I hear a lot of questions about how to isolate the decade, or portion of a decade (or in rare instances, the year), in which a particular garment was made. How do you identify the date of a garment based on the details, fabrics, notions, etc. included the garment? My initial answer is to do your homework, but my learning mostly consisted of shopping for vintage with my mother, asking her to identify the decade, and having her point out different identifying details. I can’t loan out my mother to all of you, so you’ll have to learn the old fashioned way: book learning (or in the 21st century, the Internets).
Kim at Time Machine Vintage directed me to the Vintage Pattern Wiki to get some ideas for dresses, but I was delighted to see that you could search their extensive directory by the type of garment and also by year. I see other compilations of patterns for sale that usually group by decade, but I’m just anal retentive enough to want to add more mid-1930’s dresses to my collection, or to want to make sure that late 20’s/early 30’s dress is actually late 1920’s. Regardless of your OCD level or absence thereof, this website is a useful resource for anyone who would like to learn and understand more about the fashions from each of the swing era decades, down to the year. Another great feature of this site is menswear and children’s clothing included in the patterns, which is not something I run across very often.
Enjoy this resource, I’ve already spent portions of two evenings going through the early 1940’s stuff – this could take a while!
I am still mourning the fact that my schedule will not allow me to attend either Jazz Age Lawn Party at Governors Island this summer. In honor of the June JALP this past weekend, here is a selection of 1920’s items inspired by the event on eBay:
A light, breezy dress for a hot summer dayYellow floral 1920’s dress with a touch of blueBlack satin Mary Janes with cutouts on the strapsSheer and floral is always a winner!Abel & Son Inc. straw boater hatFreakin’ awesome clocheNavy and white straw clocheBlue and pink clocheI wouldn’t mind having a pair of these adorable t-straps!To be one of the bathing beauties you’ll need something in wool…Deadstock white linen knickers? Yespls!
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 VintageBakelite bangles at Deering VintageMolly and her lovely dress with matching bolero from Sweet LorainBurnout velvet! at Sweet LorainThe 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, lolPurple 40’s slingbacks at Sweet LorainThis 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 ABWA selection of red goodies from Flower ChildHotttt 1930’s shoes from The Cleveland ShopDavid Lee, holding up one of many knit shirts I saw gents walk away with this past weekend from the vintage vendorsA letter sweater, possibly from my alma mater? at The Cleveland ShopThe My Heinies ArmyGet your foxy legs at the My Heinies table
I’m going to begin chronicling pairs of shoes that I would shell out lots of money for, if only they were wider than 2.5 inches at the ball of the foot. I don’t know what sort of lives these 1920’s women led, but they must not have taken a step barefoot in their lives, have subjected themselves to foot binding, and been carried around in a sedan chair.
If you have narrow feet, for the love of everything wonderful, please start buying all these amazing vintage shoes!
I have three pairs in desperate need of reproduction this week (Re-mix Vintage Shoes, I hope you are taking notes. 😉 ):
Black leather Mary Jane, with two straps meeting in the center before crossing the top of the foot, and the cutouts are just screaming AWESOME. Cutouts from the top, cutouts from the side, this shoe looks good at every angle.There’s no one angle that really captures the awesomeness of this shoe, but I’m a sucker for green two tone heels and this pair is really unique in the way that the two shades work with the straps and curvature. This would look awesome in purple, too.View #2 – check those straps!GAH! These are just too much, the snake skin, velvet, stitching, cutouts… *passes out*
I am smitten with this gorgeous 1920’s day dress, made of the sweetest lace – I’m not normally drawn to lace, but here the lace makes such intricate and wonderful patterns that it’s more than an embellishment, it’s a…textile, in the most reverent sense of the word. Paired with a cotton slip, this might be the most delightful dress for summer porch sitting or making an appearance at the Jazz Age Lawn Party. 😉
Ah, bakelite…beads, bangles, earrings and many other items made from “the world’s first synthetic plastic” are a hallmark of the swing era, and rose to popularity during the 1930’s because of bakelite’s affordability (as compared to fine jewelry). If only this were the case today – when I encounter bakelite in most antique or vintage stores, the price is usually heavily inflated, with bangles selling for over $100 each. Why do these sellers think they’ve found a gold mine? I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t pay that much for any piece of plastic. It’s not THAT rare.
