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

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

Double Deco

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I couldn’t resist posting this other pair of Remix “Deco” shoes that popped up on eBay, size 6.5 – $19.99 starting price for Remix shoes in almost pristine condition? Yes, please!

Remix Deco Heels

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

It’s been a while since I posted any Remix shoes from eBay, so in light of recent online debates about heels v. flats, I’ll post some heels in support of my pro-choice stance. 😉 Here, we have a pair of used Remix Deco heels, in brown and a sort of olive green, size 8.5, but the seller says they feel more like an 8. This shoe retails for $194, so with the starting price at $65, it’s worth a bid if you’ve had your eye on this lovely shoe.

Leluxe Samples in Copper and Gold

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

One of my favorite retailers, Leluxe Clothing Co., has listed some sample dresses on eBay, lovely reproductions of 1920’s dresses that were produced once. Will they become part of the Leluxe lineup of dazzling dresses? I don’t have the answer to that, but I do know they are lovely and you can have first, and perhaps only, dibs on wearing these gilded models for 2011.

!CEUfp5Q!mk~$(KGrHqYOKioE0sKbl8P+BNRdzcz2Mw~~0_3 — Honeycomb dress

!CEUwPO!EGk~$(KGrHqR,!loEz+5f)0TcBNReZepe7g~~0_3 — Another variation on the honeycomb

!CERqeMg!mk~$(KGrHqIOKk!E0bc2p1L3BNRZqStPmw~~0_3 — Egyptian-inspired dress

Men’s Art Deco Watches

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

!CC7Rg!wBmk~$(KGrHqZ,!mIEz+82yb1yBNM1(FPI3Q~~_12 — 1940's Buren Watch

What time is it? While it’s not Lindy Focus time for a long while, it is nice to know what time it is during a dance or to make sure you’re not late for one. For men, getting the vintage look is all in the details, and a watch is can be a stylish and useful item to add to your look, for both dances and every day.

There are tons of watches on eBay, but I’m going to give a special shout out to Bulova, who not only makes great watches, but also sold their watches in these amazing Art Deco watch boxes during the Art Deco period. I have a 1930’s Bulova watch with one of these crazy cases and I leave it out on the dresser because it is the coolest thing in the room – it was worth the $20 for the watch just to get the case. 🙂

Here are some of my favorite watches for men on eBay right now:

!CDQvrEgB2k~$(KGrHqR,!hYE0e35PrTFBNN8C4!RcQ~~_3 — Check out this Bulova case!

!CDOTVNwEGk~$(KGrHqIOKo8E0UePRT07BNN0JjIpK!~~_12 — 1930's Marmon Watch

!CDJeZb!!mk~$(KGrHqZ,!jgE0vLevnN-BNNjpSsdU!~~_12 — Bulova watch with hinged case

!CDH5(ewBWk~$(KGrHqYOKo0E0fjsyVbEBNNff(n-dw~~_12 — Elgin hexagonal watch

!CDG5s8g!2k~$(KGrHqR,!h!E0fgDjE7jBNNdeKNZl!~~_12 — Tavannes Art Deco Watch

1920’s French Art Deco Beaded and Sequined Dress

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Consider this dress the companion to the tuxedo I posted yesterday – classy, elegant, and perfect for a New Year’s Eve or Christmas cocktail party, with a starting price of $9.99 – affordable elegance at its best! I simply love beaded 1920’s dresses and this one from eBay seller malinalco is truly exceptional, with an amazing combination of beading and sequins straight from the Champs Elysees. I am at a loss for words….it’s just so beautiful!

