’s is also the most reasonably priced vintage store I have ever encountered. Where other vintage stores would charge $40-$100 for garments, or even more, Dolly’s keeps everything just below that range, with most items between $20 and $30. Jennifer stocks decades from the 1920′s through 1970′s (with a few choice items from more recent decades), but keep in mind that 1920′s, 30′s, and 40′s garments will be much rarer and she may not have anything in stock, but you should still ask so that she knows how many people are looking for these garments. She will be more likely to purchase these items from people clearing out estates if she knows there is a demand. I can usually go into Dolly’s and find a few 1940′s items, and definitely a lot of 1950′s day dresses that are perfect for swing dances. For men, Dolly’s has a great selection of sport coats, pants, shirts, and an entire rack of 1950′s skinny ties. If you see something you like, you should either buy it immediately or ask her to hold it if you need to think about it or find something to match it – the clothes fly off the racks in that store and she stocks new items every day just to keep up with the demand. I know some of the Triangle dancers are already a fan of Dolly’s, as I’ve seen Elizabeth Tietgen pick up a 1920′s cloche, Holly Owens bought an adorable polka dot dress that she wore to a dance at the Century Center recently, and Jason Sager purchased a wig here for RDU Rent Party’s role reversal night.

For more information, here is an older blog post I did on Dolly’s Vintage:
http://lindyshopper.com/2011/05/03/field-trip-dollys-vintage-durham-nc/

Beggars and Choosers

While not technically inside the borders of the Triangle, Beggars and Choosers should not be overlooked. It is a bit of a drive to Pittsboro and they are only open on some Saturdays, but this is the only place I know of in the Triangle that stocks clothing from the late 1800′s through the 1970′s and consistently has a few items from the jazz age and swing era. I see a lot of conflicting information about when this store is open, so it’s best to call ahead before you decide to make the trip. This is a gold mine for men’s and women’s vintage clothing, so I promise it will be worth the effort!

For more information and photographs, here is an older blog post I did on Beggars and Choosers:
http://lindyshopper.com/2010/04/30/field-trip-beggars-and-choosers-pittsboro-nc/

Raleigh Vintage Collective

While they have no brick and mortar store, the Raleigh Vintage Collective has a lot of swing era clothing and accessories available for purchase through the web. They are a group of ladies who periodically have trunk shows around Raleigh and list their wares on Etsy (Raleigh Vintage and Time for Vintage). Most notably for dancers, they will have a trunk show at this year’s Eastern Balboa Championships, back by popular demand after last year’s trunk show, which featured only items from the 1920′s through the 1950′s – no digging through polyester to find what you want and no question about the garment’s decade of origin.

For more information about the Raleigh Vintage collective, see my post about their activities at EBC last year:
http://lindyshopper.com/2010/11/08/ebc-vendors-the-vintage-collective/

There are a few other vintage stores in the Triangle, but my experience with them in finding garments for swing dancing has been unsuccessful, as they stock 1960′s or later garments. Men may find them more useful, as menswear has changed fairly little over the past century. For example, The Clothing Warehouse in Chapel Hill had a rack of men’s vests that looked promising.

Other random notes: Someone who designs for Urban Outfitters must have a penchant for vintage hats because I always seem to find great vintage-inspired hats at this store. I always make sure to stop in at the Southpoint Mall, Durham location when I am there to browse through the accessories. Also at Southpoint, Anthropologie is a store that has built its brand around vintage-inspired clothing and accessories. The prices may set you back, but they always have a good sale rack and, if you find something on the sale rack or in the store that is not in your size, they will locate your size in another store and have it shipped to you.

Gents, the best and cheapest place for you to look for things are your local thrift stores. When my grandfather passed away, most of his suits went to a thrift store – jackets and suits from the 1950′s forward, most of them only worn on Sundays so they were in great condition. I see a rack of suits and sport coats and every thrift store I go to and this can be a great place to pick up something cheap that you don’t mind sweating in. You may also want to check shoe repair places for vintage dress shoes, as people leave shoes or bring them there to sell them. Men’s shoes, for the most part, are easily repairable and able to be shined up to look as good as new. Main Street Shoe Repair in Durham always has several pairs of cap toes and wingtips that look dance-ready, at a fraction of the price of a new pair of shoes.

Finally, Remix Vintage Shoes, a company based out of California that makes gorgeous reproduction shoes, sells their shoes in a couple of stores in Durham – Magpie, a boutique in the West Village tobacco warehouses, and Cozy, on Ninth Street. Neither store carries the entire Remix line, but if you find a pair locally that you like it will save you about $20 in shipping from Remix in California.