I began to grow frustrated with the prices in these stores, wanting some bakelite pieces to complete certain outfits, then I remembered my old friend eBay. eBay has sellers offering bakelite in abundance, at all price points, including some really great and affordable bakelite pieces. Here’s a sampling of what you may find in bakelite for under $15.00 on eBay:
Carved ivory bakelite bracelet, starting price $0.25!This little bakelite horseshoe pendant just needs a chain - starting bid $0.99Set of three bakelite bangles, bidding at $5.50Swirled bakelite ring, starting bid $6.00Interesting red bakelite brooch, starting bid $9.99Green bakelite earrings, starting bid $9.50Black Art Deco bakelite clamp bracelet, bidding at $12.50Orange carved bakelite bracelet, starting bid $9.99
I’d like to extend my congratulations to Leluxe Clothing, an official supporter of Lindy Shopper, whose gorgeous reproduction 1920’s dresses were featured in The Artist, which brought home not only the Academy Award for Best Picture, but also the award for Best Costume Design. Mark Bridges, costumer for the film and the recipient of the Best Costume Design Oscar, used several of Leluxe’s dresses when costuming the cast for the film. Here’s a great article on Leluxe’s “Rags to Riches” story and its involvement with the film. Bravo!
Actress Berenice Bejo wears Leluxe's Tango dress in the film The Artist
I love the micro-economies that pop up at swing dance events. I hope that vendor areas continue to develop at events and bring dancers closer to the goods and products they need and want.
I’m not at Lindy Focus this week, but it’s hard to ignore all the Facebook status updates. I had hoped that my friends who are attending would take photographs of their purchases so I could live vicariously through them. A photograph of Sharon Crawford in a top hat caught my eye, as I scanned my Facebook wall, with the description, “See Sharon Crawford if you’d like this vintage Beaver Top Hat from London to be yours.”
The post was from Bill Speidel, collector of sartorial antiquities, who acquired several top hats from an estate sale and decided to sell one of them at Lindy Focus through Sharon Crawford’s vending table at Lindy Focus. This top hat is spiffy – a Herbert Johnson of London beaver top hat, size 7, sold by Fifield and Stevenson of Chicaco, IL. Bill is asking $125.00 for the hat, which, given the condition and wearable size, is a good price for this topper.
If you are interested in the top hat, there are two ways to go about acquiring the hat: 1) if you are at Lindy Focus, find Bill Speidel or find Sharon Crawford’s table in the vending area – she’ll be the one sewing custom boutonnieres and fascinators; or 2) if you are not at Lindy Focus, email Bill at wspeid@cox.net to arrange for payment and shipping. Buyer pays shipping costs.
The top hat would pair well with one of the tuxedos I posted yesterday… 😉
This Norfolk work jacket, which the seller labels 1920’s/30’s, was made by Shenandoah Tailoring Company of Mt. Sidney, Virginia, and has some interesting bits of tailoring going on. From the front it looks like a work jacket, with pretty plain front, pockets, collar, and a big metal zipper. From the back, it looks like an elegant belt-back jacket, with tucks that look like they could be ironed out for definition. The jacket is also unlined, which I find odd, and the seams are piped with a trim so the fabric doesn’t unravel. There was a spot with threads (which can be pulled out) where the coat had a patch at some point…it would be interesting to know what was on the patch.
The jacket is labeled a 34, but the seller says he fit into it snugly at a 38, so it could fit a 36, with some fabric in the cuff of the sleeves to let out for tailoring. Starting price is $24.99, which is a great price for a coat, period; however, I don’t know what delusions of grandeur the seller had listing the Buy It Now at $1,200. I think I’d take my chances in the auction!