Shock and Awe: Trashy Diva’s Holiday Dress Collection

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

SADIEBOWS1 — Sadie dress with bow appliques

I decided this blog post’s title was appropriate after I checked the Trashy Diva website yesterday to see if anything new was available. As I clicked through to the main page my jaw dropped as I saw the most awesome collection of holiday dresses this season, in vibrant pink, teal, and purple with sequins and beading. My awe quickly turned to shock as I noticed the prices on these dresses. Trashy Diva has always been in the upper register of prices I feel comfortable posting on Lindy Shopper, but these dresses have surpassed the comfort level. I’ve been torn as to whether or not to write about this. On one hand I love Trashy Diva, Candice Gwinn has impeccable taste in patterns and fabrics, and I want to support retailers who provide dancers with durable reproduction clothing. On the other hand, the price. I decided to let your wallets decide and show you the goods. If anything, these dresses should be admired.

The holiday collection includes a number of beautiful dresses with sleeves, which is a rare thing to find in any designer’s collection. The Sadie dress, a staple of prior collections, has been morphed into a gorgeous confection of drapery and sparkle, two giving a nod to what could be considered and what I would affectionately call big band singer dresses or Golden Girls dresses, and another with Art Deco beading around the neckline. Other favorites, the 40’s dress and the Obi dress, are reinvented in the gorgeous, vibrant colors of this collection. All the dresses in the collection are made from heavy weight silk crepe de chine – if you are not familiar, it is quite possibly the most luxurious fabric I have ever touched and drapes like a dream.

Here’s what I’ll add to my closet when I win the lottery:

OLIVIAbeads1 — Sadie dress with Art Deco beading

40SdressPERSIANred1 — 1940's dress in glorious pink

ROSALIND2TONE2 — The Rosalind dress is two tone awesomeness - with sleeves!

Compacts

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

At the last RDU Rent Party dance I had at least 3 people tell me I had lipstick on my teeth. On each occasion, I would look toward the one bathroom for the studio and it was always occupied and there was no other mirror in sight. Rather than give up red lips altogether, I decided it was time to invest in a compact.

I immediately went to eBay and, rather than my usual bargains, I was blown away at most of the prices (or at least the prices for the vintage compacts I wanted). I did find a few less expensive gems, that I will post below.

art_deco_round_compacts — Kyle Designs Art Deco Compact

A quick Google search for “art deco compact” yielded a hit for Kyle Designs, which has a custom Art Deco-inspired compact for $25.00. Customization includes selecting the metal, the color plate, and for a few dollars more you can have the compact engraved. I think this would make a great gift for the ladies, gents. *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*

I also browsed through Etsy and found ByMIMI, who embellishes her compacts with bits of filligree, vintage jewelry, and some whimsy. Finally, dnacreations on Etsy offered a number of pin-up girl compacts at the low price of $4.00. I’ve posted some samples from these two sellers below, as well.

Now, to decide which compact I want the most…

!B1bekr!EGk~$(KGrHqQOKkIE)NO1HJr8BMeiK!lWq!~~_12 — 1930's checkerboard compact on eBay

!B2fQdUw!Wk~$(KGrHqIOKi!E)MmUjknMBMit5DVDS!~~_12 — 1940's blue enamel compact on eBay

dorsetcom1 — 1940's Dorset Fifth Avenue compact on eBay

!B0oc3+g!Wk~$(KGrHqV,!jkE)pMiDg3sBMbHku6Th!~~_3 — Art Deco compact on eBay

408943476_tp — 1934 Deakin and Frances compact on eBay

il_430xN.170188872 — Betty Boop compact ByMIMI

il_430xN.164913339 — Unicorn compact ByMIMI

il_430xN.166105185 — Black rose compact ByMIMI

il_430xN.174471566 — Pinup girl compact by dnacreations

il_430xN.160086077 — Pinup girl compact by dnacreations

Tucker for Target

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Unlike the highly anticipated Zac Posen collection for Target, I had never heard of Tucker by Gaby Basora, so I was not planning on showing up at Target at 8:00 a.m. the day the collection debuted to get first dibs on the goods. However, after I saw an ad in VOGUE for the Tucker collection featuring an Art Deco print dress paired with a wide brim hat and flapper stockings, I changed my mind and set my alarm for 7:40 a.m. this morning to go check it out.

