Category: Dresses

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?

A wide view of the shop

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:

The entrance
Oh, the sport coats!
1940's dead stock dress
1930's/40's flowered dress with belt - better in person!
Navy blue 1940's designer dress
Detail on the neckline of a lovely navy dress

Man swag
The record shop next door

A Custom Gem for the Ladies

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I’ll leave you with this divine dress for the weekend – it comes in all sizes because the Etsy seller porshesplace will make one for your measurements from a 1950’s VOGUE pattern, in one of 45 colors of stretch satin. There are lots of other patterns on the seller’s Etsy site with the same offer, but this dress was the standout to me – Va-voom!

Vendors at All Balboa Weekend

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

It’s been another fantastic year at All Balboa Weekend. If birds of a feather flock together, then our feathers are preened and shiny, because the Balboa people love to dress up and talk about dressing up. If you are a vintage style clothing or shoe retailer, then ABW can be an excellent opportunity to reach out to your fans, many of which come to Cleveland to shop in its vintage stores and/or pick up a pair of dance shoes from one of the ABW vendors (because it’s always great to try them on in person and to avoid shipping charges).

The Ritz

While it was a fantastic year, I was getting over a cold at ABW. I had many plans to do fantastic reporting on fashions, vendors, vintage stores, and take lots of pictures, but decided to take it easy and make sure I was well for the event. However, I have not left ABW empty-handed! The ABW vendors should certainly be highlighted for their fantastic contributions and much appreciated presence at the event.

My favorite vendor at ABW is Remix Vintage Shoes, which lines up their glorious shoes, some of which are not available online, in a long row that covers two large tables. Any Remix shoe can be an investment, so there’s always a delicious agony in choosing the right pair to take home.

White suede mens captoe from Remix

Remix owner Phil Heath was on hand to answer questions, help with fittings, and tell wonderful stories about the shoes (or rather, the shoe of origin). I picked up a delicious pair of silver “The Ritz” shoes and Phil told me he found the model shoe (and pardon me if I butcher the story) at some sort of flea market and bought them for a song – the pair was from the 1920’s and had actual gold leaf on them. The Remix versions, while not in 24K, certainly look gilded.

Aris Allen 1940's velvet and mesh Mary Jane

I saw a number of gents pick up Remix’s answer to the white Aris Allen captoe, which have fantastic detail and come in a soft white suede. I couldn’t find these on the web site, so you’ll have to call Remix and inquire.

I’ll have more of my Remix photos at the end of this post.

Dancestore.com was at the event in force, with literally a wall of inventory in all shapes and sizes. Dancestore had two people staffing the table at times and the response for these shoes was overwhelming to wade through, with ladies and gents strewn about the hallway trying on shoes.

Aris Allen Classic Dress Sneaker

I saw a lot of ladies buying and sporting the Aris Allen 1940’s velvet and mesh Mary Jane heel, which looked fantastic on everyone who wore them. I was also informed that this was the ladies shoe of choice at The Experiment.

The men could stock up on those critical white Aris Allen captoes, or pick up a pair of Classic Dress Sneakers, which I saw on a number of male feet.

Heyday trouser

Heyday was back again this year, fresh from the UK, with owner Shona van Beers bringing over stacks of her amazing wide leg trousers, dresses, and flirty tops. If you haven’t experienced the wonders of the Heyday trousers, then you are truly missing out – they have an elegant drape, feel like pajamas, and make your bum look like a million bucks. I apologize for not having live photos of these items, and especially apologetic for not posting all of Shona’s amazing outfits that she wore all weekend – gorgeous stuff!

Heyday 1940's dress

Toward the end of the weekend Bop City Vintage made an appearance at the end of the hall, with fresh vintage clothing for men and women each day and prices in the $10 to $20 range. There are no online resources for this company, but duly noted that it is very cool to have racks of vintage clothing for sale at a swing event!

I’ll end by saying that the Balboa community has some truly creative individuals, who came out in full force for the ABW Project Runway competition. The challenge was to create a look out of Bart Bartolo tee shirts with the slogan “Keepin’ it casual,” duct tape, and scissors. While I did not win with my pencil skirt with Bart kickpleat, pop-art halter top with chevron detailing on the back, matching purse, and fascinator, I was very pleased with the showing and with my model, Nelle Cherry, who did a smashing job showing it off. The winner of the contest made a fantastic, wearable dress with lovely goring and a twirly skirt. It may be too early for pictures – I’m hoping my Facebook friends come through with a few!

I’d like to thank Valerie Salstrom, MaryAnn Carothers, Kyle Smith, and the rest of the ABW crew for putting on a world-class event. This was my fourth ABW and, in my opinion, the best one thus far – I can’t wait until next year!