I am always pleased when sellers list seasonal items during the right season – when you are in the mood for something, retailers usually respond, and right now it’s the smell of cinnamon, clothing that sparkles, and Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas playing overhead (how did they know?! 😉 ).
I can’t give you the cinnamon, but here’s the Ella, and some vintage dresses from each of our swinging decades that really sparkle:
This 1950's holiday dress intrigued me - I like the clean shape of the black dress, with long sleeves, and this sort of geometric corsage/pocket/thingy adds this modern bit of excitment and pop of colorI am so in love with this 1940's maroon/fuschia belted dress, with just enough detail in all the right places - oh, the embroidery and beading! *drool*What would a proper holiday dress selection be without velvet? Please ignore the crappy photography from this seller and focus on the awesomeness of the tucking, draping, and gorgeous belt buckle on this 1930's dress.A 1920's dress in my favorite holiday color, with ombre beading and beading on the belt in my size...now, where is that $220 I need to buy it...
As I multi-tasked through my emails this morning, I was contemplating making some cherry bounce for the holidays, then ran across this 1920’s dress in a cherry print. Serendipitous? Perhaps if it had been in my size…
Cherry prints are very popular for reproductions and can be found in vintage clothing every so often, but are usually associated with decades other than the 1920’s. Aside from the adorable print, this dress has some nice details, like mesh insets in around the arm holes, long sleeves with gold trim at the cuffs, and an adorable gold and red scalloped trim around the bottom of the dress that runs up the back of the skirt. Just fantastic!
Credit this dress to Emerald City Vintage, an eBay seller who consistently has the dress that catches my eye amongst the hundreds of eBay vintage dress offerings.
It’s already wonderful that the Eastern Balboa Championships is just a short drive away, but this year EBC really had the feel of a top notch swing dance event, brimming with a level of excitement and enthusiasm that is almost unrivaled. EBC already felt like a Balboa family reunion, bridging the gap between All Balboa Weekends, but this year it felt like EBC really came into its own as an event. The new hotel for this year’s EBC, the North Raleigh Hilton, provided a lovely ballroom space, a big hallway with chairs and tables for vendors, registration, and for hanging out, and there were no shortage of extra rooms for practice space. There were competitions for everyone and I am proud of the newer Raleigh/Durham Balboa dancers, some of them only dancing Balboa for a few weeks prior to the event, taking the challenge head on and entering their first amateur competitions.
Some of the Vintage Collective spread
This year, EBC grew from one vendor to four vendors. The solo repeat vendor, and one that is near and dear to my heart, is the Vintage Collective (Andi Shelton, Claire Villa, and Laura Churchill Pemberton), who paid attention to what was bought and who purchased it last year, then went out to their sources to find even more of these vintage goods that swing dancers wear. The result was four large racks of clothing from the 1920’s through the 1940’s, both men’s and women’s apparel, three tables of accessories, and a giant shoe rack. The Vintage Collective was only set up for one day, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and I was there with my fellow vintage poachers at 9:00 sharp, freshly rolled out of bed and ready to commence with the hunt.
I intended to go grab the goodies I wanted, then go back to bed, but it was so exciting trying on clothes with my friends and choosing outfits for people that it was lunchtime before I knew it. I think Rita Shiang got my two favorite dresses of the day – a 1930’s sailor dress with red trim and a 1940’s brown floral rayon dress with amazing draping and a fishtail attachment in the back, you know, for sass. Again, I forgot to take photos of all this good stuff until the end of my shopping visit, I got so wrapped up in the experience…
So many shoes!
Next, we have Dancestore, the anchor vendor of any major swing dance event and one that is continuously welcome, as they continue to provide reasonably priced, reproduction dance shoes that are essential to any swing dancer’s wardrobe. At one point, Frankie Hagan stopped dancing and came up to me to show me that his heel had come off his shoe. About 10 minutes later he came back up to me to show off his new pair of Aris Allen cap toes. THIS is only one of the great reasons to have a shoe vendor at your event. Another is to be able to actually try on the shoes to ensure a good fit. Then, at the dance on Sunday night, Kara Fabina announced that Dancestore would be selling their entire inventory at the event for 40% off for the next 15 minutes. YES!!! There was a rush to purchase the discounted shoes and even I decided to replace my pair of white mesh oxfords that I had danced a hole through the toe – at 40% off, how could you not?