Target was blissfully empty at 8:00 this morning and I had a fantastic time rummaging through this fall collection that has a little something for everyone and some great pieces for work, fun, dancing, and evening. Some of my favorites from the collection are a burnout velvet dress, an orange polka dot blouse, an orange herringbone skirt, a sparkly boucle cocktail dress, several floral dresses, and a pair of herringbone shorts. The fabrics are obviously not the designer’s usual silks, but the fabrics chosen for the collection didn’t feel or look cheap, they draped well, and are much more washable and wearable from this dancer’s practical perspective.

The clothing from the collection is shown in “looks,” but I was more inspired looking at Tucker’s official web site. The intro video was delightful eye candy, with vintage-inspired looks featuring Tucker’s fall collection with vintage jewelry, hairstyles that ranged from Gibson Girl to Marie Antoinette, crocheted gloves, flapper headbands, red lips, hair flowers, and dessert. 🙂

Here are some potentially dance-worthy pieces:

41uA6KIAMCL._SL380_ — I bought this whole look, work appropriate and danceable - the fit was fantastic

413+B9x7HcL._SL380_ — I'm wishing this burnout velvet dress had fit me better...or, better yet, that the collection had a 1920's-inspired dress in this fabric

51xLVfDzRuL._SL380_ — Black boucle dress

41DFxUTYFEL._SL380_ — This dress looks painfully short on the Target model, but was not terribly short and would be comfortable for dancing

417dymMW1ZL._SL380_ — These shorts are awesome - I'd pair them with suspenders and a newsboy cap or a girly blouse

Busy Ties

This post was written by Lindy Dandy.

One of these ties popped into my saved eBay search this morning. I clicked to check out the seller’s other items and POW! These five patterned ties showed up.

Busy patterns and designs can be tricky to wear. Wear it properly and you can look very sharp. Overdo it and you risk looking like a train wreck. For ties like these, your best bet is to pair their patterns with a neutral background. i.e. now is not the time to wear your favorite gingham shirt. Wear a plain, blue or white dress shirt and you’ll do just fine. (Assuming everything fits, of course).

VITALIANO PANCALDI TIE**BEAUTIFUL, BLACK/GOLD — Black/gold art deco tie, starts at $15

VITALIANO PANCALDI TIE ** AWSOME!!! — Deco, geometric shapes tie, starts at $19

VITALIANO PANCALDI TIE, BEAUTIFUL — (not to be worn with tweed, ever) starts at $15

Black/gold diagonal stripes and shapes, starts at $13

VERSACE TIE, ANIMAL PRINT, BLACK/GOLD, AWSOME!!! — gold pattern on a black background, starts at $25

Proceed with caution; these ties would look very bad in the wrong hands. Happy hunting!

Art Deco Ties

This post was written by Lindy Dandy.

This post is short and sweet. I intend to do a longer post on ties in the future, but for now, I’ll just post this lot of 5 ties.

These are wide ties, most of them hovering around or beyond 4 inches; ties that would look best tied a bit short with a tie bar and high-waisted trousers, a vintage-inspired look I saw several leads rocking at ILHC this year.

Vintage Swing Era Men's Ties Lot of (5) — Lot of 5 wide ties, bidding starts at $39.99. Buy now for $49.99. Even at $10/tie, that's not too bad.

1920’s Black Cloche

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

This 1920’s cloche is remarkable in many ways. The hat is unworn and it is truly rare to find 1920’s deadstock items. But even greater is the styling on this hat – it not only has that wonderful cloche shape, but the details on this hat, like the seaming that is a nod to Art Deco, the baubles on the side, and the mix of materials and textures make this more than just a hat, but also a subtly elegant and eclectic fashion statement.