Five Fabulous Forties Finds

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I am very much in like with these five items and would have added them to my watch list on eBay if they came in my size. Low starting bids on the dresses, moderate starting bid on the shoes (but then, the shoes are pretty fabulous).

Gorgeous red rayon dress
Blue velvet dress with bow at neckline
The lighting makes this dress look like it's yellow, but in other pics it looks off-white. It was good to have someone wear it to show off the dress's lovely shape and details.
White suede peeptoes with cutouts, measurement from toe to heel is 9 and 5/8 inches.
Love this brown crepe dress with detail on the shoulder and a peplum that forms a V in the back

Leluxe Clothing Co.: Reproduction 1920’s Beaded Dresses

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I just about passed out when I found the Leluxe Clothing Company web site.

If you have ever come across a 1920’s beaded gown for sale, odds are the retailer was asking upwards of $1,000 for the dress, if in mint condition. If not in mint condition, then the seller was still asking hundreds of dollars for the garment. Even then, there was no guarantee that the dress would not disintegrate upon wearing, and dancing in it was out of the question.

I could only lust after these dresses, wishing I could cut a rug and hear the soft swishing of beads like the dancers in the Great Gatsby movie.

The unattainable is now attainable. Leluxe Clothing Company offers hand beaded dresses in modern materials that give you the quality and craftsmanship of a 1920’s beaded dress without the worry that the dress will fall apart.

According to the web site, “LeLuxe Clothing Company was founded in 2000 with the goal of continuing the traditions of design and craftsmanship of a bygone era. Working in the costume houses of Hollywood, owner Jill Schliesmann realized the fragile creations of diaphanous cottons, laces, and beaded silks were being lost to time. She and her husband, Shane Burroughs, recognized a void that needed to be filled – a style that needed to be revived so that those creations could live again. LeLuxe Clothing Company makes the fun and luxury of the Jazz Age accessible to the Twenty-first Century. The combined experiences of Ms. Schliesmann and Mr. Burroughs gives them insight into the specialized needs of the entertainment industry, the demands of cutting-edge fashion, and the fascinating sphere of collecting, preserving, and restoring vintage clothing. LeLuxe Clothing Company not only offers faithful reproductions of period designs, but also a number of exclusive designs created in the spirit of the 1920’s – dresses that embody creative energy, sharp design, and a wonderful sense of whimsy.”

These dresses are stunning. And sparkly. And wearable! They come in a variety of lengths and the owners have noted which dresses are best for dancing. The fit on 1920’s dresses does not have to be exact, which makes these dresses easy to size because the dress can be as fitted or loose as you want it to be. All of the dresses have different measurements, there is no uniform sizing, so pay close attention to the measurements before purchasing or dismissing.

The dresses are mesh, so a slip is an essential part of the ensemble. Leluxe also offers slips that are made to go under these dresses in a number of different colors. Depending on the look you want or the dress you have chosen, you can mix up the shape and the color of the slip.

As if the beaded dresses weren’t enough to make Leluxe fabulous, they also carry dreamy white cotton dresses with vintage embroidery. Everything is so lovely here!

It’s going to be hard to narrow this down and not post every dress on the web site, but here’s a sampling of these glorious dresses (most come in multiple colors):

The Duchess
The Garconne
The Fleur-de-lis (the red is not on the web site, but should be available soon)
The Egyptian
The Deco Star
The Spider (this dress would be wicked cool on Halloween!)
The Vamp
Gatsby Lawn Dress
The Forget-Me-Not

Vivien of Holloway

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Vivien of Holloway is a UK based retailer of 1940’s and 1950’s reproduction clothing. From the looks of their press page, the British glitterati are already in love with Vivien of Holloway’s designs – thank goodness for the Interwebs to bring us these goodies from across the pond! Check out their amazing photo gallery for some inspiring ways to wear their designs.

I’d like to thank my friend, DJ, and fellow clotheshorse Bill Speidel for this find.

Most of these items come in 10+ colors, so if you don’t like the color I posted, chances are there’s a color you will like. Also, if you like halter tops and dresses, this is your store. Here are some of my faves:

I am such a sucker for gingham dresses...
GINGHAM OVERLOAD
Turquoise linen sarong dress
Red pencil skirt
Gypsy top - rickrack FTW!
Petticoat/crinoline - an item that can be really hard to find unless you go digging in square dance land. They also come in multiple colors and are already the correct length for the dresses sold on the site.
Anchor belt - yes, please! Also comes in blue.
Cherry shoe clips!