Creations by Crawford is Sharon Crawford’s name for the hair flowers, fascinators, boutonnieres, and other clothing ornamentations she makes. I was a bit confused when I saw Sharon’s vendor space, as there were a few items for sale, but it mostly looked like a craft studio, with supplies everywhere. Then Bill Speidel showed me his boutonniere and explained that Sharon had made it custom to go with his outfit. I looked over and Sharon confirmed, as she furiously sewed together one of her creations for a customer. This is a new approach and one that can work at a weekend event – you have a bit of a captive audience if the shopper is there for the weekend, why not make something to go with what they are wearing if they have the time to wait? By the end of the dance you can have a custom piece that you know will work with something you have.
Finally, we have Vintage Visage, the brainchild of Kathryn Meyer, who had a fantastic display of vintage-inspired hats and accessories for sale, including hair flowers, fancy gloves, hats for ladies and gents, and the ever essential fan. Whoever has the foresight to sell fans at dances is always tops in my book. If you are looking for Kathryn and her wares after EBC, she is a regular vendor at Richmond’s Second Saturday dances.
And that about wraps it up for another great year at EBC! Here are some supplemental photos of the vendors:
My favorite Dancestore wedge in brownNelle Cherry models a Dancestore limited edition two tone mesh and leather heeled oxfordSharon shows off her handiworkKathryn and Meghan with the Vintage Visage spreadHats and purses - even a 1920's cloche! From the Vintage CollectiveAdorable socks and ties from the Vintage CollectiveThe Vintage Collective's shoe rackElizabeth getting ready to hit the dressing roomLovely fabrics from the Vintage Collective dressesHappy shoppers!
So many things to see! The brochures include vintage culture and nightlife spots in addition to vintage clothing stores.
Just when I was beginning to think eBay is the only place I’ll ever find a deal on vintage clothing or find, not just one rare gem, but hundreds of fantastic items, I travel to Portland, Oregon for a day of vintage shopping. Oh, Portland…your stores are so numerous that they fill up two brochures with maps of locations! I’ve been saving this post for Yehoodi because I knew it would be full of extra goodness, hence the delay in posting following my trip to Portland, Oregon a few weeks ago.
I should begin the story of my trip to Portland with an Etsy purchase from Jitterbuggin’(aka Kim Cullins), about a week before my trip. I noticed that her logo included her location, which happened to be Portland, and I thought, who better to give advice about what vintage stores I should check out in the city than someone who lives there and makes reproduction vintage garments? So I sent her a private message asking about vintage shopping, to which she responded “You should call me and I’ll meet you out for a shopping date.” Um…yeah!!!
So what makes two strangers from opposite sides of the continent able to meet up and share an afternoon of shopping? Two things: vintage clothing and swing dancing. Thanks to the Interwebs, our continents grow smaller and communities grow larger, and the friendly faces of the swing dance community, like Kim’s, open up opportunities in other cities that don’t seem to exist for people outside of our community.
My purpose in Portland was to visit my dear friend from college, Danielle McQueen, and have fun with her in Portland, while incidentally accomplishing some planning for her wedding. Part of the planned fun was already to go vintage shopping, so Kim’s offer seemed like the cherry on our plans sundae.
At Kim’s suggestion, we met her at Huber’s, a restaurant that has been in business since 1879 and has the distinction of being Portland’s oldest restaurant. The restaurant had a lovely Victorian interior and specialized in “a traditional turkey dinner” (hello turkey pot pie!), as well as coffees…but not just any coffees. Their signature cocktail is a Spanish coffee, which the menu states is “Kahlua, Bacardi 151, Bols triple sec and coffee topped with fresh whipped cream and nutmeg, flamed tableside.” You read that right – FLAMED TABLESIDE. Kim ordered a Spanish coffee and, having not seen the menu, had no idea what was going on when the bartender brought over a tray with all the ingredients to make the cocktail. There were grand pours of liquor, with a span of almost four feet, followed by a flame to caramelize the sugared rim of the glass, then more grand pours, and the topping of freshly whipped cream and sprinkles of nutmeg. It tasted so divine, I wish I had ordered one of my own!