Rose of the Mire on Etsy

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I’ve been on the hunt for a flapper headpiece this week and was overwhelmed by the sheer number of artisans creating such things on Etsy. Some are better than others and Rose of the Mire stuck out as one of those with particular attention to detail. There was a lovely air of romanticism in these pieces that drew me in to the “shop.”

I’ve been pining over this Beaded Flapper Headband, even though I don’t have anything to wear with it. It’s just the right amount of Art Deco, looks comfortable, not too much feather….just right.

Here are some other lovelies from the store:

il_fullxfull.158922702 — Silver Fringe Beaded Headband

il_fullxfull.125421863 — Headband with Swarovski Crystal

il_fullxfull.153587149 — Feather headband - I'd wear this in the winter with a white muff 🙂

il_fullxfull.149893267 — This also looks wintery and lovely

il_430xN.125420189 — Impressive ostrich feather headband

1920’s Dresses on eBay

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Enough things have popped up this week from the 1920’s with low starting bids (most under $30) that a post was necessary!

20sBEADEDflapperdress-1 — Beaded Art Deco dress with matching scarf

!ByQTBs!B2k~$(KGrHqEOKm4Ew8sNJnYCBMQ6IySzy!~~_12 — Lovely lavender cotton dress

526154_1 — Silk crepe dress with shawl collar - easy mend on seam in back

!B)yWKUg!mk~$(KGrHqEOKnIEvyFrw6PUBMO9QFMTpw~~_12 — Gray/beige sequin dress

20sPEACHfloralchiffondress — Peach dress with floral embroidery

!B)-Y6wgCWk~$(KGrHqN,!i8Ew5R(JC95BMPymgZYzw~~0_12 — Black sheer beaded dress

Field Trip: Kitsch-y-Cool Vintage, Charlotte, NC

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

When the Atomic Rhythm All-Stars went on their first mini-tour this past weekend to Greenville, SC and Charlotte, NC, I knew we’d have a few hours to kill in Charlotte before the Saturday night dance, but wasn’t sure what exactly that would entail when traveling with five guys. Fortunately, our esteemed band leader, George Knott, is a vintage hunter and gatherer of things, including old musical instruments, which leads him to some interesting destinations like the Sleepy Poet Antique Mall in Charlotte, NC. He’s driving the bus, so who’s to argue?

I’ll admit, I had low expectations of finding any worthwhile clothing at Kitsch-y-Cool Vintage, as antique mall clothing tends to lean more toward undesirable leftovers from someone’s closet thrown in with their antique furniture and knick-knacks. To my surprise, in the center of this antique mall, an entire store was set up, with racks upon racks of real vintage shoes, clothing, jewelry, and accessories. The area was even decorated well! There was definitely a lot of 60’s and 70’s clothing, but there was enough 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s clothing that I would recommend stopping by if you are in the area. That said, the 60’s clothing was really good and I was tempted to leave with a pair of mod silver heels.

The prices are fantastic, between $30 and $70 for dresses in excellent condition ($70 for the “designer” 1940’s dress I saw), but the real steal were the men’s accessories – $2 for really awesome tie clips, loads of cufflinks, belt buckles, and our saxophone player, Peter Lamb, left with a really shiny pair of sunglasses and a pipe. I was in heaven because the clothing was organized by size and each item had a tag describing the item and the decade. I do love an organized vintage store!

I picked up two adorable 1940’s dresses, one of them dead stock with the original tags still on. The label says “Lindner-Davis.” A quick Google search shows that this was a department store in Cleveland – funny that I’m picking up Cleveland vintage in my home state when I was just there last week…anyway, the price tag says $12.85, marked down from $22.95. How much would this dress cost today? Lindner & Davis merged with another store in 1950, so calculating from 1949, according to an inflation calculator, this dress would be like buying a $210 dress on sale for $118, only I really paid around $30 in today’s dollars for the dress. How’s that for bargain hunting? 😉

Here are pictures of the space and some vintage finds: