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 purplesRicky in brown and whiteA shirt Jason considered…Beth in a snappy hatJason snuggles with a vintage cat pillow.A school spirited hatA 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 overlaysLove this Asian-inspired shape in a cotton leaf print.Just about died when this almost-but-didn’t-quite fitGorgeous embroidery on this peach 1920’s day dressA men’s vignette in the storeAnother display at Amalgamated
(Another article I have shared with Yehoodi – thank you for having me as a guest commentator for the ILHC broadcast!)
Wonder Woman wears a belt that creates a very prominent focal point for her outfit. Now, imagine Wonder Woman in a Lindy Hop competition. Imagine that with each swingout, the belt moves just a little bit to the right as a result of her movement and her lead’s contact, and then more to the right, and you begin paying attention to where the center of the belt is going instead of her dancing. By the time the spotlight is over the belt is almost halfway around her back, so that she no longer looks like the Wonder Woman that hit the floor at the beginning of the comp – she looks like a hot mess, shirt and skirt askew, having been pulled a little bit along with the belt.
I saw this happen in almost every competition at ILHC 2012, especially during the multiple Lindy Hop prelims on Saturday afternoon with multiple dancers. I also saw bra straps come out during spotlight dances, skirts that were too tight so that they either inhibited movement or rode up on the dancer’s body until there was room for movement, and shirt tails that came out of the skirts (or trousers for the gents). But the belts were the most egregious – wide swaths of leather, elastic, and metal making an orbit around the waist of so many dancers it was an epidemic.
Why is this so bad? This is the INTERNATIONAL LINDY HOP CHAMPIONSHIPS, the Olympics of our dance, if you will. When you have reached this level of competition there are certain expectations of presentation because you want people to focus on you and your abilities, not focus on something falling off your outfit or costume. You will be on YouTube for the world to see as one of the best swing dancers in the world. There is a level of professionalism that is expected at this point in the competition and a level of presentation that is higher than just wearing street clothes as you would wear them on the street. The visual distraction of a wardrobe malfunction and the accompanying anxiety of the viewer as the malfunction occurs is not the desired result in any performance – what if an Olympic ice skater had a bra strap fall down in the middle of a routine? I would wager that the television commentary would be less about her performance and more about whether or not she was coming undressed.
It’s all fun and games until somebody loses a focal point.
This problem is easily addressed, but requires some planning:
MAKE SMART CHOICES
When you are buying clothes for dancing or deciding what to wear in a competition, make good choices. Don’t wear clothing that inhibits your movement – make sure to do a motion test on your clothing, can you move your arms and legs in the way that you need to in order to effectively dance the way that you do? Buy clothing that fits you and is secure on your body – clothing that is too big can get caught on things or fall off, make it harder to find points on your body that need to be found by your partner, and, if large enough, can create drag that can dull your movement, either physically or visually. Don’t have too many straps or appendages hanging off that might get caught in something or accidentally grabbed. You get the idea – you want to be beautiful and interesting, but also efficient.
DO A DRY RUN
As someone who has had a wrap dress come untied in the middle of a spotlight, I can not stress enough the importance of doing a dry run. Before you dance in an outfit in a competition, please take that outfit for a spin on the floor at a dance prior to the competition. I promise that the wow factor of a new dress is completely lost when something goes wrong with the dress. There are things you can’t even anticipate that could happen, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
SECURE YOUR CLOTHING
Safety pins are your best friend. Plus, safety pins are usually in plentiful supply at competitions if you forget your own. Every belt that rotated this past weekend could have been secured to the shirt, dress, or pants of the wearer.
I mentioned this to someone and they were afraid of putting holes in their belt, but the secret is that you don’t put holes in your belt – with the elastic belts (which were most of the infractions this weekend), you simply gather a group of threads from the inside of the belt with the pin, then pin it to your garment. Do this in at least two places. If you are worried about piercing your belt, garment, or whatever, then don’t wear it. Seriously. Find something else to wear or find a something that you can secure. This is more of an issue with larger belts or belts that have prominent buckles or decoration. Skinny monotone belts can probably slide by unnoticed from a distance.