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Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Dresses, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Suits, Vests, Vintage Stores

Tagged 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, accessories, Anthropologie, Balboa, Beggars and Choosers, Chapel Hill, Charleston, clothing, collective, Cozy, dance, Dolly's, Durham, Eastern Balboa Championships, EBC, hats, jazz, Lindy Hop, Magpie, men, Ninth Street, Pittsboro, Raleigh, Raleigh Vintage, Remix, reproduction, shoe repair, Shoes, Southpoint, swing, The Clothing Warehouse, thrift store, Time For Vintage, Triangle Swing Dance Society, trunk show, Urban Outfitters, vest, vintage, West Village, women

Field Trip: Richmond Revisited

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Lindy Shopper | 1 Comment

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

It was another wonderful year at Richmond, Virginia’s Jammin’ on the James, both the dancing and the shopping. Some of my favorite vintage shoppers – Lily Matini, Elizabeth Aldrich, Bill Speidel, and, a new addition to my vintage cavalry, Josephine Stewart – made cameos at the event this year and it made Saturday an exciting and bustling day at the vintage shops in Richmond. I reported on my trips to Richmond’s two best vintage shops, Halcyon and Bygones, after last year’s Jammin’ on the James, but there’s always new inventory to scout.

Step into Halcyon!

Halcyon is my favorite Richmond store because it is so inviting – beautifully decorated, not too large/too small/too crowded, with a carefully chosen selection of garments that leaves you with the feeling that the entire store is filled with the “good stuff,” no filler. This year was no exception and I left with one beautiful 1930′s dress, but there were several other things I probably could have taken home if the budget had allowed. After we expressed interest in ties, Angelica from Halcyon pulled out the hidden rack of beautiful 1930′s ties, including one with circles and butterflies that Bill and I both claimed, but, ultimately, Bill won out because my husband wouldn’t answer his phone to tell me if he would wear the tie. Bill also scored a vintage Alexander Calder inspired tie by Carnival Jones, Elizabeth left with a lovely black faux fur jacket, and I left with a 1930′s silk dress. There were some really lovely pieces from a Richmond estate, including a 1920′s dress that must have had over 100 green bakelite buttons down the front and both sides.

Next stop was Bygones, which is famous for its window display and top of rack displays. This season’s display did not disappoint, with an Egyptian revival-themed window-dressing and an inside display of furs and faux animals that just begged for some taxidermy or, as Bill said, the barrel of a shotgun peeking out from between the furs. Josephine had great luck here, asking for tiny sized clothing and they definitely delivered. Favorite pieces included two 1940′s suits, one in light aqua velvet with quilting detail on the jacket and another in green silk velvet with amazing trim detail on the jacket.

Check out the goods from the photographs below!

A lovely coat from Halcyon

The dress of 100 buttons at Halcyon

Halcyon's bakelite offerings

Bill, the tie snatcher

A 1940's dress with shoulder pads fit for a linebacker...still a gorgeous dress!

The winner!

Step into Bygones...

The fur display at Bygones, complete with Mr. Fox

Bakelite at Bygones, including a set of strawberries, with necklace and earrings

The Bygones display cases

The pale aqua suit with quilted detail at Bygones

A lovely 1940's dress at Bygones - the photo doesn't do the color justice

Bygones carries reproductions, like the rack of Leluxe dresses shown here

The menswear section at Bygones

Which smoking jacket?

Josephine in a glorious green velvet suit at Bygones

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Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Art Deco, Dresses, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Shorts, Skirts, Suits, Sweaters, Undergarments, Vintage Stores

Tagged 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, bakelite, Balboa, Charleston, clothing, coat, dance, dress, flapper, fur, jacket, Jammin on the James, jazz, Lindy Hop, Richmond, Shoes, shopping, skirt, suit, sweater, swing, tie, VA, vintage, Virginia

Jazz Age Lawn Party Vendors 2011

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Lindy Shopper | 2 Comments

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

The Jazz Age Lawn Party never ceases to amaze me, with its charm, beauty, number of well-dressed people, and even its power over mother nature. It is such a rare opportunity to dance entirely to 1920′s music and the quality of music was superb, thanks to Michael Arenella’s Dreamland Orchestra, the Gelber and Manning Band, and the twin Victrola turntables operated by DJ MAC. It was a beautiful weekend under the trees on Governor’s Island – the storms that threatened New York were held at bay until Sunday afternoon, when Michael Arenella commented from the bandstand that the rain couldn’t stop the festivities and called a tune with “rain” in the title to mock the threatening weather; it was then that the sky opened up, with only a few warning drops before the downpour sent everyone scurrying for cover.

This event has grown every year and this year it seemed to double in size from last year’s impressive turnout. I also noticed that the event organizers take note of how they can improve the event from year to year; for example, in an attempt to combat bystanders loitering on the dance floor and eventually taking it over, they roped off the dance floor area (which was someone effective, but there will always be chattel who don’t understand that a dance floor is for DANCING, not for standing or ogling). There were also more vendors this year, so let’s get to the list!

