This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
You don’t have to be on a boat to enjoy these nautical-inspired dresses and skirts from Shabby Apple‘s latest collection. Gingham, seersucker, cotton…all the summer fabrics are here! Just add a Dixie cup and set sail…here are some of my favorites:
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):
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I don’t like to use this blog for more outspoken opinions, but after seeing enough of this and blogging about options to no avail, I’d like to say something more explicit in hopes that something constructive may come of this.
For the record, at any dance event, I would prefer not to see any other follows’ hoo-ha, jiggly bits, cheeks, thong, sheer or lace underwear, or tanga. The last straw was at All Balboa Weekend this year when a follower in a competition wore minimal coverage undergarments that were visible when she turned. Someone commented that “She needed some Heinies” and several others agreed that, yes, it was distracting from her dancing to see so little there.
You can call me a prude, but I believe I speak for a number of follows (and maybe leads…maybe not) when I say that the allure of sharing your bits with the group is not there for us. Showing leg and some bloomer are great and I love twirly skirts, but there’s a line that is crossed and I believe a number of follows have no idea what this line is. It’s the line between your thigh and your bottom, and is carefully skirted by the opacity and size of your undergarments.
With hemlines on some modern dresses between mid-thigh and somewhere below the nether regions, it’s even more important to make sure things under your dresses are secure. I’m going to use amazing follower goddess Kara Fabina as an example – Kara wears shirts as dresses, garments that are so short that they were intended to be worn with pants underneath them. Kara does not wear pants with these dresses. I’ve marveled at how short she can wear them, yet I’ve never seen Kara’s hoo-ha. I approached Kara about this at All Balboa Weekend and her secret is that she wears a pair of tight fabric shorts underneath her shirt/dresses. The result is the opposite function of a slip – instead of adding flow, it secures and locks in both fabrics so that they do not move and her short shirt/dress stays in place.
There are many ways to go about this (My Heinies, granny panties, biker shorts, cheerleading bloomers, underwear that actually fits) but please, ladies, let’s keep things under your dresses secure and covered so you can show off your dancing as your asset.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Embrace your inner southern gentleman by purchasing one of Jos. A. Bank’s deeply discounted seersucker suits in blue, tan, or taupe – only $129.00 if you buy it today, marked down from $395.00. That’s right, you’d save $266.00. 🙂 Where would you wear it? Where wouldn’t you wear it! Seersucker is a lightweight cotton fabric, perfect for summer dances, outdoor events, weddings, and courthouses. I love, love, love that they have it in tan and taupe – one of the most beautiful color combinations I have seen is a tan seersucker suit with a coral shirt, brightly printed tie in coral and blue, and leather and linen oxfords. You can do this, gentlemen!
To get the $129.00 price, you have to purchase via Brad’s Deals, so use this link: http://www.bradsdeals.com/deals/jos-a-bank-seersucker-suit-129-p72957.html#instructions
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:
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.
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*
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…
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I’m heading up to Cleveland tonight for the 11th Annual All Balboa Weekend. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing all the regular vendors, as well as some new vendors added to ABW’s roster. Expect a full report when I get back!
I have also been given the unique opportunity to help coordinate a 1930’s vintage fashion show at ABW this year, the first fashion show in ABW history. As I mentioned in a previous post, we solicited models and outfits from ABW participants and the response has been wonderful. I’ve been compiling the submissions and I look forward to seeing these outfits, from day wear to evening wear and everything in between, on the runway this Saturday evening. I’ll probably do a report on the show as well. 🙂
Until next week…!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
My love for Trashy Diva and their rayon print dresses knows no bounds. Their latest collection of dresses is no exception, with bright and cheerful summer prints in their classic dress shapes that are so flattering on so many figures. Here are some of my favorites from the collection:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I found two dresses on eBay today with a sort of…aquatic theme. The first is this hilarious yet fetching off-white dress with lobster detailing, a cut out midriff, and a matching lobster hat. I’m with the seller on this one, if it would fit I might consider picking this up for a 4th of July gig. The other dress is a wonderful blues-and-greens cocktail dress in a scale patterned rayon. I love that the skirt has two layers and the fabric is just gorgeous!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
While not as epic or as extensive as the 70% off sale, this latest discount endeavor from Mod Cloth is no less worth mentioning. Use the code JUST4U between now and Friday, June 3, to get 50% off any of the items in their sale collection called You and Retro Too Sale. Here are some goodies from the sale:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
There’s been a small influx of Remix shoes on eBay this week in or about a size 9. Take a look!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Emerald City Vintage on eBay has done it again, this time offering this fantastic 1940’s rayon dress with a print of ladies in gowns in silhouette, with a background of fans. How girly is this? The scene depicted in the fabric sort of screams gossip in the powder room, with the ladies checking their hair and bustles. I think it’s a really interesting piece because of this unique fabric and the way it is used on the bodice and at the hem. Pockets are also helpful and I like the way the skirt pleats come down from the pockets.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Two Lindy Hoppers, Jeramie and Amber Anderson, are leaving North Carolina for Louisiana and, inevitably, moving begats getting rid of things. Fortunately, Lindy Hoppers have cool things to get rid of and the Andersons have two radio/CD players in vintage styling that they would like to find homes for. If you have a home for one of these radios, I’m sure they could work out a super duper deal for you to get the radios to you. Post here if you are interested!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I am proud to announce that All Balboa Weekend will be having its first ever 1930’s Vintage Fashion Show this year, starring…hopefully…you! If you are planning on attending ABW this year and have a 1930’s outfit, day or evening, indoors or outdoors, or what have you, we’d like to invite you ladies and gents to be a part of this showcase. If you are interested, please submit a photo of you in your outfit(s) to Lindy Shopper at caab241@hotmail.com.