The security doesn’t end with belts. I pin stray bra straps, especially when I am wearing sleeveless garments. I pin necklines to my bra to make sure they don’t move. I pin shirts to my underwear or bloomers when I am wearing skirts or that rare pair of pants. I have even pinned my dress, slip, and bra together because the centrifugal force of the weight of the dress would pull it off my shoulders. At any given time I have 2 to 8 safety pins holding my outfit in place for dances.
Ultimately, you don’t want to have to worry about your clothing when you are competing, you already have enough worries. You also don’t want the audience to worry about your clothing, you want them to see your amazing dancing. This goes for any competition, not just ILHC. Make sure that the focal point remains you, that your clothing enhances your dancing rather than inhibits it, and that you project the polished look of a professional dancer, regardless of your division or level.
It was another glorious weekend of competitions, inspirational figures (young and old), and a celebration of movement to some of the hottest jazz in the US – I’m talking about the 2012 International Lindy Hop Championships, held in Washington, D.C. this past weekend. The swanky Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel was the swanky backdrop for this event and the bright and shiny decor only added to the vibrancy of the event.
Were there vendors? You bet! I only wish there had been more vendors, as it appeared that they were fewer in number from last year. The most noticeable absence was Carol Fraser and her army of My Heinies, fabulous shoes, and accompanying Model J Vintage that filled up a prominent space in the vendor area at ILHC 2011. As a consolation, I did notice that every follow who showed her heiny in a comp had it securely covered. 🙂
Dancestore’s newest version of the trumpet skirt, available in black, brown, and red – as of ILHC, not available on the Dancestore website.
Dancestore was there with an entire inventory of their staple shoes, but of serious note was the introduction of a new (wait for it)…trumpet skirt! While it’s not the trumpet skirt we know and love, it’s still a nice variation on the theme, with beautiful Art Deco-inspired seaming on the front. The twirl factor is good! The only con, in my opinion, is the material – it is a very stretchy/drapey jersey instead of the more substantial stretch suiting-type material of the trumpet skirts of my crusade. The new skirts are great if you want something to ball up and throw in your suitcase, but are not so good if you have hip, bum, or belly bumps, or if you want to tuck in your shirt. I am still eagerly awaiting the return of the more substantial trumpet skirt. In the vein of more substantial fabrics, Dancestore also had a fantastic new red wiggle dress (also not available on the website yet).
Next door, Laurie Gilkenson (also known as Nina‘s Mom), set up a table that was a mix of fabulous and/or quirky Nina clothing castoffs, fabulous vintage shoes, Mobtown Ballroom tee shirts, various DVDs from instructors, and anything else anyone else happened to want to sell. My favorite item on this table was actually the Mobtown Ballroom tee, which not only embodied the rebellious spirit of Mobtown, but also managed to be patriotic and historic – highly appropriate for an event in our nation’s capital!
Photograph of the Savoy Ballroom
Mike Thibault set up a display of his wonderful swing and early jazz prints from his Vintage Jazz Art website. I noticed a couple of new prints, including a colorful print a flapper with a trombonist and saxophonist and (most notably) another print of a photograph of the Savoy Ballroom featuring a mob of dancers and Erskine Hawkins on the band stand. Mike said that he was working with the photographer’s son and that this relationship may yield some more choice photographic prints! We’ll definitely stay tuned, especially if there is more Savoy Ballroom and trombone player goodness to be had.
Forties Forward was on hand to make sure the dancers were appropriately and florally decorated. I have several of their flowers and they are some of my favorites. These gals know that the blooms need to stay relatively flat to be practical for dancing and for this Lindy Shopper salutes you.
Last, but most certainly not least, the adorable and incomparable Dawn Hampton was intermittently manning her own table of CDs and DVDs of “The Unforgettable Hampton Family.” Sadly, I did not get photographic evidence of this!
And that’s a wrap on the vendors, but stay tuned for two more ILHC-related posts. I hope events will continue to have vendors and promote Lindy Hop commerce amongst businesses and the participants who need/want these unique products. ILHC, see you next year!
Tomorrow I head north to Washington, D.C. for the 2012 International Lindy Hop Championships! Last year was my first year attending this event and it is truly like no other in terms of inspiration and sheer awe of what we can accomplish with this dance that we do. There will, of course, be vendors – I am certain that I will see Dancestore and My Heinies, perhaps others? There is also a new vintage store that opened this past year in Alexandria, Virginia called Amalgamated Classic Clothing and Dry Goods that I will definitely be checking out – I just hope they are open when I stop by! I tried to go to the store during DCLX, but I believe they had just opened and were not keeping regular hours. Wish me luck this time and I’ll hopefully return with a report.
Pontchartrain Beach Set – giant pockets and flower buttons FTW
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I felt compelled to update you on the latest offerings from Trashy Diva, per my usual obsession, but also because my Scottish ancestry won’t let me ignore a good plaid dress. These plaids are bright and cheerful, in playful 1950’s silhouettes. I am particularly fond of the two piece beach set – if you are going to show your midriff, this is the way to do it, without the possibility of your underpants/thong creeping into the picture. Enjoy!
Annette Dress in red, black, and white plaid; also available in pink, purple and white plaid and in pink, white, and turquoise plaid.Streetcar Dress in brown plaid – also available in the black, white, and red plaid.
This kind of thing shows up so rarely that I couldn’t resist posting this set of a Norfolk jacket with matching knickers – 2 pairs! If you happen to rip a hole in the seat of your pants doing something awesome on the dance floor, you’ll have a spare. The size of this is very small for men, a 35 chest for the jacket and a 28 inch waist on the knickers, but those are also pretty standard lady sizes, so this little suit gets filed under ladies and gents. Whoever wears this is going to look badass.
Veteran elegant-lady-shoe-and-handbag producer Etienne Aigner has a great women’s wingtip oxford out right now that they are calling Kimber (Jem and the Holograms?) – it’s a solid looking wingtip that comes in four color combinations: black, a reddish brown, two tone caramel and brown, and two tone olive green and dark brown. This is exactly the kind of shoe I would pick up if I actually wore pants on a regular basis. It also appears to have that half rubber, half fabric sole that the Payless shoes have, which means this shoe has a high dance potential. The price isn’t bad at $78.99, but if you register for Zulily, they are on special for $54.99 through August 18.
I am still on a peplum kick and fell in love with this 1940’s Asian novelty print dress with a lovely peplum. The combination of the cheerful color, the shape, that amazing cutout at the neckline, and this whimsical Asian print featuring little boats makes this dress. The only drawback is that this dress is from a NYC seller, which means it has a NYC price tag. Still…pretty fabulous. Perhaps a tongue-in-cheek wardrobe selection for the upcoming Eastern Balboa Championships?
I am always so happy when one of our own embarks on a business venture that is an outgrowth of the love of Lindy Hop and vintage culture. Australian dancer Denise Cox has just launched an online store selling 1930’s, 40’s, and 50’s-inspired clothing called Crimson Gardenia, with distribution in Australia for the moment, and plans of expanding to other corners of the globe and possibly a brick-and-mortar store. I met Denise two years ago at the Balboa Experiment, who traveled with a contingent of well-dressed Aussies, and I have been delighted to follow her process of getting this business off the ground via Facebook. I believe I participated in a survey at some point (market research!) and it is so exciting to see the final product launch!
The Grable Top – I need this top in every color for work, for dancing, for everything…
It looks like Denise is off to a fine start, with some great coats, tops, and that awesome Retrolite jewelry from Classic Hardware. Definitely keep your eye on this website – Denise blogs about the creation of her business and an amazing government program that helped her realize her dream on her Crimson Gardenia blog and it’s a great story! I wonder if we have comparable programs like this in the U.S….? My hat’s off to you, Denise, keep me posted on your endeavors!