There simply couldn’t be a JALP without the classic and delicious cocktails made with St. Germain Liqueur, a cocktail confection made from elderflowers picked in the Alps. There was a rush on the cocktails, primarily due to an online coupon deal that offered all you can drink St. Germain for the day, and by the end of day one they were sold out of liqueur. Never fear, they replenished the supply for day two and the delicious festivities continued.

Kreamland Ice Cream was on hand with scoops of ice cream in classic flavors, the perfect treat on a hot August day. In the photograph at right you can see an example of the signs the JALP crew added to distinguish the different administrative and vendor tables, which were especially helpful with the throngs of people in attendance.

The table of necessaries.

Another improvement I noticed was a table set up with helpful items to get you through the day. Forgot your parasol? Need sunscreen or a tissue? Wishing you had a fan to escape the heat? Making these items available for purchase was a great idea! And isn’t the display lovely?

It was interesting to see a modern vendor, such as Yelp, have a table at JALP, but then Yelp is a very useful resource. Yelp sponsored a vintage photo booth at the event, with photographs taken by Tsirkus Fotografika, “an ongoing non-profit, public arts project based in Philadelphia, PA, designed to bring the creative process directly to communities and document populations at their most lively. Employing a mobile portrait studio and trailing-edge technologies such as analog film, old-fashioned “hot” lighting, and large format equipment, Tsirkus follows in the footsteps of itinerant photographers who would travel from town to town making portraits on-the-spot.” I now wish I had waited in line to get my photograph taken – perhaps next year. :/

Next in the line of vendors was Odd Twin, a Brooklyn-based vintage store with wares available from the jazz age and beyond. I will display more photographs below of the vendors’ wares, but I will note that I was particularly smitten with a two tone brown 1940′s suit that was displayed on the end of their hanging rack. Drool…

Sharing a vendor table were Necks Tuesday and hyc Creative letterpress. Necks Tuesday might be the most creative name for a bow tie company I’ve ever encountered. This Brooklyn-based company asserts that bow ties are a “facet of traditional menswear,” but are now “often an element of a forward, contemporary look.” What’s old is new again, eh? I can get behind this philosophy. Their ties are available in a number of wonderful muted tones and patterns that are sure to go with much of a man’s wardrobe and make a stylish statement without being too loud.

hyc Creative letterpress displayed an endearing collection of thoughtful printed cards, stationery, bookmarks and prints. From their website: “hyc Creative is the creation of Dawn Hylon Lucas-Carlson. A small private press founded in 2006. We print Letterpress greeting cards, bookmarks, coasters, prints, and invitations using a mix of found vintage blocks and fonts, hand carved linoleum blocks and newly created designs. Everything is hand-printed on a Kelsey 6 x 10 Excelsior Press.”

Do you see these pleats?!

Next in the lineup is The Original Prohibition Clothing Company, a company specializing in custom menswear. What I like about TOPCC is the wear-ability of the garments and the attention to detail. These clothes could be in a fine menswear store just about anywhere, you could wear the clothes anywhere, but they would be that piece that stands out as superb amongst the modern suits, with just enough nod to vintage to appear authentic. Details like fan pleating out of a belt back Norfolk jacket or a black and white Bette Davis printed on the inside of a newsboy cap make these items truly stand out against the competition. Their website is still under development, but I look forward to this company making their products available to the masses. Until then, you can browse some of their accessories available in TOPCC eBay store.

The Fine and Dandy Shop.com had a wonderful showing of men’s accessories – ties, pocket squares, handkerchiefs, cufflinks and other man jewelry, flasks, pocket watches, and even a vintage Boy Scout’s guide. Fine and Dandy has a fairly comprehensive website and I’d recommend that you gents check out their fantastic selection, including their ties, which are made in New York. See photographs below.

Lovely 1920's shoes peeking out from behind the sign!

After all this menswear, I arrived at my favorite vendor of the weekend, Noble Savage Vintage, who displayed exclusively pre-1940′s clothing and accessories for women. This table and rack were a dream come true, with beautiful beading, gauzy dresses, satin 1920′s shoes, and vintage lace galore. My friend Elizabeth picked up a wonderful 1930′s dress in a gauzy chiffon floral that was perfect for Day 2 of the lawn party.

I’ll end this tour-de-vendors with The Village Scandal, one of last year’s wonderful vendors who had amazing cloches and the must-have fascinator of the event. This year, their entire inventory must have been must-have because, by the time I made it out to their table, it had been ransacked. Their positioning near the entrance may have helped add to the chaos of what happened to their table, but I am pleased to see that they did so much business.