After lunch, we embarked on our shopping trip. The first stop, Decades Vintage Company, was just around the corner from Huber’s. The store was small, but inviting, with a lot of great menswear pieces and an enviable rack of shoes in the back of the store. There was much lingering around the shoes and we began talking about the vintage shoes we longed for. I began to tell the story of how my grandmother danced a hole through a pair of red snakeskin heels in one night, to the dismay of her family who had scrimped and saved ration coupons to buy her those fancy heels, and how I wanted just such a pair. At that moment one of my companions gasped and we all turned around to look at the shop owner, who had discreetly pulled out a pair of red 1940’s heels from behind the counter and placed them on top of the counter while I was telling this story. Were they my size? You bet they were! I left Decades Vintage Company with a very happy shoe purchase.
Nearby was Avalon Antiques & Vintage Clothes, a large vintage store with museum-like displays of early 1900’s clothing at the front of the store and an entire wall of men’s suits that made it feel a bit like a vintage version of the Men’s Wearhouse. It took a while to take in all the awesome things on display at the front of the store, like 1920’s shoes and Victorian accessories, but I slowly made my way around the store. After going through the racks, I noticed I wasn’t encountering any pre-1940’s clothing – where was the good stuff? Kim pointed toward the ceiling, where there was a rack full of delicacies from the decades I love, plus some even older items. Introductions were necessary at this point to gain access to the rarities on the ceiling, so between the Lindy Shopper blog and Kim’s reproduction business, we had enough credibility to get some of the garments off the ceiling rack. The shopkeepers shared some wonderful treasures with us from the top rack and the mutual appreciation and joy for these garments was evident, as they continued to pull down things for us to admire – a 1920’s neglige, a spring green silk 1920’s dress, a gossamer 1930’s dress with matching jacket, a Titanic-era coat, and 1920’s day and evening-wear. While we didn’t leave with anything, we did have a wonderful experience in this store.
Next stop was Magpie, an equally large vintage store, but with a more eclectic and modern selection. Even so, there were some choice jazz age and swing era finds, like some divine suits, a sheer 1930’s day dress, silver t-strap heels, 1920’s day and evening-wear, bakelite accessories, vintage luggage, and hats.
We then encountered Ray’s Ragtime. This seemingly endless store is filled wall to wall and floor to ceiling with vintage clothing and accessories, which was great until the encounter. I sometimes forget my manners and begin to take photographs of vintage stores without asking the shopkeeper or owner’s permission, but I was so overwhelmed by the bakelite counter, then the girls beckoned me to the shoes, and I took a photo. One of the shop keeper asked me not to take photographs, so I then explained I wrote a blog and she gave me permission to take photographs. However, she did not relay this to any of the other workers, and within 5 minutes someone snapped at me to stop taking photos. I went back over to drool at the bakelite and one of them employees pulled out some things for me and I made my selections, delighted at the prices – a bracelet, earrings, and necklace! I was reeling until the woman made a comment about her holding on to the jewelry, implying that she would hold them so we didn’t shop lift them, rather than just saying she’d hold them for us until we checked out. Awkward. Dani and I then found Kim in an…I don’t remember the word Kim used, but an Asian style dress with amazing sleeves. Dani and I had barely opened our mouths to express our approval when Ray (THE Ray) came out of nowhere and screamed at Kim to get out of the dress immediately, that she was stressing the seams. The entire store stopped to look at Kim, who Ray had basically called a fatty in front of like 15 people, when Kim is the opposite of fat and was not fitted into the dress in a way that compromised its structure. We all retreated to the dressing room in a flurry of frantic whispers, where Kim showed us how the dress was already in poor condition and that someone had done a botch job on the back seams, where they had put inserts in the darts that weren’t even the same fabric as the dress. Kim was interested in using the dress as a pattern, but not after the screaming incident. While Dani and I waited for Kim near the register, I got up the nerve to ask if they had any 1920’s day dresses. I wasn’t going to leave treasures behind just because the owner was Oscar the Grouch. Ray interjected again, asked my size, and said “We have this 1930’s dress over on the wall, do you see it? It’s from 1931.”
