Category: 1930’s

Plus Fours Suit and National Recovery Administration Suit

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Two interesting specimens popped up in my eBay searches this week. First, herringbone knickers/plus fours and a matching jacket, which the seller is dating 1930’s or 1940’s, but someone who knows menswear better than me might have a better handle on their decade of origin. In any case, knickers are awesome and here’s a whole suit for your day on the links, night on the dance floor, or the next tweed ride – 39 jacket and 31 waist.

Second, ignore the uncomfortable looking dude in the picture and focus on this blue Depression-era wool suit that the seller dates between 1933 and 1935 due to the National Recovery Administration (or NRA…not to be confused with that other NRA) label inside. This suit is exactly my husband’s size and he won’t have anything to do with it because it’s blue, so I’m beside myself with disappointment…but maybe it will fit one of you? 42 jacket, 32 pants, starting bid at $19.99.

New Old Stock White Leather Oxfords

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

EBay seller 4 Birds Vintage may have hit the motherload: “This is just the one of a 50-pair shoe collection ~ mostly new old stock from a family shoe store ~ that will be available within the next week. Most shoes are from the years 1890 – 1940 and include original boxes and store price tags. Brands include Star, Poll Parrot, Florsheim, and more.” I’ll definitely be checking back to see what this seller adds to his/her eBay page!

This pair of white leather oxfords is the first of this collection listed and they are in fantastic condition. You’ll have to get a ruler out to determine the size, but the seller says, “These shoes measure 10″ in length on the inside, 3 1/2″ wide on the bottom, with a 1″ heel.” Buy It Now is at $125, a bit more than your Aris Allens, but definitely less than a pair of Remix oxfords.

The Price of Vintage Clothing

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.

New Vintage Lady on Etsy

1930's Cape Sleeve Dress

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I’ve written in the past about finding vintage clothing in a size larger than tiny, or any size, really, but even for those who find vintage more commonly in their size, it can be a burden of a task to find vintage dresses that fit that also suit your style. While vintage clothing does exist beyond the tiny realm, it is much harder to find, especially when eBay sellers list L/XL as anything from a size 10 upwards – that’s quite a range of sizes to pilfer through! I’ve been touting the benefits of reproductions (ready to wear, made for you, or make yourself), but haven’t found a lot of resources for women who wear over a size 12 or 14.

New Vintage Lady on Etsy has seen this need and done something about it. New Vintage Lady is “proud to stock one of the largest rotations of original plus size vintage patterns and reproductions. I specialize in plus size vintage patterns (but carry items of all sizes!), reproduction patterns 40″ bust and over, clothing, notions, and vintage inspired creations often of my own design.”

I am so in love with New Vintage Lady’s aesthetic – I am actually more enthralled with her own pattern designs than the original patterns she has listed, primarily because she illustrates her own patterns with whimsy, color, imagination, and style. Her patterns are adorable, with thoughtful details like buttons, tucks, contrast panels, belts with buckles, and scalloped edges. She even has hat patterns, and an entire pattern devoted to different types of sleeves that you can add to any dress – imagine that, designers-who-produce-clothing-for-any-mall-retailer – SLEEVES! If anyone has worked with vintage patterns before, you know that the arm holes/sleeves tend to run on the small side, so this add-on pattern is a genius idea.

New Vintage Lady has other great items in her shop, like vintage patterns of all sizes, sewing books, and some vintage and reproduction dresses. Here are some of my favorite items from her shop:

Knot Bodice Day Dress pattern
Knot Bodice Day Dress complete and styled
Kimono Sleeved Flapper Dress pattern
Kimono Sleeved Flapper Dress styled and flat
1940's Sport Dress with deep back, optional sleeves and bolero
The 1940's Sport Dress in eyelet, available for purchase

Straw Boaters

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Continuing with the nautical theme, I thought I’d post some straw boaters, so the gents can order them in time for Independence Day festivities. According to Wikipedia:

“Boaters were popular as summer headgear in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and were supposedly worn by FBI agents as a sort of unofficial uniform in the pre-war years…Being made of straw, the boater was and is generally regarded as a warm-weather hat. In the days when men all wore hats when out of doors, “Straw Hat Day”, the day when men switched from wearing their winter hats to their summer hats, was seen as a sign of the beginning of summer. The exact date of Straw Hat Day might vary slightly from place to place. For example, in Philadelphia, it was May 15; at the University of Pennsylvania, it was the second Saturday in May.”

I have heard that boater hats were generally considered disposable, a hat that someone purchased new every year – now, a vintage boater and new boaters will set you back a pretty penny ($100+), but some deals can be had if you dig for a bit. Here are some boater hats for sale in the more reasonable range:

A vintage straw boater from my neck of the woods, 21 inches circumference
Vintage Stanhope Brothers hat, size 7.25
Vintage boater, circumference 22 and three eighths inches
1920's Stetson straw boater, size 7 and three eighths
Brand new boaters in sizes small through XL

Field Trip: Sweet Lorain, Cleveland, OH


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!

All Balboa Weekend 2011 Vendors

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!