There were other vendors, but they did not have signs and I was unable to speak with the vendor representative (so many people!). I hope to return to this event next year and make it a priority to get to the event earlier to scope out the vendors’ wares. Until then, I leave you with these photos:

Amazing two tone suit from Odd Twin

Odds and ends from the Odd Twin table

Bow ties from Necks Tuesday

Close up of a plaid bow tie from Necks Tuesday

Hanging goodies from hyc Creative

hyc Creative's spread

Meet and greet with the Original Prohibition Clothing Company

A rack of jackets, vests, and shirts worthy of Jay Gatsby from TOPCC

Starlets peek out of your newsboy cap, courtesy of TOPCC

Man jewelry from the Fine and Dandy Shop

An array of collars and ties from the Fine and Dandy Shop

Beautiful beaded 1920's bags from Noble Savage Vintage

A wonderful cape in a jazz age print, courtesy of Noble Savage Vintage

What was left of The Village Scandal when I got to their table

I'll leave you with two turntables and two microphones - see you next year!

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Posted in 1920's, Accessories, Art Deco, Dresses, Events, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Shorts, Skirts, Socks, Suits, Sweaters, Swimwear, Travel, Undergarments, Vests, Vintage Stores

Tagged 1920's, 1930's, band, bow, Brooklyn, clothing, cocktails, Company, DJ MAC, Dreamland Orchestra, eBay, Elderflower, event, fan, Fine and Dandy Shop, Gelber, Governors Island, handmade, hat, hyc Creative, ice cream, Jazz Age Lawn Party, jewelry, Kreamland, lawn, letterpress, liqueur, Manning, Michael Arenella, Necks Tuesday, new, New York, Noble Savage Vintage, NY, Odd Twin, original, parasol, party, photo, photo booth, picnic, print, prohibition clothing, St. Germain, swing, The Original Prohibition Clothing Company, tie, Tsirkus Fotografika, Village Scandal, vintage, Yelp

The Price of Vintage Clothing

Posted on July 9, 2011 by Lindy Shopper | 6 Comments

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I have received a request from Laurel Carpenter to write about evaluating vintage clothing prices, based on the tendency of some vintage retailers and eBay sellers to overprice their vintage pieces. What is worth it? What should you leave on the rack or the proverbial auction block?

I have found that this becomes a very personal decision, based on your income, the priority of incorporating vintage clothing into your wardrobe, the availability of vintage clothing in your geographic area, how well the garment fits, how much you like the garment, the condition of the garment, the similarity to other vintage items in your wardrobe, the cost of any potential alterations, and occasions to wear a particular garment, among other factors. When I go shopping for vintage clothing I sort of run through a series of questions based on these factors.

When it comes to the price of vintage clothing I look at things on a sliding scale – the garment is more valuable to me if it fits like a dream, it is unique and flattering, and in great condition. And if it’s green, I’ll be willing to pay even more. However, just because it is old doesn’t mean that it is worth hundreds of dollars and just because it is vintage doesn’t mean that I’ll open my wallet any wider than I would if I shopped at the mall.

I’ll speak generally about prices, focusing on swing era garments, which are a rarity in your average local vintage store and more plentiful on eBay. Some sellers just want more money for their stuff – they either live in an area where people pay these prices or they think they’ve hit the jackpot at an estate sale and have dollar signs in their eyes. With the advent of eBay, these rarities have become more available to the masses and I have noticed the prices of vintage in my area either going down or staying the same as when I started shopping for vintage clothing, around 1999. It’s become more competitive, which is good for you as the consumer, to have a wider selection at competitive prices.

1920′s clothing, due to its age and fragile nature, tends to cost more because most of the materials in clothing from this era have deteriorated – to find something in excellent condition from the 1920′s is rare. To translate that into cost you have to consider how good the condition is and how fabulous the item – do you pay $1,000 for the beaded 1920′s dress/gown? No, no, don’t do that – would you spend that much on an evening gown? Maybe your wedding dress, but consider how old this garment is, the likelihood that the fine mesh will deteriorate, and what happens if it gets a tear or the beads start coming off? Devastating. Do you pay $200 for it? Maybe. If it fits you like a glove, you can Charleston in it without shedding beads, and you have the perfect occasion to wear it, then consider it a viable option. In a similar fashion, what if you find a 1920′s cotton day dress? How ornate is it? If it’s got wonderful embroidery or tailoring details, you might want to spend that much on a day dress that you could wear more often. Fabulous-ness and wear-ability equate value.

That said, you don’t have to spend $200 on a 1920′s dress. I have found wonderful 1920′s dresses for $80 (at Sweet Lorain in Cleveland, slate gray and cream day dress with about 50 tiny covered buttons up the front, perfect fit), for $40 (eBay, pink day dress with hand embroidered roses, my tailor had to enlarge the arm holes), and for $30 (1920′s maid uniform, black with white lace collar and cuffs, mint condition, possibly never worn).

