This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Lindy Dandy always does a great job posting sales on this blog, so I thought I’d pass a sale along to you. I always find good things at Forever 21, no matter what day I check in. I can recall a time in my life when I was checking their site daily and they actually do post new items daily during the work week. Here are some items to put in your shopping basket today:
This post was written by Lindy Dandy.
Have you ever danced with a follow wearing an unsecured ponytail? Remember how you had to bob and weave to avoid getting smacked in the face? Annoying, yes?
You’ll be the male equivalent if you don’t have a way to secure your tie.
Now, there are a couple ways to do this:
Many swing dancers wear vests, but today, we’re talking tie clips.
Tie clips aren’t just functional. From simple and formal to ornate and silly, they’re an opportunity to express your personality and share your interests. They were the billboards of yesteryear, so you can even promote clubs and products with them. (I’ve seen tie clips shaped like weapons, animals, and vehicles). A plain silver rectangle works too. Besides protecting your follow, they also keep your tie out of your soup.
Here are a couple I found on ebay:
I prefer mine on the short side (around 1″), but I have a few longer ones.
Wear them anywhere between a 1/3rd and a 1/2 way down your tie from your collar. Match the metal of your other accessories (belt/ring/watch/cufflinks). Wearing it horizontally is more conservative. Angled down (my preference) is a tad rakish. As Frank Sinatra said, “Cock your hat – angles are attitudes.”
Do yourself a favor. Wear a tie. Do the ladies a favor and secure your ties with a tie clip.
(WordPress is being uncooperative with my photos and I don’t have time to figure out the problem right now, but I wanted to get this post up in case any locals wanted to go check out the shop, as they are only open this weekend! I’ll work on the pics soon…)
Yesterday was actually the first time I had been to Beggars and Choosers in Pittsboro, NC, even though I have been to Pittsboro many times. People have been telling me to go for years and I can see why – this shop is full of thoughtful and adorable pieces of furniture, antiques, knick-knacks, a second floor full of vintage clothes and accessories at reasonable prices, and a basement full of furniture and clothes at thrift shop prices.
The shop is only open for this coming weekend, after being closed for some time following a robbery at the store. To kick off the store’s limited weekend opening, Beggars and Choosers had a “preview” night on Thursday, April 29 and for $10 admission you get first dibs on the store’s new inventory, hors d’ouvres, and live music while you shop. The store’s owner, Pam Smith, was a delight and danced around the store, meeting and greeting people, new friends and old friends, with a warm welcome.
I hope that Beggars and Choosers will remain open, if not with regular business hours, with these sort of limited open weekends, because there were some really great swing era items and a lovely selection of vintage faux pearl jewelry. My friend Natasha El-Sergany came along and picked up a pearl necklace for her wedding. Notable items included a great selection of men’s footwear, lots of dead stock items for men and women, a pair of black spats, a 1930’s embroidered debutante/wedding gown with matching embroidered shoes, tons of sundresses from the 1950’s through the 1970’s, tons of men’s and women’s hats, at least 6 pairs of 1940’s heels that make me wish my foot was AAAA width, Art Deco era Bulova watches, a wonderful straw cloche, bakelite bangles, lots of pearl jewelry, a lovely brown evening gown that was promptly snatched from the display, some sassy 1940’s dresses with peplums and draping, and the biggest collection of 1950’s rooster ties I’ve ever seen.
If you are local to NC, the store will be open Friday and Saturday (April 30 and May 1) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday, May 2 from 1 to 5 p.m. It’s worth the trip!
On Mondays the eBay sellers get back to work with fresh vintage auctions for the week. Here’s what today’s listing had to offer:
Adorable blue gingham dress with bows on the shoulders and buttons up the side.
Colorful feedsack print dress.
Aqua patterned 40’s day dress with puffed sleeves and rickrack.
Black crepe cocktail dress with beading detail.
Run, don’t walk, to Winston-Salem, NC to experience the gorgeous vintage clothing and treasures at Putting on the Ritz. The store owner Hans Hauser has a lifelong passion for vintage clothing and accessories and it shows in every square inch of the house he has converted into a vintage clothing store. Through his vintage consignment sources, friendships with vintage collectors, and his own efforts to retrieve specific pieces from faraway locations, Hans has collected one of the best, if not the best, vintage clothing and accessories collection for sale in the state.
I met Hans about 5 years ago when my friend Sharon Ferris directed me to this treasure trove. I purchased a 1940’s bathing suit that I wore to VBLX that year for the battleship dance. Even though I had not seen him in 5 years, he knew immediately who I was today and pulled out the picture I sent him of me in the bathing suit from behind the countertop. My friend Laura Boyes and I ended up exploring the shop and chatting with Hans for about 3 1/2 hours – excellent company and excellent vintage!
The shop is jam packed full of a mix of vintage, designer consignment, and glitzy clothing. The list of notables is long: straw boaters, men’s 50’s hats, Yves Saint Laurent black satin pumps, a white fur capelet, 50’s prom and day dresses (some with matching jackets), 30’s and 40’s gowns worthy of an MGM movie, flowered 40’s day dresses, a velvet trimmed 40’s suit, wide brim ladies hats, art deco costume jewelry, wedding dresses from the Victorian era through the 50’s, delicious 40’s platforms, bias cut lingerie, and a burnout velvet 20’s dress that came home with me.
If you are interested in any of the clothing items I have posted or would like to know more, please contact Hans Hauser at (336) 659-9944. He is happy to work out arrangements over the phone and he also does layaway.
Putting on the Ritz
304 Harvey Street
Winston-Salem, NC
The shop is open Tuesday through Friday, noon to 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
P.S. Pardon my unmade face – I think it’s easier on the clothes if I don’t wear makeup when I try on vintage clothing.
I am a Deco-holic, on top of my other addictions. I am always looking for Art Deco jewelry online and in antique shops and, of course, vintage clothing from this era. Here are some of today’s Art Deco goodies from eBay.
A gorgeous brooch that separates to become two separate dress clips – brilliant! And if you think you won’t wear this, it seriously comes in handy and is a really versatile piece – I have one and have worn it as a jacket pin, capelet pin, dress pin both at the waist/belt and at the bottom of a V-neck, and have strung it on a chain and worn as a very impressive pendant.
While we are talking jewels, check out these lovely dress clips! Oooh, and these!
I am also in love with this dress and would hem it to knee length and hem the sleeves for dances if it were my size.
Note: Don’t be constrained by measurements and length! Vintage clothing can usually be altered by someone with experience. If you are in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area, I have someone I can refer you to.
Lindy Shopper 