Ever since my grandmother told me about dancing a hole through the sole of her red snakeskin pumps in one night of dancing during WWII, I have been pining for a pair of my own. While these are neither pumps nor red in color, this pair of snakeskin (or “python” as the seller lists) 1930’s oxfords is a pretty awesome curiosity (although, with the slight platform, would you place them as 1940’s?). The condition is remarkable and so is the pattern and the way the pattern is placed on the shoe.
I also love hearing about companies that are still in business from the swing era, with this pair originating overseas:
“This is an extraordinary find – a pair of vintage 1930s real python skin shoes, made by the famous bespoke Hong Kong shoemakers Kow Hoo. The company opened in Shanghai in 1928, and moved to Hong Kong in 1946. They still make bespoke, handmade shoes today – the last firm to do so in Hong Kong: www.kowhoo.com/hk”
It was time to grow a bit, take on some more responsibility, and find a theme that was more compatible and adaptable. Unsleepable, you’ve been a great theme for Lindy Shopper, but we are going to try Coraline for a bit. Readers, I hope you find the new layout as clean and efficient as the old one.
If you have any ideas for my header (or prefer that the site not have one), I’m all ears…
Aside from Re-Mix Vintage Shoes‘ retail location, I was not aware of a retailer specializing in dead stock shoes – until now. I happened upon A Vintage Sole and was delighted to find an entire website devoted to dead stock shoes from many eras, including the swing era. I was immediately awash with questions of “how…?” “where…?” “what..??!” Just amazing.
This site is also a haven for irregular widths – it is apparent that the buyer found whole sets of stock for a certain shoe, sometimes in multiple colors, and almost always in multiple widths. You can search their inventory by size, width, and color. The only criteria missing would be decade. 🙂
So, back to my questions – thankfully, there’s FAQ page to satiate my curiosity:
“Where do you buy your shoes? We find people with vintage shoes to sell. If they are in mint condition, we’re interested. We’re pretty open-minded when it comes to our sources. Keep in mind that all of our shoes are still in the box and have never been worn.”
The owner, Libby, sounds like a kindred spirit – “A Vintage Sole began with a love of shoes. From there it grew into a bit of an obsession. I searched high and low for authentic vintage shoes. One pair became two. Two pairs became four. Four pairs became eight until I had so many shoes I had to pass them on to you…Growing up in the Midwest, I also loved the thrill of spending weekends driving around the many small towns filled with antique shops hiding vintage gems. Have you ever been to a garage sale, second-hand store, or antique shop and found something that was so amazing you had to get it even though it wasn’t quite right for you? When you picked it up you thought, “My friend would love this!” That’s how I feel. I know you’ll love what I’ve found for you. Who wouldn’t love an authentic pair of gorgeous, vintage shoes? The shoes I sell have never been worn! It’s time they had their moment in the spotlight because they are too beautiful to stay boxed up forever. a Vintage Sole offers footwear in limited quantities that enables your shoes to be as unique as you are. We celebrate individuality and flair. Love for great shoes is a passion to share. From me and the rest of the staff of a Vintage Sole, we hope you truly enjoy your shoes!
Now for the shoes! Here are some favorites from A Vintage Sole:
Princess – 1930’s heel, looks narrow but some sizes have regular and slightly wide widths!Licorice Whip – mid-1940’s shoeNarcissus – late 40’s shoe, also available in black and white comboIrene – early 40’s shoe, also available in blackBeatrice – black suede early 40’s shoeJoyce – mid-40’s shoeMimi – late 30’s heels, also available in brownMissie – early 40’s shoe, also available in blackJacqueline – early 40’s shoeDot – late 30’s heel
At last August’s Jazz Age Lawn Party I happened upon a booth for the upstart men’s clothing company The Original Prohibition Clothing Company and reported on some of the most beautifully tailored men’s clothing I have seen in person. The company’s owner and designer, Corey Miller, sent me an email last week to let me know that the website was now open for business and that their offerings are expanding and continue to expand (including expanding into women’s dandy-wear – paging Sam Carroll…)
While I don’t talk a lot about tee shirts on this blog, it’s a fact that most dancers wear tee shirts dancing most of the time, especially men. Corey has noted this and when he “looked around at most of the dance tee shirts, they identified your love for dance, but the shirts themselves weren’t lovely.” I like the way this man thinks – to add to the small pool of Lindy Hop merchandise available to us, TOPCC is now offering two tees – one for “Fearless Follows” and another for the “Solid Sender.” The design on the tees is certainly lovely, with vintage styling and iconic silhouettes. Now that I am the proud owner of a Fearless Follow tee, I can attest to the fact that this is one of the softest tee shirts I own – it will be a delight to wear!