All Balboa Weekend 1930’s Vintage Fashion Show

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!

Walk on Water Dress

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

After posting these shoes I thought long and hard about what you might wear with them – a solid dress, separates with those colors, but I never thought I’d come across a vintage dress with this same color wave. I was pleasantly surprised to discover this late 1930’s/early 1940’s dress on eBay with those lovely blues detailing the neckline. Finding matching pieces in vintage is already difficult, if not impossible. So disappointed that this is also not in my size. Surely there is someone out there to fit into this 28 inch waist dress AND wear a size 6.5/7 slightly narrow shoe!

Kodak Brownie

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

There have been a lot of great photos coming out of DCLX and, in general, the swing dance community is blessed with excellent amateur and professional photographers alike. I overhear technical jargon about the cameras, the lighting, the accessories, but how many of you would put all that down and attempt to use something like…a Kodak Brownie? I know it would be a lot of effort and the conditions less than ideal, but I think it would be cool experiment.

If you like this idea, but would like more information, there is a website devoted to all things Brownie called The Brownie Camera Page. The site features lists and descriptions of models, technical information, where to get film and parts, a gallery, and even tutorials on how to upgrade your Brownie.

Here are some inexpensive Brownies on eBay:

Brownie 2A, made from 1907-1936
Brownie Junior 620, made from 1933 to 1936
Brownie 620, made from 1933-1936
Brownie Target Six-16, made from 1946 to 1951
Another 620 with a sweet Art Deco cover

Contrast Buttons

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I’m heading up to DCLX this weekend, but before I abandon the blog for another dance weekend (you understand, right?) I’ll leave you with these two dresses. Red with green, green with red, but the real detail here is the contrast – most dresses try to match buttons, but I love these solid dresses with contrasting buttons. It really makes the buttons pop and becomes even more of a decorative detail than a functional necessity. This is definitely something I’d like to see more of (paging ModCloth, Anthropologie, Trashy Diva…).

Further, check out the neck detail on the green dress – it’s two dresses in one, with a keyhole neckline or a v-neckline. So in love…I was definitely one of the losing bidders on this auction.

Solid Gold

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

This pair of 1940’s gold heels is about as glamorous as it gets – seller FrauleinMarlene has restocked her shop to include this amazing specimen of vintage footwear. Now that we’ve seen the sparkle, consider the practicality of such a pair of heels – gold is a metallic neutral so it can go with many things, and the mesh insets on the outside of the foot allow for breatheability and a little give on the side for your pinkie toes. I bet that gold leather is super soft…and the price? This gold will only set you back $59. I’d have snatched them up myself, but I already own a similar pair. That said, if you don’t snatch them up, I may reconsider. 😉

World’s Fair

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Scarf from 1939 World's Fair

I’m still looking for the perfect compact and keep coming across ones I like from the swing era World’s Fairs. The World’s Fair is a series of large expos held in different countries, the highlight of which were the national pavilions, created by participating countries. According to Wikipedia, the early expos, starting in the early 1800’s and, until the late 1930’s, were focused on trade and “were the platform where the state of the art in science and technology from around the world was brought together.” After that, the World’s Fair focused more on cultural exchange. Key expos of the swing era held in the United States were Chicago in 1933 and New York in 1939 (the 1939 World’s Fair also featured performances from Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers). The merchandising opportunities for these expos were in abundance and you saw everything stamped with a world’s fair logo, from silk scarves to money clips to parasols.

Here are a few fun World’s Fair items on eBay:

1933 World's Fair pin - I think it would be hilarious to see this on someone's lapel - "You were there? Really??"
1933 World's Fair walking stick/cane - for that soft shoe routine you've been working on
1933 World's Fair Japanese silk scarf - seller says her mother-in-law kept it in her cedar chest for over 60 years
1939 World's Fair parasol
1939 World's Fair Persian lamb fur muff
1933 World's Fair Japanese silk scarf
1933 World's Fair radio in original box

Red and Green for Spring

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I am in love with two dresses on eBay this week, made in vastly different sizes, but both equals in adorable-ness and wearable-ness – both are cotton and look sturdy enough to withstand the dance floor. I am itching for spring – these dresses would be perfect for an upcoming dance in warmer weather!

The first dress is a late 1930’s/early 1940’s cotton dress in a green and white print, with lovely puff sleeves, carved buttons, and this fantastic smocking/stitching detail on the shoulder. The bust/waist/hip measurement on this dress is 48/38/52. It is missing the belt, but it looks like there’s enough fabric in the hem to fashion one, or add a green or white ribbon to finish the outfit.

The next dress is another recurring theme in my wardrobe, candy stripes, this time in seersucker cotton in this lovely 1930’s dress. Within this dress there are three stripe directions – horizontal on the buttons and neckline, vertical on the torso, and chevron stripes on the skirt. The slit pockets are perpendicular to the chevron stripes. The bust/waist/hip on this is 34/26/35. The puff sleeves, a bow sash, and giant buttons – how cute is this?!

Someone please buy these dresses!

Beggars and Choosers Sale – 50% Off

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