$200 is my benchmark, I won’t pay more than that for anything vintage and I try to implement that policy here when I write about clothing on Lindy Shopper. It has to be the most fabulous thing I’ve ever seen to get me up to that number and it has to be close to the most fabulous thing I’ve ever seen to get me over $100, or I have to really, really need it for an occasion. Beyond that, it becomes unaffordable and I’ll file it with the Miu Miu and Prada dresses I want, but will never own.

The more you shop for vintage, the more you are aware of what is rare from each era and what constitutes a reasonable price. I have been sorely spoiled here in Durham with Dolly’s Vintage, which hasn’t priced anything I’ve picked up in the store over $35, but then Dolly’s doesn’t have a lot of swing era items. You may pay anywhere from $30 to $80 for a vintage 1940′s or 1950′s day dress – would you pay that much for a dress at, say…Banana Republic? Probably, maybe even more. And if it fits you better than a BR dress and it’s one of a kind, it would be worth it, right?

eBay can be tricky, since you are bidding against other people. I find that placing my maximum bid and just walking away until the auction is over is the best policy for me, which is how I acquired those two 1920′s dresses at such a low price. I can’t rely on eBay to absolutely get me what I want unless I’m willing to wage a bidding war, but you really have to choose your battles on eBay and only wage war for those items that you absolutely must have. You’ll feel it in your gut when that item shows up. There are no guarantees you will win and losing something you’d like to own can hurt, but the odds of getting something amazing are much greater overall because there is a larger selection of items.

There are also those eBay sellers who have severely overpriced their items (Buy it Now $198.00 for a cotton 1930′s day dress that is fairly unremarkable) and they keep showing up in my searches week after week after week (*cough* VioletvilleVintage *cough*), but there’s a reason the items continue to be re-listed – no one is willing to pay that much for that particular item. If no one is willing to pay that much, then why don’t they lower the price so they can sell it? I have no idea. I’ve been tempted to write to these sellers and let them know what price I would be willing to pay for their wares, but it’s not worth my time because there are so many other dresses out there.

I’d love to hear your experiences with prices, both eBay and retail, and I’d be happy to take any follow-up questions you may have. It was hard to organize my thoughts on this topic because there are so many factors that go into my decision to purchase a particular item of vintage clothing, but price is definitely a big factor.

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Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Editorials, Vintage Stores

Tagged cost, eBay, price, retail, vintage clothing

Field Trip: Sweet Lorain, Cleveland, OH

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Lindy Shopper | 1 Comment

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Sweet Lorain (formerly Suite Lorain, now under new ownership) is one of those rare places where there are entire racks devoted to 1930′s and 1940′s clothing, rather than being relegated to a few rare items on the wall or stuck in the middle of a mound of polyester. In fact, Sweet Lorain skirts the issue by focusing exclusively on “Deco to 1960′s.” It’s a huge store, with tons of furniture, housewares, knick-knacks, clothing and accessories, and maybe some random items from a past era you’ve never even thought about. The dresses, evening gowns, coats, and other swing era garments are comparably plentiful and in an array of sizes. There were so many things to see that my partner in crime, Elizabeth Tietgen, and I spent several hours there, long enough for the store owner to offer us each a bottle of water!

We were told that the store had been hoarding swing era items for the ABW participants and people were dropping off things to sell to the ABW’ers the morning of the day we went to Sweet Lorain, namely a pair of 1940′s low heeled sandals that Elizabeth took home and a green 1930′s raincoat that came home with me.

I have heard stories about Sweet Lorain for years from my vintage tailor/couturier, Laura Boyes, who grew up in Cleveland. She and her daughter have had great luck in this store during their visits and Laura has even seen buyers from Anthropologie using their corporate card to purchase items from Sweet Lorain to copy or as inspiration for their designs. Understandably, I’ve been eagerly anticipating this visit to Sweet Lorain and it did not disappoint.

Did I think to take photos of what we bought? No, of course not, but Elizabeth left with a bevy of blue and white items, including a 1950′s sundress, a 1930′s day dress with matching bolero, black 1940′s shoes, tap shoes, and an aqua velvet 1930′s gown, and I left with a gray 1920′s dress, a seersucker romper of unknown decade, the 1930′s raincoat, a tie for the Boy, and a Bakelite bangle. Quite possibly the best trip to a vintage store EVER. Did I mention the prices here are amazing? This store will be a must-do for all subsequent ABWs.

Here are some of the other goodies I found at Sweet Lorain (I apologize for posting photos from my phone, I forgot my real camera):

Read the signs, ladies - this is the place!

A wall of slips, with cheerful bloomers hanging above the dressing room area

Wonderful coral crepe print dress

Navy and red crepe dress

Purses under glass

The 1940's shoes we found for Elizabeth

Tie clips galore, including one from the 1933 World's Fair

Ties!

A selection of men's hats

Oh, the bakelite!