Solid!
While you’re at TOPCC website, you should absolutely look around – there are fabulous things here, too fabulous, really. I pretty much want to buy everything here for my husband to wear! Impeccable jackets, Hollywood trousers, wonderful vests, variations on the collared shirt, newsboy caps, and even men’s ties in a Tommy gun pattern (to continue the theme – cheeky).
And thanks to Corey for designing with the swing dance community in mind – a rare thing, indeed!
A preview of the impeccable tailoring that awaits you inside The Original Prohibition Clothing Company website…
Every once in a while I will come across an eBay seller that I can’t quite figure out – does the seller make the clothes? Hand-knit the sweaters? Is this small batch, but manufactured? How can they sell these garments at such good prices?
I came across eBay seller qbiffa’s store when one of their lovely reproduction 1940’s sweaters popped up in one of my searches. I saw that the sweater, which was not in my size, could be ordered in other sizes and, to my delight, there were many other colors and styles of these little short sleeved sweaters available. Then I saw wide leg pants for men and women, men’s button down short sleeved shirts, and 40’s repro jackets, with nothing costing over $120.00. Even better, the seller posted a photo of the original pattern for the sweaters and men’s items, so you can see the origin and maybe get some ideas about what to pair each garment with and how it would have been worn.
The items show can be made in different sizes and colors, simply contact the seller if the item you like is not in your size or colors. 🙂 I wonder why this particular seller picked eBay, it seems like Etsy might be a better forum for this kind of transaction…
I considered this find so good, I almost waited to post until after I bought what I wanted from the store…but there were too many things I wanted and I was too excited! Here are my faves:
WANT this color comboBlue high waist jumperHigh waist trousers for women, available in a number of colorsMen’s short sleeved dress shirtRepro men’s 1940’s trousersAdorable shawl collared sweaterMen’s reproduction 1940’s jacketLove this repro 1940’s plaid jacketPurple, rainbows, and a rosette? SO HAPPYCherries!Another great variation on the casual jacketSki bunny variation
In my search for a new pair of 1940’s wedges I came across Rocket Originals, a UK-based company specializing in 1940’s and 50’s clothing, shoes and accessories for men and women. While the gorgeous wedges they offer didn’t work out (rubber soles!?), there are a bunch of other really great items on the website, namely those wonderful short sleeved ski bunny sweaters, men’s two tone cap toes, wingtips, and loafers, blue suede oxfords, diamond and argyle socks, argyle belts, and repro men’s dress shirts with short and long sleeves,
I do admire the efforts Rocket Originals has taken to supporting local manufacturers in the UK. From their website:
“The men’s shoes are all made here in England, as are our men’s socks. We’re proud to be doing our bit in helping keep our British industries alive and try, whenever possible, to have our stock manufactured in good old blightly.
Our ladies sweaters are also manufactured in England. All the designs are taken from vintage knitting patterns, and one of the companies we use still has a vintage mechanical knitting machine, so we have some of ours knitted on that (very authentic!) We get asked “don’t you knit them yourselves” – well, no we don’t (we can’t knit that well, it would take forever and wouldn’t look nearly as neat!)”
Keep those sweaters coming! Here’s what I’m loving from Rocket Originals:
Fairisle sweater in green, also available in blue and greyDiamond jacquard sweater in red, also available in blackSomething about these blue suede oxfords is reading awesome to me…I do love a brown and cream cap toeDiamond pattern socksArgyle sock 4-packWhite diamond belt to go with your white cap toesCream short sleeve dress shirt with a sort of cross hatch and fleck
Lindy Shopper 