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).
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):
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
RAH – RAH – SIS BOOM BAH!
Design Archives, a vintage clothing store in Greensboro, NC, has posted this fantastic 1940’s/50’s letterman’s sweater on their Etsy site. The sweater was previously owned by David “Shorty” Robinson, as marked on the label, and is a size small (measures 38 inches in circumference at chest, waist, and hips).
Looks like Shorty lettered in cheerleading – too bad it doesn’t come with a matching megaphone!
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:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
It’s been a while since any dance shoes popped up on eBay, but here are two pair of Remix shoes to keep the supply going (since the caption appears to be uncooperative, the brown “Kate” heels are a size 6):
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:
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Lindy Shopper is doing a series of articles for Atomic Ballroom, based out of Irvine, California. Check out the Atomic Ballroom Blog for my second blog entry “Lindy Shopper: Advanced Course in Shoes,” which discusses selecting dance shoes and some of my favorite places to get dance shoes!
This post was written by Lindy Dandy.
After writing my first post on tie clips and out of habit, I’ve continued to search for tie clips (because it’s fun to look). There are so many that I must share some of my finds. Therefore, I’m starting this series: Tie Clip Tuesday. I’ll usually try to post good deals, but I’ll experiment with themes, some pricey items (because it’s fun too look) and other ideas I’ve got floating around.
Enjoy!
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.
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 Shopper.
All Balboa Weekend is just around the corner, so I’ve got heels on the brain. I already own enough dance heels, but I find myself always coming back to this website, Feliz Primavera, to drool over the delicious tango shoes. Why don’t I own a pair? I simply can’t decide. I want them all!
The vintage styling on these shoes is just amazing. These are the kinds of shoes I would build an outfit around, instead of the reverse. For example, check out the Shanghai 1900:
I love the t-strap profile, of course, but then there’s this added element of fabulousness with the separate strips of leather around the toe woven together to create a checkerboard pattern in white leather and red suede (they also come in white and black). I can imagine the sections allow for additional movement, but there’s enough leather here that they can protect you like a closed toe shoe. Love all of this – so clever!
Here’s what Feliz Primavera is all about:
“Feliz Primavera is a Hong Kong based business set up by tango dancers for tango dancers. All our shoes are hand crafted in Argentina by experienced shoemakers who have been making tango shoes for salon dancers and professionals for over a decade. At Feliz Primavera, we believe that shoes should be custom made to fit your feet. Choose from a variety of styles, materials and colours, or even create your own design. We do, however, keep limited stock for those emergency moments.”
Emergency moments, indeed! I think we’ve all been there at some point. 😉 I’m going to stop gabbing so you can get to looking – my faves:
This post was written by Lindy Dandy.
Seems like Memorial Day Weekend is the weekend to shop.
Have you heard of Martin + Osa? Basically, it’s Abercrombie and Fitch’s answer to J.Crew and Banana Republic. I’ve always liked the store, but usually found it outside my range of affordability. This weekend, though, their entire stock is 50% off with free shipping on orders over $100. Footwear is also on sale including Converse Jack Purcells, Sperry Top-Siders and Havainas flip-flops. Like J.Crew and the like, their stock has a preppy American aesthetic with slimmer fits.
There are lots of summer fabrics here: cotton, linen, seersucker, gingham, chambray. They’ve got polos, sport shirts, western shirts, chinos and nice, trim shorts.
I’m buying a couple linen shirts; they’re my favorite for afternoon dances.
Ladies, like I mentioned, their entire stock is on sale.
This post was written by Lindy Dandy.
Many guys (myself included) like to dance in white Aris Allen captoes (or other white shoes). Why? They look sharp and they highlight your fancy footwork. (I love my Aris Allens to death; they’re my “go to” on most floors. Mine have gotten a bit beat up, but I think they’re full of character).
The detail that’s often forgotten, though, is to match those white shoes with a white belt. You should always coordinate your belt with your shoes, especially if you’re wearing dressier clothes (i.e. slacks or other odd trousers).
In fact, you should strive to coordinate all of your [ugh, I dislike the way this word sounds] accessories. All leather should match or coordinate. The same goes for anything metal (watch, rings, belt buckle, cufflinks, tie clips, grill, etc); either silver or gold. Don’t let it drive you crazy; similar colors will suffice.
White dress belts can be hard to come by, but here are a couple choices:
(remember: your belt size is one size (+2) up from your pant size)
This post was written by Lindy Dandy.
The L.L. Bean Signature line has a 30% off deal that’s valid through Memorial Day.
L.L. Bean? As in that company that sells outdoorsy clothing through catalogs? Yup, that’s the one. You might recognize their Bean Boots, a Trad/WASP-y staple.
Very recently, L.L. Bean teamed up with Alex Carleton (of Rogues Gallery) to update its classic American sportswear with modern design ideas (particularly regarding fit). The result are familiar, classic pieces with a trimmer fit.
Here are a couple polos and shirts that would look good on and off a casual dance floor this summer.
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Orange is not in my color palette, so I’m not usually drawn to things orange, but there’s something about this pair of shoes that is really attractive and desirable. I love the reptilian texture, the cutouts, the peeptoes, the platforms, and the little flower at the toes. You’ve got to be pretty sassy to wear these shoes – are you up to the challenge? The bidding is at $14.50 on these shoes, size 7.
Lindy Shopper 