“But I’m looking for a 1920’s day dress…”
“Then I guess that’s not good enough for you!”
Ray huffed, then turned around and continued working on something. He then turned back around, got a long pole, and fished out an orange and tan 1920’s dress from one of the ceiling racks. Orange is probably the last color I would wear with my coloring and before I could articulate my thanks for him pulling it down, he says again “well, I guess that’s not good enough for you!” I muttered my thanks, paid for my bakelite, and we ran out the door to wretch and moan on the sidewalk about our awful experience.
We needed a palette cleanser after that bitter pill, and, thankfully, our next and last stop for the day was Xtabay Vintage Clothing Boutique, a vintage shop with decor that looked like a cross between an elegant ladies shop and a Hollywood Regency boudoir. Calm and elegant was just what we needed, as well as the friendly chatter with Xtabay’s employees and owner. I found an “almost” with a 1920’s dress, but would have had to modify the garment too much for my purposes and didn’t want to hurt the integrity of the garment. Kim found the most amazing 1950’s shoes with little crystals/rhinestones all over the toe strap and saucy gold metal heels. There were some really great 1950’s party dresses, vintage suits, dresses made with wonderful novelty fabrics, and some seriously hot shoes at this store.
It was one of those days you hope never ends, even with the drama at Ray’s. Thanks so much to Kim Cullins for being our guide through the vintage stores of Portland and for taking the good photographs, since I left my camera at home and used my phone. After realizing just how many vintage stores are in Portland, it could take days just to get through them all. Sounds like another trip… 🙂
1930's Tails at Decades VintageThe man wall at Decades VintageKim shows off a tiny shoe at Decades VintageThe red heels from Decades Vintage!The museum-like displays at AvalonOnly a fraction of the man wall at AvalonCroc shoes and matching bag at Avalon - 1940's?
Amazing silver 1930's heels at Avalon Tuxedo, anyone? Check out those lapels! At Avalon
Dani and a rack of men's shoes - check out the white loafers1920's wool bathing suits at Avalon - itchy and scratchy1920's shoes at AvalonEdwardian coat from AvalonRed and black 1950's heels with rhinestones embedded in the bow and the inside of the heel, at MagpieAmazing 1930's silver t-straps at Magpie1920's dresses at MagpieKim models an Asian-inspired hat at MagpieA corner of vintage goodies at MagpieOMG THE BAKELITE at Ray's RagtimeA bevy of beautiful shoes at Ray's RagtimeYellow 1940's gown with beaded applique at Ray's RagtimeHoly platforms, Batman! At XtabayKim and her foxy new shoes at XtabayA gorgeous 1950's dress at XtabayThe shoes! And check out the changing area at XtabayA tiny, adorable dress with a circus novelty print1920's dress, just a wee bit long for dancing, at Xtabay
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.
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!
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.
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.
There are vintage stores that seem like they have everything but the kitchen sink; then, there are vintage stores that are “curated,” full of carefully selected items that may evoke an era or perhaps only carry the choicest items. I could tell that Dear Golden Vintage on Etsy was one of these stores, even before I read the store description – the collection of items in this Etsy store is truly choice, and selection of things more lovely than the last.
Dear Golden Vintage sets a beautiful scene with clothing and accessories and you should definitely peruse all the online offerings, but here are my favorites:
Blue 1920's cloche1920's silk chemise1940's chocolate curl heels - WANTBlue suede and brown leather two-tone shoesCotton eyelet 1930's dressI'm a sucker for a chevron dressAdorable plaid 1940's dressBlue peplum dress with cutouts - HOTTTTT1950's party dress with giant pockets
Lindy Shopper 