This weekend I will be heading to the Big Apple for the bi-annual Jazz Age Lawn Party, held on the grounds of Governors Island, which is just a short ferry ride from the lower tip of Manhattan. I’m not sure how many years this event has run, but for the past couple of years I have pined over the gorgeous photos of people in vintage clothing, dancing vintage dances to a vintage band, with vintage cars in the background…well, you get the idea. I’m going to get it all out of my system over the weekend at this picturesque event.
There will be vendors at this event, selling vintage clothing and hats – hopefully, I won’t be too distracted so you can get a full report (with photos) when I get back.
Hello Fraulein! That is the greeting at the top of Fraulein Marlene’s Etsy shop, welcoming you in to look at her lovely vintage goodies. Almost half of her selections are divine vintage shoes from the 1930’s and 1940’s in neutral tones, like brown, black and beige, so they’ll go with everything in your fall and winter dance wardrobe. The shoes also look like they are in solid condition and are reasonably priced.
Fraulein Marlene says simply, “I love clothing and accessories from the 1920’s-1950’s. Vintage is my first passion —> but i am no professional seller…it is a hobby.”
Here are some selections from this excellent hobbyist:
Very much in love with these shoes that are not in my size - 1930's t-straps with gorgeous textured fabric1940's reptile sandals from Spain in original box1940's brown suede platform heels1940's brown suede heelsBlack Art Deco pumps - the hotness1940's brown peeptoes
I love the initiative and creativity of those seamstresses and tailors who take vintage patterns and make them come alive again. Etsy seller Jitterbuggin is one of these talented people who create garments of the past in the present, and adds her own bit of whimsy through her pattern and fabric selections.
Of particular interest is Jitterbuggin’s profile: “I am a dancer and stage performer with an enthusiastic interest for fun clothes. I make quality ready to wear ranging in eras, styles and sizes. I use vintage materials when I can and often substitute with vintage reprints. Almost every garment is a one of a kind creation. My garments are made with “danceability” and modern comforts in mind while staying true to the glamor of the eras.” Dancers making clothes for dancers is always a good idea, especially when considering cut, construction, and fabric selections.
Here are some of my favorites from the Jitterbuggin Etsy site:
Red jumper and sailor blouse1930's blouseHigh waist pants1940's Hollywood style skirtAnchors and stars playshorts1930's style halter top
This Alfred Benjamin & Co. off-white pinstripe vest looks pretty sharp. What would you pair this with, gents? I’m thinking a trouser to match the pin-stripe, but it looks like you could dress it down with a pair of jeans. A versatile piece!
It is so hard for me to resist vintage velvet – nothing is softer, silkier, or more delectable. It drapes like charmeuse and feels like a kitten. The season for wearing velvet seems so small in comparison to the amount of time I would like to be wearing velvet.
Perhaps you are contemplating your New Year’s Eve outfit for Lindy Focus or a special holiday dance? I would recommend this lovely dress (and if I’m posting this kind of love, you know it’s not in my size), a 1930’s/40’s green velvet party dress from eBay seller love_kats. The draping, the sleeves, the rhinestones on the bodice…and the twirl potential on this skirt looks really promising! There are a few noted minor flaws and some mending, but I can tell you from several vintage velvet purchases that these kinds of repairs and conditions have been universal for my purchases and have not detracted from the garment, nor been difficult to repair. Love. This. Dress.
Usually the vintage suits come one or two at a time on eBay, but here’s a few more than the usual, including three white linen suits!
1930's White Linen Suit, Palm Beach Label1930's Belted Back White Linen Suit1930's/1940's Herringbone Stripe Suit1930's White Linen SuitJust for kicks - Anchor Swimsuit
If you haven’t guessed it by now, I love plaid in its varying forms (hello, gingham!), but it’s really hard to do larger plaids well. I prefer large plaids if they are graphic and are made into a well-tailored garment, just like this plaid dress that I found on eBay today.
The styling on this is adorable – the little hat, the belt, the pixie haircut… I also love the bows down the front, and the subtle detail that the plaids are symmetrical from the back of the dress, both horizontal and on the diagonal (you’ll have to click on the link to see the back, I couldn’t get the photo off the auction page), which makes this dress a really cool piece of clothing.
I am smitten with this red and black party dress posted by Violetville Vintage on eBay. The tucks on the bodice, the short puffed sleeves, the swing skirt, the matching belt, and the shiny applique detail on the bodice and skirt make this dress look perfect for just about any swing dance. It’s fancy, but not TOO fancy, and has just the right amount of detail to make it special.
The dress is pinned to the model, so keep that in mind when you are looking at fit and be sure to note that the garment’s actual measurements are larger than the model.
(Small soapbox) I have hesitated in the past to post about Violetville Vintage because the auctions are all Buy It Now and the base price for their 1930’s and 1940’s starts at $150 and goes way up from there. Admittedly, the dress I posted here is pricey. I do think that they have some beautiful items, but they are not any more remarkable than other eBay stores and auctions I have seen for vintage items. I also notice that many of their items are relisted over and over because no one is buying them (I assume because of the price). Of these items that are relisted, there are several I would purchase if the listing price went down. Surely the cost of relisting these items adds up – wouldn’t it be easier to just list them at a lower price in the first place and let people bid for the items to determine their value? *sigh* I love your clothes, Violetville, but not that much. (Steps off soapbox)
To end on a higher note, Violetville has an extensive inventory and tons of items from more recent decades at very reasonable prices. I would encourage you to peruse their eBay inventory, because it is rather remarkable.
Another classic three piece suit has popped up on eBay. This one appears to be pretty standard, a few mended places, a few places to be mended, but overall in fine appearance. The seller says the jacket is about a 42 and the pants have a 42 inch waist, but check the measurements in the auction carefully, as the seller’s estimate of size is not always spot on.
I saw several gents at All Balboa Weekend sporting white vests with a colored shirt (sometimes to match their follower’s outfit) and it looked pretty sharp. While this white dinner vest on eBay is sans tuxedo or dinner jacket, it looks good enough to be worn alone and appears to be in great condition. It does need studs, but then you can find some really cool studs for your new vest!
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 entranceOh, the sport coats!1940's dead stock dress1930's/40's flowered dress with belt - better in person!Navy blue 1940's designer dressDetail on the neckline of a lovely navy dress
I can’t resist posting a three piece suit, even if it’s a tux with tails, which I’ve only ever seen on the dance floor on the Killer Dillers or Drew Nugent. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to take your dressing up a notch. With a starting bid on eBay at $24.99, it would be worth a bid just to pick up the vest!
Size is estimated at a 40, but the measurements on the jacket are 18 inches across the shoulder with 24 inch sleeves, and pants at a 38 inch waist and 31 inch inseam.
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.
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.
The latest batch of eBay offerings are as sweet as refined sugar, with florals and pastels in abundance.
Pink crepe with embroidery at the neck.30's/40's day dress in a rose printPaisley/flower print dress with tie sleevesLavender 1940's dress with button detail
Lindy Shopper 