Remix Size 9: Arrive and Dance

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

A couple of pre-owned Remix shoes popped up on eBay at a good price. First, a solid wedge, the Open Toe Spectator in black on black, with only two bids and current bidding at $41.00. Second, my absolute favorite pair of arrival sandals (due to their supreme comfort for after the dance), the Dara, in a smashing shade of red, with the bidding at $31.00.

Either technology or eBay is being uncooperative today, so the only photo I can share with you is of a pair of new red Dara shoes from the Remix website…but you should still check out the auctions if you are a size 9!

Flapper Flock on Etsy

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

One of the few Etsy shops I revisit regularly is Flapper Flock, an Etsy store focused solely on 1920’s and 1930’s clothing, accessories, and other odds and ends from the jazz era. Flapper Flock is a division of the seller’s brick-and-mortar store in Redlands, California called Hobo’s Vintage. While her selection is usually small, there are always one or two really choice items to fall in love with.

Couple of distinct things about Flapper Flock 1) all prices include the cost of shipping, so what you see is the total cost you will pay for that item and 2) the seller will sometimes include “throwback” items, like a 1960’s does 1920’s drop waist dress. Other sellers try to do this and fail miserably, but with the items I have seen her post in this fashion it really is hard to tell, at least from the photos. I don’t see any throwback items listed right now.

Right now, Flapper Flock has some most excellent vintage shoes and some other odds and ends:

Navy 1930's dead stock shoes, size 6.5
Glorious pair of 1920's dead stock oxfords, size 6.5
White perforated leather dead stock 1930's oxfords, size 6.5
1920's beaded drawstring purse
1930's black camisole - in my opinion, older slips are almost always more beautiful than the ones you find being made today

Silk Sportcoat Sale at Jos A. Bank

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

My friend and fellow dancer Matthew Glassman forwarded me the link to this silk sportcoat on the Jos A. Bank website, on sale for $69.00, and I thought it was good enough to repost. Much like your wardrobe’s MVP, the blue sportcoat, you can add one of these lovely silk jackets to jeans or slacks if you aren’t in the market for an entire suit and want a more versatile piece…or maybe you just like sportcoats. 🙂

The jacket is 100% silk fabric in a great check pattern – subtle, yet interesting. Available in two colors, light olive and black/tan, with a center vent in the back. This coat retailed at $350.00, so at $69.00 this is an amazing deal.

Adorable 1940’s Dresses on eBay

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

There was an overabundance of adorable-ness in my 1940’s dress eBay searches yesterday – too much not to share!

Two tone gray and yellow dress with Peter Pan collar and contrast trim on giant pockets = LOVE
Plaid pinafore dress with sash, ruffle sleeves, and buttons down the back
Rayon dress in a lovely shade of green
This is technically separates, but this green cardigan and swing skirt with lots of goring were meant to be together! Why is all the green stuff not in my size? 😦
Gorgeous rayon print dress with blue sash
Red gingham dress with white contrast color and pocket detail
Coral print dress with contrast collar and cuffs and double buttons down the front
Candy colored plaid dress with a single giant pocket

Urban Outfitters Early Spring 2011

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

The catalogs keep coming in the mail and, while the title says early spring, the Urban Outfitters pictorial actually wants to whisk you away to a tropical locale, not unlike the newest Shabby Apple collection. Urban Outfitters gives vintage a twist, of course, pairing new with old and doing some great reproduction basic accessories to enhance your dance, vintage, or vintage-inspired wardrobe.

For the ladies, I am loving the shoe selection, which features an array of awesome oxfords just begging for some heel slides, as well as some more practical Keds style sneaks for sueding. A pair of high waisted sailor shorts (pictured at right) might have to make a home in my closet, as well as a pair of their chunky wedges and a wonderful floppy, wide brim straw hat (to keep the sun off my face at the DCLX Dupont Circle dance!)

Note: The pair of oxfords I really love are not available online yet, but keep your eyes peeled for tone on tone brown leather and straw oxfords, as well as some strawberry print Vans (SO CUTE). C’mon Urban, get this stuff up and available!

