This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
For the most part, apparel from the French Connection is not in Lindy Shopper’s budget, but if we’re talking 50% off, well…we are in the realm of possibility.
This British clothing and accessories retailer has some great vintage-inspired pieces in their line right now, for both men and women. I am particularly fond of their 1940’s inspired dresses and their menswear has some nice basics, like a cotton blazer. Here’s a taste of what’s available:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Since I can’t seem to keep up with the menswear side of things enough, I’m bringing on my good friend and fellow DJ Bill Speidel as a contributor to the blog. Bill definitely has the shopping bug and not only dresses himself impeccably, but also finds amazing clothes for his lovely wife! He’s already sending me things that I’ve re-posted here, so this time you will be getting things directly from the source. Thanks, Bill!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I love magazines that do the “real” v. “steal” spreads – taking designer and runway ensembles and translating them into more affordable pieces to create the same or a similar looking ensemble. I’ve been wanting to do this on Lindy Shopper, but instead of designer, take looks from iconic Lindy Hop photographs or videos and create an ensemble using modern pieces of clothing. I love doing this for Halloween costumes, but it does take patience to find each piece.
So here we go! For the first ensemble in this series, I’m looking to A Day at the Races, the classic Marx Brothers film from 1937 featuring Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers. For the most part, the dancers appear in street clothing, but there are two follows wearing bias cut plaid skirts that really pop on the silver screen, the bold pattern contrasting with the more solid colors on the extras in the background. It’s no secret that I love plaid and this is a great use of plaid to draw attention to these two follows.
For the most part, the two outfits are the same: bias cut plaid skirt, white socks, dark shoes, and a collared blouse/sweater. The first plaid skirted follow has a low heeled t-strap shoe and a wing collared short sleeve sweater, while the second has a low heeled oxford and a collared blouse, which may or may not be under some sort of short sleeved sweater. The white socks also help draw attention to the follower’s footwork, especially with the t-straps.
It’s always interesting to see exactly what pieces come together to make up an ensemble. Sometimes it’s more simple (or more complicated) than you think. I had no trouble finding the skirt or the shoes, but the tops were quite difficult and I’m still empty handed on the lace trim collared shirt. Here’s what I was able to dig up to help achieve this look:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Remix Vintage Shoes is having a sale, which is a rare occurrence! Get 15% off ALL Remix shoes now through December 29, just in time to spend your Christmas cash or get a pair for New Year’s Eve. As an added bonus, all domestic orders over $150 will receive free shipping through December 29. Cheers to Remix for making gorgeous reproduction footwear and offering a holiday discount!
In addition to the holiday sale, the Bauhaus shoe is available for the special price of $98.00. This is a great crossover shoe for Lindy and Balboa, with a 2 inch heel.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I heard on NPR this morning that it’s the last day to send packages that will be guaranteed delivery by December 25, so here’s your last holiday item post for the year.
I love when guys wear holiday ties that are both festive and classic at the same time. So many fall victim to the novelty tie at this time of year, but there’s a way celebrate the holidays through your wardrobe without having to don Homer Simpson in a Santa suit. I found these ties at Beau Ties Ltd. of Vermont that would look great for a holiday dance or family occasion. I think the key here is subtlety, color, and repetition of pattern. For each tie you can specify width, neck size and style (freestyle, pre-tied, or clip-on). Also, for some of these items, the store offers a matching pocket square, ascot, cummerbund, and cravat.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. I ordered a dress from an online retailer and when it arrived it just didn’t fit well. Every once in a while I’ll order a dress that looks great in the photograph, but, upon arrival, was clearly made for someone 6 inches taller than me with long stems. I followed the directions to file for a return/exchange on the website, but discovered that my dress did not qualify for either a return or an exchange. I was baffled – not even an exchange? This was a first and I was certainly not warned of this consequence at checkout. What do you do with a dress you can’t return or exchange and doesn’t fit?