I’ll be compiling the entries and submitting them to the fashion show committee for further consultation and creative theme-making. This is not meant to be exclusive by any means – we want everyone to have the opportunity to show off your lovely 1930’s duds, from knickers and day dresses to tuxedos and gowns! Also, there are some ladies clothes that need to be modeled – if you are interested in modeling for this show, please email me your bust, waist, and hip measurements.
Who is the fashion show committee, you ask? Allow me to introduce our esteemed faculty, via Valerie Salstrom’s colorful bios on the Facebook invite:
Victor Celania – Professional clothier and lover of all things vintage and classically fashionable
Shannon & Bill Butler – Professional collectors of unique vintage attire since birth. They both also have 100% historically correct hair.
Shannon Sheldon – Professor of fashion from the beginning of time until now. Producer of oodles of fashion shows.
And, of course, Miss ABW herself and vintage clothing connoisseur, Valerie Salstrom, and myself, Lindy Shopper.
We look forward to working with all of you and making some great contributions ourselves. 😉 See you in a few weeks!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
One of the biggest challenges for me this year has been finding costumes for The Carolina Fascinators, an all-girl jazz performance troupe that I organize. When I started thinking about costumes I contacted Casey Schneider of Sister Kate to find out where they had been finding costumes, because the Sister Kate girls always look so put together – and by that I mean, from head to toe, each girl looks like she is in a professional costume with a well-thought-out thematic that goes with the routine and the music. Casey agreed that this was not an easy task and that the Sister Kate girls were lucky to have some really creative and talented seamstresses in their ranks.
I’m no great seamstress, but I was determined to find costumes that would evoke the swing era and not fall prey to the “sexy” Halloween costumes or gaudy modern “jazz” costumes. Where do I find that Busby Berkeley-inspired costume today and not pay an arm and a leg for a custom costume?
I later ran into Kristen Minsky, of the Minsky Sisters, at an event she organized in Durham for her cabaret, Chifferobe. For one of her performances she wore a fully sequined dance costume that was very 1920’s and looked like it was custom made for her. In a way it was, and it wasn’t – she ordered it from Sequin Queen, an online retailer of sequin dresses and costumes, who have samples you can choose from, but then everything else, from the fit to the sequin color, is customized for your needs. If this looks like drag queen garb, that’s because it is (even RuPaul gave this place a nod on her show, Drag Race) – but if you push aside the Suzanne Sugarbaker pieces, you can find some gems here. The prices are amazing for custom, sequin dresses and some of the samples are made with a stretch base, to allow for less-restrictive movement. I’d love to see more sparkle in swing dance performances and I think some of these costumes would work well for performance teams as well as solo jazz and Charleston.
Here are some of my faves from Sequin Queen:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I know this item is a bit tangential, but I wanted to post these 1920’s tap shoes from eBay for several reasons. First, how many pairs of dance shoes do we come across that are this old? Regular shoes are already hard to come by, but shoes made specifically for dancing are even rarer, given the amount of wear and tear on any pair of dance shoes. You can see that this pair was definitely worn.
I also love that they are silver, which leads me to believe these were performance shoes and not practice shoes. Who would have worn these and what kind of fantastic, shiny show were they in? Or if they weren’t in a show, that they had silver practice shoes is pretty awesome, no?
Finally, I love the holes for the ribbons to tie the shoes on. When I was a little girl taking tap lessons my tap shoes had these ribbon holes and I thought having the bows on my feet were lovely. Think of the ribbon possibilities…any color!
Lindy Shopper 