Here are the goods:

Add a ribbon or flower to gussy it up a bit, or wear plain - available in four colors
Laser cutout oxfords, in three colors - cutouts mean sweaty feed can breathe!
I like this skirt's subtle nod to Art Deco
A sturdy arrival wedge to pair with a lovely sundress - available in three colors
Strike a pinup pose in these round sunglasses that are a nod to 1930's sunglasses

Shabby Apple Goes South Pacific

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

The more I see of Shabby Apple, the more I think that these girls are swing dancers. Who are you? I’m very intrigued. The latest Shabby Apple collection has us looking past spring, into a tropical and summery climate. The South Pacific collection is another vintage inspired collection of lovely dresses, with vibrant colors and patterns, flattering necklines, flowers to add to your Floweruary celebration, and breathable, danceable fabrics. I am smitten with the following dresses:

Pina Colada Dress - a lovely shirtdress with buttons and piping
Garden Isle Dress - love the print and the dress pattern, contemplating this one for myself
North Shore Dress - with flowers!
Pineapple Princess Dress - peplum!

Your Wardrobe’s MVP: The Blue Sportcoat

This post was written by Lindy Dandy.

Fortunately for men, it’s relatively easy to put together a versatile wardrobe. Once you own several pairs well-fitting “basics,” you can mix and match shirts, pants, jackets and accessories into numerous permutations of outfits/looks.

A great, navy sportcoat or blazer (or jacket from a navy suit) is the Swiss Army knife of your wardrobe; it goes with everything. Wear it with pressed dress pants and a crisp dress shirt (tie or not) and you’re clear for dinner at a nice restaurant. It goes great with jeans on a night out in town. Basically, it will elevate most any outfit you can throw at it. Needless to say, this is an invaluable attribute when you’re short on space, packing for a weekend of dancing.

You’ve got lots of choices here:

  1. the gilt buttons of a blazer or the dark buttons of a sportcoat
  2. center vent or side-vented (i.e. single or double)
  3. hacking (angled) and/or a ticket pocket (the small pocket above the right one).
  4. Darted or undarted
  5. pick stitching or not

I recommend a solid, Navy jacket, but some striped jackets can work if the stripes are are thin or more subdued.  Here’s an excellent example (click the photo for the auction):

Blue Sportcoat
RALPH LAUREN PURPLE LABEL WOOL BLAZERJACKET 150's SZ 44, starting at $49

This jacket would typically start at several hundreds of dollars. Why? In general, it’s made in a better way (which often means more difficult and more expensive). It’s made with high quality fabrics (Super 150’s wool). It’s probably a fully canvassed jacket (vs. fused).  Plus, Purple Label is Ralph Lauren’s premier brand.

Happy hunting!

(Do yourself a favor and only button the top button of a 2-button jacket, never the bottom button If you’re wearing a 3-button jacket, button either the middle or the middle and top buttons. Again, never button the bottom button).

Floweruary

Billie - The Patron Saint of Floweruary

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

What if we all wore flowers every day, even in the middle of winter? Philadelphia dancer and instructor Kerry Genese had the brilliant idea to challenge friends and dancers everywhere to “Wear a hair flower every day for the (coincidentally short) month of February. The Result: General awesomeness.”

Brilliant? Brilliant!

From the Facebook event page: “A few, a brave few, are ready to face this challenge head-on. Are you strong enough? Do you have what it takes? Look at Billie over there, she is certified, B.A. Get your pants on, we’ve got some hair to do.”

I encourage all of you ladies, and even gents (I believe Lindy Dandy is working on some lapel flowers), to embrace Floweruary and participate in this momentous month! You can document your participation in Floweruary by uploading photos of you and your flowers at http://floweruary.tumblr.com/.

Just in case you need to stock up on provisions for the month, Etsy has some choice blooms. Here are a few selections, or you can check out my previous post about hair flowers:

Island Red Hair Flower
Yellow flowers of felt and buttons
A soft, purple bloom
This orange bloom looks even better with purple hair
This one looks dreamy
White orchids are my favorite!

Four Bow Ties

This post was written by Lindy Dandy.

Four more of my favorite accessory: bow ties. As you may know, I’m a sucker for polka dots, so that blue one immediately grabbed my attention. The tartan bow tie is a bit out there, but it has those splashes of color that really catch my eye.