There’s always eBay, but I thought I’d offer it here first. I paid $70 for it, so I’d like to recoup that, but I’ll pay for the shipping. It’s a size large, which will fit 36-39 inch bust, 28-32 inch waist, and 40-43 inch hip. The dress is made by Bettie Page Clothing and it is adorable – I’ve seen it in green on both Shana Worel and Naomi Uyama and it looks like a dream. If you are interested or have any questions about the dress, please email me at caab241@gmail.com.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Every season, snow or sun, it appears that designers have forgotten how to make cute dresses with sleeves. There are notable exceptions, but the majority of the festive holiday dresses I have found this season are without sleeves, or even straps for that matter. I don’t like being cold and, when the thermometer reaches below freezing, I don’t feel right stepping out of the house without something on my shoulders, even to a dance, but I hate covering up my dress with a sweater or jacket.
Perhaps the solution lies somewhere between a bolero and a shrug – this adorable ruffled jacket, by Etsy seller dominiqueansari, covers the shoulders, leaves enough dress showing, and even enhances the loveliness of your ensemble. It reminds me of some 1930’s dress tops I’ve seen, with lovely, flattering draped ruffles over the sleeves, only you can add this jacket to any dress for the desired effect. The large sleeve openings make this jacket danceable and comfortable, with a modern nod to vintage. The Ruffled Jacket comes in 7 colors and will only set you back $39.98, plus shipping.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
‘Tis the season to get rid of your dance shoes? One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, so we don’t mind here at Lindy Shopper! Here’s this week’s eBay offerings to get your feet ready to go for the next dance:
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!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
You could be dressed up like a million dollar trooper this holiday season in this fantastic 1930’s tuxedo, available on eBay from seller catalpa1961 with a starting bid of only $9.99! I do wish the seller had pressed the tuxedo and shirt before taking the photos, but you’ll have to imagine it after a pressing. Even with wrinkles, it’s easy to see that this tuxedo has some wonderful detailing, like the satin lapels, satin stripe down the leg, double breasted coat and vest, and, my favorite detail, checkerboard satin covered buttons on the coat and vest. This tuxedo has the rare added bonus of a period Arrow tuxedo shirt in good condition. Just add socks, shoes, studs, and cufflinks and a bow tie and you’re fit for any fête.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Black is a staple color and I’m sure most of you have a pair of basic black dance shoes, but there was something about this particular pair of black oxfords, offered by Etsy seller Raleigh Vintage, that caught my eye and made me wish I could make this pair mine. They have a graceful shape and this lovely “stitched” detail throughout, which gives the appearance of either large stitches or a thread of ribbon running through cutouts in the shoe. At a size 6, they are small, but not so narrow, as the shoe width comes in at 3 inches.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Lindy Hopper Jacqui Oakley is a dancer, instructor, and illustrator from Toronto, who has created several Lindy Hop-inspired illustrations and offers prints of her vivacious and colorful originals on her Etsy site. At $35.00 a pop, one of these prints would make a fantastic gift for your favorite Lindy Hopper, or treat yourself to one of these cheerful prints. The illustrations remind me of old comic book illustrations, the Dick and Jane books, a little bit of Disney circa All the Cat’s Join In, and photographs of Bobby White and Kate Hedin.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
If you are looking for a last minute holiday dress, you may find something you like at Shabby Apple in their vintage-inspired All That Jazz collection. I love the photo shoot for this collection, as they’ve done a fantastic job of accessorizing with hats, gloves, jazz musicians, and vintage cars. Shabby Apple makes great basics that are easy to wear to both the office and swing dances and this collection is no exception.
Also, starting today, and for the next 12 days, stop by the Shabby Apple fan page on Facebook for a coupon code for 20% off one great product each day between the time they’re posted and 5:00 p.m. MST, 7:00 p.m EST. It’s a 12 days of Christmas sale!
Just look at the peplums! Here’s what I’m loving from the collection:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
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:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Yes, I own a lot of shoes, but I rarely pay full price for them. Why? I am patient and if I wait long enough, eBay will deliver what I need at a reasonable price. If you buy cheaper shoes, you can buy more of them, theoretically, or have more money leftover to pay for all these amazing swing dance events coming up in the next few months. Lindy Focus, anyone? 😉
There were too many new auctions popping up for Remix and Aris Allen dance shoes, so I’m lumping them all together in this post. Here’s hoping they are in your size…
Lindy Shopper 