This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
EBay seller son-of-an-ironworker popped up in one of my searches for vintage ties. To my delight, I found not only a clever collection of vintage bow ties, but also some other great accessories, like 1940’s/50’s patterned socks, deadstock socks, and a 1930’s Planter’s Peanuts necktie. Check it out…
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Polish up the nine iron because it’s time to get your knickers on and hit the links…or the dance floor. EBay seller hotclubduparis (location: Savoyville, Italy) has posted a matching vest and knickers set in a lovely menswear stripe with a little red in the stripe. Knickers are perfect for showing off your clever socks, no? Whoever wins this auction will be my hero.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Here is your chance to own a gorgeous 1920’s reproduction dress from Leluxe Clothing Company at half the cost. Leluxe occasionally sells dresses on eBay at a greatly reduced price, but you definitely have to watch for them. The deal of the day is their delicious Vamp dress in black, which retails for $245.00, but is available on eBay with a starting bid of $129.99 and a Buy It Now of $155.00.
Why is this dress worth it? Aside from the gorgeousness and divine detail, this dress is durable and danceable (unlike its original vintage counterparts). I have this dress in silver and have worn it on three occasions since I purchased it in June, with rave reviews at each event. When you spin, the little car wash panels at the bottom flare out nicely, and there’s that delicious sound of swishing beads. My only warning for this dress would be if you are dancing in this dress, you may need to pin it to your bra – the dress did not feel heavy when I was wearing it, but the beads are heavier than fabric and the centrifugal force of the spins caused the straps of this dress to head towards the walls, rather than remaining firmly on my shoulders. Once secured, this was no longer a problem.
Wouldn’t you like to be the ultimate flapper for Halloween? Or every day? 😉
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
This 1940’s style striped dress from eBay seller buddhaboogie was too adorable not to post, even though it’s not in season. But then it’s never too late or early to shop for all things fabulous. I’m in love with this candy striped dress – it’s made with a great vintage fabric and has a chevron skirt, matching belt, and flutter sleeves. It’s good enough to eat!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I am very impressed with the selection of clothing that eBay seller Emerald City Vintage has posted, for both men and women. If Emerald City is from Seattle, then it comes as no surprise to me that this seller has excellent threads, as my own excursion to Seattle last year yielded three critical wardrobe items.
The selection is primarily 1930’s through 1950’s clothing and the starting prices are generally around $20.00. Some of the items for sale are buy it now – whether or not some of these items are reasonable is open to interpretation, but some of the buy it now items are what you would pay in a decent vintage store and others are a bit pricier.
Randomly, there are also several dirndls in the store, if you are looking for something befitting Oktoberfest.
Overall, this is a very focused selection of garments for swing era ladies and gents, with lots of great basics for both men and women. Here are my favorites from this week’s selections (but I would encourage you to browse the eBay store, as there are lots of different sizes available in similar items, such as pants):
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
There’s something about 1920’s cloches that is simply not replicated when you pick up a cloche at Urban Outfitters, or even Anthropologie. The level of detail is missing, the clever layering, buttons, ribbon, and trim; what you are left with is a basic hat. Sometimes I want more than just a basic hat. I want something that makes a statement without being overt or tacky.
I’ve been pining over Etsy seller Hey Sailor!‘s cloches for a few months, unable to decide which one I really want because they are a bit pricey and I could probably only afford one…but man, are they gorgeous! It’s like that pair of shoes you had to have, but have nothing to wear with them, so you build an outfit around them.
Hey Sailor! also has some interesting and amazing hats that may work well for your Halloween costume or even inspire your costume. This is the only place I know of that you can get a tricorn with a schooner on it for your Marie Antoinette costume.
You are also in luck because the store is running a sale through October 4, with everything 30% off!
Here are my favorites:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
As a follow-up to yesterday’s post, which featured pairs of Mary Jane flats in a rainbow of colors, I am posting another pair of Mary Jane flats, only this pair is vintage. Etsy seller kittyvonpurr has posted a lovely pair of red 1940’s/1950’s flats, size 11. The seller says it best: “Topstitched in black, rounded toecap, asymetrical front opening, double adjustable strap, faille piped collar and a short chunky heel. A DARLING pair of vintage shoes…super cute, in a rare size and red!” Darling, indeed.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I came across Tic-Tac-Toes dance shoes in the early 2000’s when I decided that I wanted a pair of bronze Mary Janes to dance in. Finding cute dance flats was already a giant chore, but somewhere in my internet searches I stumbled on the Tic-Tac-Toes website. I ended up with a pair of their “Shag” shoes (presumably Carolina Shag) in bronze and was a very happy camper – the shoes are lightweight, with leather soles, and come in 38 colors. That’s right – THIRTY-EIGHT COLORS.
Thus, if you are looking for a very specific color of dance shoe, Tic-Tac-Toes may be the very place to look. They have a number of styles they have designated for Lindy Hop, such as saddle shoes, two-tone t-strap wingtips, and t-strap heels, but really any of their dance shoes could work. If you are worried about heels, all of the Tic-Tac-Toes shoes have a wide heel and there’s nothing on this website over 2 inches.
The shoes are made in Gloversville, New York for men and women, and come in narrow, regular, and wide widths. The soles and upper parts of the shoes are leather. According to the Tic-Tac-Toes website, “We proudly use only domestic finished leather in our dance shoes. Because we do not use backers between our leather upper and our soft foam and tricot linings, our leather will stretch and mold to the shape of your foot thereby adding to the comfort of the shoe. In addition, our leather has a durable top coating of urethane which allows for easy cleaning and less scuffing.”