Delia*s all in white

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I’ve been getting the Delia*s catalog since I was about 14 years old and with each passing year I wonder when I will grow out of loving things from this catalog. True, the number of “love” items has grown smaller as I grow older, but there is always something in the catalog that catches my eye or ends up catching my wallet. This season, Delia*s has put out a number of great pieces that are all white. I love wearing white in the summer – it always looks so light and cool. Check out these lovely pieces, with details like ruffles, pintucks, battenburg lace, and smocking – some of these garments come in darker colors, if you have trouble seeing the detail:

Easy 1920’s dressing – you can do it!

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

In the next few weeks I’ll be posting about 1920’s fashion in anticipation, preparation, and education for the RDU Rent Party: Gatsby Edition, July 7, in Durham, NC, featuring Glenn Crytzer and his Syncopators. As co-coordinator of this dance, I am truly excited about this event and hope that my excitement will be infectious. However, I can already sense (and have already heard, in some cases) the anxiety and drag about having a 1920’s themed event and dressing up during the summer. I’m here to tell you, Raleigh/Durham, that you can do this (if you really want to) and it won’t break the bank (although if you go all out for this you could possibly break some banks). First things first, let’s get some misconceptions out of the way:

1. Like payment, attendance at Rent Party is on a do-what-you-can basis. If you don’t feel like dressing up, don’t do it.

2. All eras are welcome, not just 1920’s.

3. This is not a formal dance, but if you would like to go all out for this, I would personally love to see everyone looking swell.

4. Most men don’t own proper summer suiting and asking you to wear a three season wool suit would be asking too much in July – wear what you are comfortable wearing.

Jason Sager, my co-coordinator, said it best this morning: “If you’re not normally a dress up type, this is a great event to dip your toes in that water if you feel so inclined; if you’re already a dress up type, it’s a chance to expand your collection, or just show off what you’ve already got.”

Let’s also remember that people were dancing in the south and dressing up for years and years prior to the advent of AC. We will have AC, fans, and chilled beverages, of course.

If you are interested in dressing up in the 1920’s style, you don’t have to go out and purchase something vintage or expensive. You may already have what you need in your closet or a relative’s closet. Some of my best pieces and borrowed items to complete an outfit came from an attic or the back of my mom’s, grandmother’s, and even my grandmother’s friend’s closet.

What pieces do you need? I always look to photographs for inspiration, so let’s break down the outfits of the couple in this photo:

GENTS: You start with a suit and pare it down from there. You could wear any combination of pants and jacket, vest, or suspenders, all of the above, or some of the above, preferably in lightweight summer fabrics (See Lindy Dandy’s post on summer suiting). This guy is wearing a regular tie, but you could also wear a bow tie. He is not wearing a hat, but you could always add a nice straw boater, lightweight newsboy cap, or some other hat of your choice.

LADIES: Look for a drop waist dress or create the illusion of a dropped waist. Here, the woman in the photograph has paired a striped top with a knee length skirt. Off the top of my head I know my mom has both of these pieces in her closet. 😉 Hemlines in the 20’s ranged from knee length at the height of the flapper era, but were more calf length for most of the decade. You could find a skirt to fit the decade’s hemlines and a long-ish top to create an illusion of a dropped waist, and maybe add a straw cloche or long strand of beads, if you so desire.

Shoes are easy – wear your dance shoes!

Some of the best shopping is not about spending money, but about using the resources available to you and rediscovering old favorites or items that have been neglected. If you are missing pieces, a trip to your local thrift store may get you across the goal line. If all else fails – keep reading! I’ll be posting more 1920’s goodies soon.

For more information on the RDU Rent Party dances, visit the Facebook page.

Forever 21 – free shipping on orders over $40, Memorial Day only

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:

Love chevrons!
Peach wrap dress with flutter sleeves - wrap dresses are so helpful with leg movement and weight fluctations!
Forever 21 even styled this as a flapper dress, adding the quintessential long strand of beads.
This dress looks like it would be really comfy for dancing - comes in four colors.
Classic shirtdress in lightweight denim with shiny button detail.
Silk tie front top in green and purple - only $12.00!
This is cute, but I'd add a belt to give the bottom a peplum effect.
Heart petals hair clips
Feather headband - just the right amount of feathers.

Femme fatale

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

The little black dress originated in the 1920’s from Coco Chanel‘s revolutionary designs, which took the black dress from a mourning garb to the quintessential cocktail dress. Hollywood costumers of the 1930’s and 1940’s re-envisioned the black dress for the film industry because black showed up well in black and white film. Eventually, the black dress became a staple in closets everywhere, from silver screen to secretary. For me, the little black dresses of the 1940’s lend themselves to two sorts of character interpretations: first, as the femme fatale of film noir fame and, second, as a quintessential big band singer dress, a la Marilyn Maxwell in Swing Fever.