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Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Art Deco, Dresses, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Shorts, Skirts, Suits, Sweaters, Swimwear, Undergarments, Vests, Vintage Stores, WWII

Tagged 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, 1960's, ABW, accessories, All Balboa, antiques, bakelite, Cleveland, clothing, dress, gown, hats, interiors, menswear, OH, Ohio, raincoat, Shoes, store, suit, Suite Lorain, Sweet Lorain, tap shoes, Tie clips, ties, vest, vintage, weekend

All Balboa Weekend 2011 Vendors

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Lindy Shopper | 4 Comments

Get your ABW t-shirts while they're hot!

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

The presence of vendors seems to be growing at larger Lindy Hop and Balboa events, presenting sellers with a unique opportunity to reach a targeted (and sometimes captive) audience. It can be difficult to fly into an event and not have the time to experience local vintage stores, or order online without trying something on, or maybe your dance shoes choose that weekend to fall apart. When the vendors come to you, the event becomes even more accommodating, convenient, and special.

As far as vendor lineups go, All Balboa Weekend this year has had the most vendors I have seen at any single event. Does this surprise the swing dance community at large, with Balboa dancers having a reputation for dressing up? Probably not. There were three shoe vendors (four if you count the vintage store that brought some choice 1940′s pumps), a ton of dresses, hair accessories, bloomers, and a smattering of vintage goodies. Here’s a list of the vendors, in the order in which you would approach them entering the hallway of the event:

The My Heinies shoe spread

MY HEINIES

I’ve been singing Carol Fraser’s praises for months, but she has seriously outdone herself again. I don’t think I’ve seen that many bloomers in one place, with dozens of patterns in the My Heinies signature styles. Carol’s exclusive line of footwear from Worldtone, developed for swing dancers, is even more developed at this point and it was apparent that the styles available at ABW are targeted to be good colors and styles for dancers. I found the new shoes VERY appealing and was pleased to see that some of the focus group shoes had made the final cut. She also carried a number of one-of-a-kind styles – featuring more colors, patterns, and detailing – that were just breathtaking. I also noticed a number of follows sporting fancy hosiery from this vendor, both on the social dance floor and in competitions. Top it all off with one of the lovely hair flowers Carol sells and you’ve got a winner.

Now available in pink and blue!

REMIX VINTAGE SHOES

What can I say? Remix Vintage Shoes makes the most drool-worthy reproduction shoes out there, with dance-friendly heel heights and soft leather galore. There are always a few new models and colors, as well as some shoes that may not be made anymore (i.e. Remix is looking for a new manufacturer for the Balboa t-strap, so if you’ve been on the fence get them NOW because we don’t know when they will be available again!). I had the high honor of having my vintage two-tone oxfords photographed by Philip Heath, the owner of Remix – perhaps there will be a reproduction made and named after Lindy Shopper? *swoon*

Just add Shannon, feathers, and a little sparkle from Vegas

BOMBSHELL BAUBLES

Shannon Sheldon is the mastermind behind both the execution of a flawless 1930′s fashion show and the line of adorable hair flowers known as Bombshell Baubles. Shannon personally tests each flower to make sure that, no matter how much your head shakes, the flower will not fall out. As someone who has abandoned flowers mid-dance because they simply could not stay in place, I salute you! Etsy store coming soon…

Oh, the cuteness!

FLAPPERFLY

Flapperfly makes cute, crafty, and recycled items, such as earrings, hair accessories, fabric bags, charm necklaces, and has some vintage finds worthy of the cuteness of this vendor. I only wish I had seen Flapperfly’s wares out more often at the event, I feel that I am lacking in accurate commentary. Please check out her Etsy site for goodies, especially the sequin sparrow barrette, which is my favorite.

This print caught my eye as particularly vintage looking

LOCO LINDO

Loco Lindo saw some heavy traffic at ABW, and for good reason – their line of dresses and skirts are flirty and practical, made from an infinite number of crepe prints, both modern and vintage reminiscent. The best parts about this kind of crepe are the nod to vintage crepe fabrics (common in swing era clothing), the comfort and wearability of the fabric, and the washability – no dry cleaning necessary, just throw it in the washer and hang it up to dry. The crepe travels well, being somewhat wrinkle-resistant, which is good news for traveling swing dancers. I would also file these dresses under dance and work-appropriate, so there’s double duty potential. I picked up a lovely gray and white polka dot dress with smocking detail at the shoulders – it is so rare to find dresses with smocking – superb!

A wall of shoe boxes from Dancestore

DANCESTORE

The staple of almost every swing dancer’s wardrobe, Dancestore‘s shoes are always well received at dance events and tend to be the anchor vendor with their vast inventory. I think I spent most of the weekend in their white mesh oxford. They were not at ABW the entire time, so I am afraid I am remiss of additional tidbits relating to the event or new products. I will use this opportunity to reiterate Teni Lopez-Cardenas‘ plea to make the trumpet skirt available in more colors (and sizes) – please! I’ve been waiting for years for the black trumpet skirt to be in stock in my size.