Get in while the bidding is low! Good luck!

Four Bow Ties
Vintage Lot 4 Bow Ties Sherman London Beau Silk & More, starting at $8.99

Happy hunting!

Miss L Fire

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

“The shoe with the beautiful fit,” touts this UK based shoe and handbag confectionery, which has some of the most delicious shoes I’ve seen in some time. Featured in Anthropologie and other boutique retailers, Miss L Fire’s vintage-inspired shoes can now be ordered directly from the source. The online collection is not priced on the website, but an email inquiry should take care of any information-seeking and orders you may wish to place. Sometimes we have to be proactive to get fabulous things.

The web site was highly uncooperative, so I only have one photo – you’ll have to go see the website for yourselves!

Dapper Man – The Gentleman’s Pomade

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Dapper Man hair pomade is made the way pomade used to be made, from a 1930’s formula of natural waxes and oils, and is free of petroleum products. I don’t know how many of you have experimented with pomades, but if you are like me, the thought of selecting a hair product, much less one that would achieve the desired effect, is a daunting task. Perhaps your barber has set you straight on a suitable pomade, but for those men embarking on a quest for vintage hair, perhaps this would be a good place to start.

“The Gentleman’s Pomade” was conceived and created by one of our own, Steve Cochrum – a California swing dancer and vintage clothing enthusiast, who was dissatisfied with the petroleum-based products available on the market and began experimenting with a formula from his father’s 1930’s book about how to “be a fit man and how to keep yourself looking your best.” From there, he made samples, distributed them at dances and vintage venues, and a brand was born.

So why is the old pomade superior to new pomade? Some older products – I’m thinking ladies make-up made with what we now consider toxic ingredients – are not necessarily better for us and the same desired vintage effect can be achieved with modern products. However, Dapper Man makes some very compelling arguments as to why going to the source product is better:

“The more I respected this hobby I realized that something was missing with the way society dresses today, not to mention the loss of interest in men’s grooming, so I set quest for a men’s hair pomade that could give the look of the 1930’s style. As we would make our rounds to many events, I began to ask the young men that liked wearing their hair in that fashion, what they were using and if they were happy with it. The comments I got were mostly negative, that it was difficult to find a product with the right consistency they needed, without being too sticky, for the right hairstyle and “not to greasy” something easy to wash out of hair and off of hands. Also men complained of their hair goo getting left behind on what ever lovely ladies pillow they had “visited” with the night before! The problem that I found with all the other products on the market was that the ingredients used, usually had a petroleum base, which can be dangerous and may cause hair loss-wow! I knew there had to be something better, more consistent and much more natural.”

Ultimately, the benefits of Dapper Man pomade are simple: “You will love the way your hair behaves – great hold and restyle as you desire. It should not stain your clothes, furniture, your sheets and pillows, etc. It even helps to soften your hat band in vintage hats and helps prevent ‘hat hair.'”

If any of you gents have experience with this product, feel free to chime in with a comment.

Remix’s Valentine

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I apologize for the lack of original content this week, as I’m in the throes of bronchitis, but I will muster up enough energy to pass along news of Remix Vintage Shoes’ “Valentines Sweetheart Deal,” which is a pretty sweet deal – a new color of Remix’s Piazza shoe, Valentine red, at a low-for-Remix price of $138.00. I have the Piazza shoe in tan and it is a versatile and comfortable shoe. Love the new color – who doesn’t need another pair of red heels? 😉

More Colors! Aris Allen 1940’s Velvet and Mesh Mary Jane

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I can’t believe I missed this (how long have these been out?), but Dancestore.com has come out with three new colors of the Aris Allen velvet and mesh Mary Jane – black with white mesh, indigo with white mesh, and brown with white mesh. I have been admiring the black velvet and black mesh Mary Jane for a while, as I find that shoes made with mesh let your feet breathe while dancing. They are all so lovely, deciding which pair to order will be difficult!

Indigo with white mesh

Black with white mesh

Men’s Art Deco Watches

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

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:

Check out this Bulova case!
1930's Marmon Watch
Elgin Art Deco Watch
Bulova watch with hinged case
Elgin hexagonal watch
Tavannes Art Deco Watch