Perhaps there is a tie that binds these two categories, aside from the dress, as both the femme fatale and the big band singer can be irresistible. I think the dress helps. 😉

There was usually nothing little about the dresses themselves, as they may have been outfitted with sequins, embroidery, shoulder pads, cutouts, elegant draping, peplums, or other dress details that give the dress that 1940’s look of elegance with a dash of vamp. eBay has a sampling of these dresses right now, so get them while they’re hot! My picks from eBay:

Lindy Hop on Etsy

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

There are certain things that people associate with Lindy Hop. When you associate Lindy Hop with a garment or object, that term can yield some interesting results.

As I was pilfering through the Etsy listings a few months ago for 1940’s dresses, I happened upon this jumper, which had the words “Lindy Hop” in the item’s title. Something about this jumper does evoke Lindy Hop and the youthfulness of the swing era in the 1940’s, which made me think, “How appropriate to list this particular item with the words ‘Lindy Hop’ in the title!” I’m sure there are other communities that may be looking for 1940’s jumpers for adults, but something about this was just spot on for a Lindy Hopper (or at least this Lindy Hopper) to want and have in her wardrobe. Needless to say, it has been a match made in heaven. 🙂

Can this success be replicated by searching for items listed under “Lindy Hop” on Etsy? For the most part, yes. There are a few irrelevant items, such as some random non-swing era jewelry, a child’s dress, and some Hello Kitty hair clips (arguably dance functional, but not necessarily evoking Lindy Hop specifically); however, there were some really great listings and item associations with the phrase:

Shoe bags! A staple for most swing dancers I know.
Classic wide leg trousers - I can't say enough good things about the comfort and style of a good pair of wide leg trousers.
Wide leg adjustable back denim pants - again with the wide legs, and paired with an adorable blouse FTW!
A fantastic red skirt in wool crepe.
White 1930's peeptoe shoes with cutouts, size 7.5 - LOVE!
There's even some Lindy Hop photography for sale.

Spring cleaning

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

It’s that time of year where some of us (myself included) feel compelled to rid ourselves of the trappings of winter, of items that don’t fit anymore, or items that are simply not being worn. In that vein, my pal and swing dance Wonder Woman Kristy Milliken (seller ID rhythm.is.my.business – indeed!) is selling some stylish castoffs from her closet on eBay, all with free shipping so you don’t have to do that extra calculation in your head. Here’s what she’s listed:

Stop Staring! black and pink dress

Aris Allen satin t-strap shoes, size 8.5

Keds champion slip-ons, size 8 - new in box!

Mod Cloth: the democratic republic of vintage-inspired fashion

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

When Mod Cloth was discovered online by one of my friends, news of the web site spread like wildfire in my circle of friends because we were starved for a place to get modern retro-inspired clothing at a reasonable price. Variety is the spice of life and Mod Cloth takes this to heart by offering clothing from many different sources, including Trashy Diva, Stop Staring!, and Tulle, thus, giving you maximum exposure to brands offering what you want to wear. The really great clothing items sell out quickly, but I find that if they include the brand or maker in the item description, that the item that is out of stock on Mod Cloth may be in stock at the source web site.

Perhaps the reason Mod Cloth is so great is in large part due to the philosophies of its founders:

“Founded by high school sweethearts, Eric Koger and Susan Gregg Koger, and built on a foundation of love for vintage and retro clothing, ModCloth.com is an online clothing, accessories, and decor retailer that aims to provide a fun and engaging shopping atmosphere for you, our customer. We do this by interacting with you via social network sites like Twitter and Facebook, requesting your feedback through the ModLife Blog and product reviews, and asking you to vote on potential inventory with the Be the Buyer program, all with the intention of running a fashion business in a democratic style. Supplying you with the opportunities to have your voice heard is what keeps our company fresh, relevant, and growing by leaps and bounds. This is what allows us to continually accommodate your pioneering passion for modern trends. We invite you to comb through our clever product descriptions, flip through our stylebooks, shop our vast assortment of indie designs, find some unique one of a kinds, and get in touch with one of our friendly customer care representatives if you have any questions. We want to be the fashion company you’re friends with!”

A fashion democracy? Hear, hear!

The web site is so full of goodness that I’ll limit my favorites to the most recent arrivals:

A tropical heat wave

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I do love 40’s style tropical fabrics and this dress, regardless of what decade it hails from, is as hot as a tropical heat wave. Check out the lines on the bust, the smocking in the back for a custom fit, a little draping and slit in the front, and, to top it all off, it looks like you can wear it either strapless or as a halter. Give Carmen Miranda a run for her money, sans the fruit basket hat! Starting price: $9.95.