Lisa and her lovelies

FOLLOW FASHIONS

More hair accessory cuteness, this time from Follow Fashions‘ Ohio based designer, Lisa Curry. As you can see from the photo, there are wonderful flowers and feather fascinators, in lots of color options, shapes, and sizes. I am particularly grateful to see the smaller flower options, for short haired follows, for embellishing up-do’s, and perhaps for use as a boutonniere. Special thanks to Follow Fashions for outfitting some of our 1930′s fashion show participants with hair accessories!

The shopping here was so good! I hope Valerie and Heidi (pictured) got something awesome.

FLOWER CHILD

The token actual vintage vendor at ABW was Flower Child, who looked like they had been hoarding swing era goodies for us for a while, as there were some really choice items available for purchase. Things that stuck out in my mind were some great 1940′s cocktail dresses, pumps and wedges, bakelite jewelry at not outrageous prices, vintage sewing notions, a fairly substantial menswear and accessories section, gorgeous hats, and the 6 yards of 1930′s printed cotton the ladies brought for me to look at after I told them about some of my dresses being handmade. These ladies were diligent and stuck it out all weekend, into the wee hours of the nightly dances. Special thanks also goes out to Flower Child for letting the 1930′s fashion show borrow some of their accessories – such lovely things!

And those are the vendors! Stayed tuned for more possible future ABW-related blog posts.

The highlight of my weekend!

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Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Dresses, Events, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Skirts, Sweaters, Undergarments, Vests, Vintage Stores

Tagged ABW, All Balboa, bloomers, Bombshell Baubles, Carol Fraser, Cleveland, clothing, crepe, dance, Dancestore, dress, Etsy, event, fascinator, Flapperfly, Flower Child, Follow Fashions, hair accessories, hair flowers, Independence, jewelry, Lisa Curry, Loco Lindo, My Heinies, OH, Ohio, Philip Heath, Remix, reproduction, Shannon Sheldon, Shoes, skirt, swing, vendors, vintage, weekend, worldtone

Field Trip: Dolly’s Vintage, Durham, NC

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Lindy Shopper | Leave a comment

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

This is less of a field trip and more of a weekly lunch break ritual, usually on Fridays, to a destination two blocks from my office in downtown Durham, North Carolina – to Dolly’s Vintage, a confectionery of a vintage store that is more like a trip to Candy Land than a trip back in time. And, like the board game, Dolly’s is timeless, adorable, and nostalgic at the same time.

You can’t help but smile when you walk by the store, with its vintage bathtub flower bed and cheerful wooden sign welcoming you in. In fact, much of Dolly’s business is foot traffic now that the store has moved from a small space in Brightleaf Square to its expansive new location on Main Street. The store is like a magnet, drawing both men and women into its cheerful interior, with owner Jennifer Donner ready to welcome everyone with a smile and delightful conversation.

What’s inside Dolly’s Vintage? An array of vintage clothing and accessories, mostly ranging from the 1940′s to the 1970′s. The men’s section has a great selection of ties, sport coats, dress and casual button up shirts, tees, and some miscellaneous accessories, like tie clips and cufflinks. The women’s section is a rainbow of awesome dresses, slips, aprons, bathing suits, rompers, skirts, and tops – no losers here, even the 70′s stuff is adorable. A vintage dress will set you back $20-30, which makes it easy to feed the addiction.

Dolly’s carries custom items, like crinolines and ruffled bloomers that Jennifer orders especially for the store, as well as adorable gift items (Hello Kitty, Pucca, Demeter fragrances, and a ton of cool stuff you’ll want to take home with you) and a candy table worthy of Wonka’s chocolate factory.

Jennifer also works with local tailors and seamstresses to mend and repurpose vintage items with flaws to sell in the store.

Location:

905 West Main St # 20G
Durham, NC 27701

(919) 682-1471 ‎

Open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Take a look inside!

The view from the front door - ahhh...

Looking up at the wheel-o-crinolines suspended from the ceiling

The glorious purple velvet couch, with the women's section in the background

Massive tie rack

I've mentioned 70's does 30's before and here is a good example - yes, the fabric is synthetic, but it's gauzy enough to look like a chiffon, and the shawl collar is so 30's

This one came home with me

I died a little when this dress with an adorable purple bird print and purple trim wouldn't zip up my rib cage

A closeup of the bird print

A rack of vintage slips...love

Live your Pretty in Pink fantasy with these 1950's prom dresses

Sportcoats!

Ruffled bloomers

Get your costume wigs here!