Here are my picks from the Tic-Tac-Toes website:
This post was written by Lindy Dandy.
The terms suspenders and braces are technically interchangeable, but I tend to use suspenders to refer to the type with alligator clip ends and braces for the type that require buttons.  Clips damage pants, so I always go with the button type.  Whatever you call them, they’re used to suspend your trousers at waist height.  Unlike belts, braces don’t have to be cinched tightly around your waist to keep your trousers in place and in fact, allow them to drape more gracefully.
Trousers worn with braces should be cut more generously in the waist (at least an inch) so the braces can be allowed to hold them up (so if you’re pants hold themselves up, they’re too tight for braces). Â If your trousers do not have brace buttons, it’s a simple job for a tailor: you’ll need one set of buttons in the back and two in the front, either on the inside or outside (your choice).
Back in the day, you’d never see a gentleman without his jacket on, so you’d never see his braces (or know if he buttoned them on the outside or inside). Â Braces were a man’s inside joke, they could have the silliest, most ostentatious designs in the world, but it didn’t matter because nobody would ever see them. Â Things are different, nowadays; seeing a man without a jacket is common (and it’s too darn hot to keep a jacket on all night), so you better be ready to show your braces off.
The finest braces in the world are made in the UK by Albert Thurston and Trafalgar.  Albert Thurston (my preferred brand) has been making braces since 1820.  They’ve been worn by princes, kings and businessmen for the last two centuries and have even been featured in Bond movies.  Fine braces do not come cheap.  Trafalgar Limited Edition braces (made of %100 hand-woven silk) cost as much as $195 for the full retail price.  Albert Thurston braces hover around the $70-$80 range.  The gems below come from an estate sale on eBay by micandgeo. (I was very tempted to bid on several of these for myself).
For the record, I have nothing against firemen (heck, I’m friends with a fireman).
Happy hunting!
This post was written by Lindy Dandy.
I’m a firm believer that you can find just about anything on the internet, if you search diligently. Â The Vintage Shirt Company, based out of the UK, supplies shirts and accessories for use in period costume dramas; everything from the 1700s to the present day. Â A huge thanks to Lindy Shopper for pointing out this site to me.
According to their “About Us” page, “All the stock is adapted from original garments to ensure an authentic period look. Close attention has been paid to the detailing and standard of finish which means they can confidently be used in film work. We also stock a range of traditional underwear and useful accessories.”
This company features a ludicrous number of stiff, detachable collars. Â Detachable collars? Â According to the common legend, the detachable collar was invented by Hannah Lord Montague in Troy, NY in 1827; she found that the only soiled part of her husband’s shirts were the collars, so she snipped off the collar, washed it, then sewed it back on. Â Nowadays, detachable collars are largely unnecessary as they are very formal and very tedious. Â If you’re looking to dress in a 1920s to 1940s style, detachable collars are a bit old-fashioned, even for you; detachable collars are more of a turn-of-the-century style. Â The World Wars forced more practicality into men’s clothing, so attached collar shirts became the norm.
It’s interesting to see shirt designs from the 1920s onward, if only so you can notice that things have remained largely unchanged since then. Â The “dress shirt” as we know it, was standardized by that time. Â Only the fabric, patterns and proportions have oscillated with the times.
As you can see, this is a pretty simple striped dress shirt, one that you might be able to find in a dozen different places.
The true advantage of this store, then, is that it is a great one-stop shop for vintage inspired accessories. Â They’ve got a killer collection of braces (suspenders), sock garters, scarves, handkerchiefs and gloves. Â These are the sorts of details that can take your looks to a higher level. Â Keep in mind that this one-stop shop is going to be on the pricier side, especially since they’re shipping from the UK.
Here are some of my favorites:
For more on detachable collars, check out this site.
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.
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…
This post was written by Lindy Dandy.
Fall may officially begin with the autumnal equinox, but I know that it still feels like summer for some of you. Â These are some dandy brown and white spectators a.k.a. correspondents. Â (click the photo for the auction)
Summer’s still on my mind (since I’ve missed it all while on deployment). Â I’m picturing this under a cool-wearing linen or seersucker suit, white shirt, no tie and a panama hat. Â Oh well, they’ll be ready for you for next summer.
Happy hunting!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I can’t resist posting a tuxedo on here, even though most of you will probably never be seen in a tuxedo at a dance; however, in the off-chance you are feeling dapper and festive, here’s a lovely tuxedo that popped up on eBay from 1932. It looks pristine. The tag on this tux reads “Kennedy’s” and is dated October 10, 1932. I wonder who was buying a tuxedo in the middle of the Great Depression…
Check the measurements for sizing, but the seller is posting this is approximately a 33 inch waist on the pant and a 36 jacket. Note that the seller will not re-list the item if not sold. With two days left on the auction, no bidders, and a $49.99 start price, this could be a fantastic deal!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Trashy Diva goes back to basics for fall, with a collection of basic black dresses in a poly/rayon/spandex that has “the look of vintage wool jersey without the scratch.” With added spandex, these dresses should be extra danceable. My favorite is the Jenny dress, which comes in short sleeves and long sleeves, and has these amazing darts at the waist that look like they will give you a lovely hour-glass, wasp waisted shape.
Another recent collection features two fabrics dotted with the fleur-de-lis, a symbol of New Orleans, which is the home base of Trashy Diva. The more graphic of the two prints is featured on their 1950’s and 1960’s inspired dresses and the smaller print is on their classic 1940’s and 1930’s pattern dresses.
If you missed out on earlier Trashy Diva goodness, check out my last blog entry on this obsession-worthy clothing company.
Lindy Shopper 