Nibble on some candy while you shop

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Posted in 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Dresses, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Pants, Shirts, Shorts, Skirts, Socks, Suits, Sweaters, Swimwear, Tailoring, Undergarments, Vests, Vintage Stores

Tagged accessories, aprons, Balboa, bloomers, clothing, crinoline, Dolly's, dresses, Durham, gifts, hats, jackets, Lindy Hop, men's, NC, North Carolina, ruffles, shirts, skirts, slips, store, swing dancing, ties, vintage, wigs, women's

Beggars and Choosers Sale – 50% Off

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Lindy Shopper | 1 Comment

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

ATTENTION: This post formerly advertised a sale where if you wear it out of the store, it’s yours for free. I went to Beggars and Choosers today and they were very embarrassed that their printer and local media had mis-advertised the sale – the free sale was only for Thursday and only for clearance items from the basement. So sorry for the confusion! That said, there were still tons of great vintage items on sale for 50% off – my friend George Knott left with a $7 sportcoat and I left with a $15 1930′s hat.

Here are the contents of the old post:

File this under local news for Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill: Beggars and Choosers in Pittsboro, NC is having a sale this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday where if you find an outfit at the store and wear it out of the store, you get the outfit for free! This is the only vintage store conceivably near the Triangle that has actual swing era vintage clothing and a great section of menswear as well – definitely worth the trip to come get a free outfit!

If you are interested, I know their hours have changed since my last blog post on this shop, so call and confirm the hours they will be open. If you are planning on coming to Pittsboro’s Mardi Gras Carnival on Saturday (to dance to the Atomic Rhythm All-Stars! yeah!), consider coming a bit early to catch the sale.

Beggars and Choosers
38 Hillsboro Street
Pittsboro, NC 27312
(919) 542-5884

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Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Art, Dresses, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Shorts, Skirts, Suits, Sweaters, Undergarments, Vests, Vintage Stores, WWII

Tagged 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Atomic Rhythm All-Stars, Beggars and Choosers, Mardi Gras, NC, North Carolina, Pittsboro, sale, vintage clothing, vintage store

Flapper Flock on Etsy

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Lindy Shopper | 1 Comment

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

One of the few Etsy shops I revisit regularly is Flapper Flock, an Etsy store focused solely on 1920′s and 1930′s clothing, accessories, and other odds and ends from the jazz era. Flapper Flock is a division of the seller’s brick-and-mortar store in Redlands, California called Hobo’s Vintage. While her selection is usually small, there are always one or two really choice items to fall in love with.

Couple of distinct things about Flapper Flock 1) all prices include the cost of shipping, so what you see is the total cost you will pay for that item and 2) the seller will sometimes include “throwback” items, like a 1960′s does 1920′s drop waist dress. Other sellers try to do this and fail miserably, but with the items I have seen her post in this fashion it really is hard to tell, at least from the photos. I don’t see any throwback items listed right now.

Right now, Flapper Flock has some most excellent vintage shoes and some other odds and ends:

Navy 1930's dead stock shoes, size 6.5

Glorious pair of 1920's dead stock oxfords, size 6.5

White perforated leather dead stock 1930's oxfords, size 6.5

1920's beaded drawstring purse

1930's black camisole - in my opinion, older slips are almost always more beautiful than the ones you find being made today

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Posted in 1920's, 1930's, Accessories, Dresses, Hats, Shoes, Skirts, Undergarments, Vintage Stores

Tagged 1920's, 1930's, beaded, California, camisole, Charleston, dress, Etsy, flapper, Flapper Flock, heels, Hobo's Vintage, oxford, purse, Redlands, Shoes, slip, store, vintage

Field Trip: Vintage Moon and Hip Replacements, Asheville, NC

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Lindy Shopper | Leave a comment

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

There is wonderful shopping in downtown Asheville, NC, including three distinct vintage stores. Unfortunately, I only made it to two of them, but I’ll still give a shout out to Ragtime Vintage Clothing from my past experiences with them – a great place to find 1930′s and 40′s ties.

My partners in crime for this excursion were fellow Lindy Focus dancers Hilary Mercer, Neil Mercer, and Leslie Faircloth. After a delicious lunch at Mayfel’s Restaurant, we headed to Hip Replacements, a vintage inspired boutique that carries vintage clothing, reproductions, and re-designed vintage clothing. The store has a sort of punky, rockabilly feel to it and the clothes go from outlandish to classic. I fell in love with a green coat and a reproduction day dress. Of note for the gents, there was a large rack of sport coats and a decent selection of vests.

We then headed a few doors down to Vintage Moon, which is my favorite of the Asheville vintage stores, as they have a larger selection of older vintage clothing and the walls and shelves are filled with gorgeous vintage items – old hats, shawls, Victrolas, phones, jewels, feathers, gloves….ahhhhh! My velvet addiction kicked in and I drooled over a pale green burnout velvet 1930′s gown and a purple velvet cape, as well as some adorable day dresses and hats. For the gents, tophats and tails abound, as well as some interesting evening wear and footwear. Definitely worth your time to browse in this lovely store.

Here are some photos of the finds of the day: