I was not prepared for the cold weather we had over the past weekend. North Carolina’s typical Indian summer that lasts well into October appears to have abandoned me this year and I’m disappointed to be sitting here in a sweater typing this blog entry. Shouldn’t I be in a sundress for at least another two weeks?
Then I see this lovely vision of fall, a gorgeous brown silk 1930’s dress with an accent print along the neckline, a beaded belt buckle, wonderful detail at the shoulder, and *gasp* long sleeves. Perhaps if this dress were my size, fall would be a less chilly, more fabulous? Bust 44, waist 38, hips 52.
I came across two black 1930’s suits in the same jacket size, 40R, on eBay this week that look to be in great condition! The first has a double breasted jacket with the following description:
“This is a vintage 1930’s, three piece, double breasted suit in good, vintage dry cleaned condition. There are no holes or stains. This suit measures 21″ across the chest from armpit to armpit. The upper shoulder area at the back is 16 1/2″ across from arm seam to arm seam. The sleeves are 25″ long from the shoulder seam to the end of the cuff. The pants are 36 x 30. They have interior buttons for suspenders and a button front closure. They are flat fronted with cuffs.”
The second suit is a regular three piece suit, dated 1933, with the description:
“It is 22″ across the chest from armpit to armpit. The upper shoulder area at the back is 17 1/2″ across the back from arm seam to arm seam. The sleeves are 25″ long from the shoulder seam to the cuff. The pants are 35 x 30. They are flat fronted with cuffs. There is a watch pocket.”
Starting price is $199.00 for each suit – you’d run the same at Men’s Wearhouse for a three piece suit, but something tells me this vintage suit would be more of a standout. 🙂
When it rains, it pours, and it’s pouring gorgeous shoes this week. Remix has launched two new styles: the Eva, a Picasso-esque work of art for your feet in green and black; and Amelia, a late 1920’s/early 1930’s Mary Jane heel with three straps in black. The Amelia is cute and sturdy, but the Eva is to die for…they should be paired with that villainess dress I found and wreak havoc on a small city with their sheer awesomeness.
Ava shoe
The Ava shoe is on sale, a versatile pump that could work for dance floor and for work, originally $190.00 and now on sale for $98.00. This shoe comes in camel with orange inset, brown with dark brown inset, gray with black inset, and white with kiwi inset.
Finally, there’s a limited run of the spectator wedge in a gray patent and white combo, priced at $112.00. Gray is such a great neutral, these look fantastic!
The Jazz Age Lawn Party never ceases to amaze me, with its charm, beauty, number of well-dressed people, and even its power over mother nature. It is such a rare opportunity to dance entirely to 1920’s music and the quality of music was superb, thanks to Michael Arenella’s Dreamland Orchestra, the Gelber and Manning Band, and the twin Victrola turntables operated by DJ MAC. It was a beautiful weekend under the trees on Governor’s Island – the storms that threatened New York were held at bay until Sunday afternoon, when Michael Arenella commented from the bandstand that the rain couldn’t stop the festivities and called a tune with “rain” in the title to mock the threatening weather; it was then that the sky opened up, with only a few warning drops before the downpour sent everyone scurrying for cover.
This event has grown every year and this year it seemed to double in size from last year’s impressive turnout. I also noticed that the event organizers take note of how they can improve the event from year to year; for example, in an attempt to combat bystanders loitering on the dance floor and eventually taking it over, they roped off the dance floor area (which was someone effective, but there will always be chattel who don’t understand that a dance floor is for DANCING, not for standing or ogling). There were also more vendors this year, so let’s get to the list!
There simply couldn’t be a JALP without the classic and delicious cocktails made with St. Germain Liqueur, a cocktail confection made from elderflowers picked in the Alps. There was a rush on the cocktails, primarily due to an online coupon deal that offered all you can drink St. Germain for the day, and by the end of day one they were sold out of liqueur. Never fear, they replenished the supply for day two and the delicious festivities continued.
Kreamland Ice Cream was on hand with scoops of ice cream in classic flavors, the perfect treat on a hot August day. In the photograph at right you can see an example of the signs the JALP crew added to distinguish the different administrative and vendor tables, which were especially helpful with the throngs of people in attendance.
The table of necessaries.
Another improvement I noticed was a table set up with helpful items to get you through the day. Forgot your parasol? Need sunscreen or a tissue? Wishing you had a fan to escape the heat? Making these items available for purchase was a great idea! And isn’t the display lovely?
It was interesting to see a modern vendor, such as Yelp, have a table at JALP, but then Yelp is a very useful resource. Yelp sponsored a vintage photo booth at the event, with photographs taken by Tsirkus Fotografika, “an ongoing non-profit, public arts project based in Philadelphia, PA, designed to bring the creative process directly to communities and document populations at their most lively. Employing a mobile portrait studio and trailing-edge technologies such as analog film, old-fashioned “hot” lighting, and large format equipment, Tsirkus follows in the footsteps of itinerant photographers who would travel from town to town making portraits on-the-spot.” I now wish I had waited in line to get my photograph taken – perhaps next year.
Next in the line of vendors was Odd Twin, a Brooklyn-based vintage store with wares available from the jazz age and beyond. I will display more photographs below of the vendors’ wares, but I will note that I was particularly smitten with a two tone brown 1940’s suit that was displayed on the end of their hanging rack. Drool…
Sharing a vendor table were Necks Tuesday and hyc Creative letterpress. Necks Tuesday might be the most creative name for a bow tie company I’ve ever encountered. This Brooklyn-based company asserts that bow ties are a “facet of traditional menswear,” but are now “often an element of a forward, contemporary look.” What’s old is new again, eh? I can get behind this philosophy. Their ties are available in a number of wonderful muted tones and patterns that are sure to go with much of a man’s wardrobe and make a stylish statement without being too loud.
hyc Creative letterpress displayed an endearing collection of thoughtful printed cards, stationery, bookmarks and prints. From their website: “hyc Creative is the creation of Dawn Hylon Lucas-Carlson. A small private press founded in 2006. We print Letterpress greeting cards, bookmarks, coasters, prints, and invitations using a mix of found vintage blocks and fonts, hand carved linoleum blocks and newly created designs. Everything is hand-printed on a Kelsey 6 x 10 Excelsior Press.”
Do you see these pleats?!
Next in the lineup is The Original Prohibition Clothing Company, a company specializing in custom menswear. What I like about TOPCC is the wear-ability of the garments and the attention to detail. These clothes could be in a fine menswear store just about anywhere, you could wear the clothes anywhere, but they would be that piece that stands out as superb amongst the modern suits, with just enough nod to vintage to appear authentic. Details like fan pleating out of a belt back Norfolk jacket or a black and white Bette Davis printed on the inside of a newsboy cap make these items truly stand out against the competition. Their website is still under development, but I look forward to this company making their products available to the masses. Until then, you can browse some of their accessories available in TOPCC eBay store.
The Fine and Dandy Shop.com had a wonderful showing of men’s accessories – ties, pocket squares, handkerchiefs, cufflinks and other man jewelry, flasks, pocket watches, and even a vintage Boy Scout’s guide. Fine and Dandy has a fairly comprehensive website and I’d recommend that you gents check out their fantastic selection, including their ties, which are made in New York. See photographs below.
Lovely 1920's shoes peeking out from behind the sign!
After all this menswear, I arrived at my favorite vendor of the weekend, Noble Savage Vintage, who displayed exclusively pre-1940’s clothing and accessories for women. This table and rack were a dream come true, with beautiful beading, gauzy dresses, satin 1920’s shoes, and vintage lace galore. My friend Elizabeth picked up a wonderful 1930’s dress in a gauzy chiffon floral that was perfect for Day 2 of the lawn party.
I’ll end this tour-de-vendors with The Village Scandal, one of last year’s wonderful vendors who had amazing cloches and the must-have fascinator of the event. This year, their entire inventory must have been must-have because, by the time I made it out to their table, it had been ransacked. Their positioning near the entrance may have helped add to the chaos of what happened to their table, but I am pleased to see that they did so much business.
There were other vendors, but they did not have signs and I was unable to speak with the vendor representative (so many people!). I hope to return to this event next year and make it a priority to get to the event earlier to scope out the vendors’ wares. Until then, I leave you with these photos:
Amazing two tone suit from Odd TwinOdds and ends from the Odd Twin tableBow ties from Necks TuesdayClose up of a plaid bow tie from Necks TuesdayHanging goodies from hyc Creativehyc Creative's spreadMeet and greet with the Original Prohibition Clothing CompanyA rack of jackets, vests, and shirts worthy of Jay Gatsby from TOPCCStarlets peek out of your newsboy cap, courtesy of TOPCCMan jewelry from the Fine and Dandy ShopAn array of collars and ties from the Fine and Dandy ShopBeautiful beaded 1920's bags from Noble Savage VintageA wonderful cape in a jazz age print, courtesy of Noble Savage VintageWhat was left of The Village Scandal when I got to their tableI'll leave you with two turntables and two microphones - see you next year!
Aris Allen is on a roll this week, this time with the debut of a new men’s shoe (a rare occurrence, indeed) – a lovely white wingtip oxford with classic broguing detail along the seams and on the toe. Aris Allen has been the go-to for affordable men’s swing dance shoes and I’m happy to see this welcome addition to their men’s footwear line. Now, you just have to decide if you are a white wingtip man or a white cap toe man…
This has got to be the deal of the week – this pair of Remix Savoy heels in black, size 7, only one bid at $29.99, or Buy It Now – $89.99. Super steal!
Of course, after I save up and decide to buy them, they go out of stock...but now I get a second chance!
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I’m jumping out of my chair with excitement because the Balboas are back! At least for a limited run, that is – the Balboas in the ivory/parchment combo are available, along with the brown combo and black. If you’ve been on the fence about one of these pairs of shoes, get off the fence right now, sell an organ, take out a loan, and get them while they are in stock because LS has on good information that these shoes will no longer run in their current design.
In other glorious Remix news, the men’s captoe oxford is also available in a new color, a soft brown leather. The popular Anita shoe will be made in metallics – muted gold and silver – which I love because metallics go with so many things and make your footwork shine! Also available in a new color is the Strider, a 1930’s/40’s oxford, which breaks away from muted tones and now comes in a cheerful purple.
I don’t know if I had time to mention this style when they launched, but Remix’s Emily shoe is a lovely brogued t-strap shoe that is simply a knockout. Available in ivory and a bright blue they are calling “Ultramar Blue.” Using my Google skills (rather, looking for a photograph to post), I also found this shoe available in brown at Shoostore.com.
Two interesting specimens popped up in my eBay searches this week. First, herringbone knickers/plus fours and a matching jacket, which the seller is dating 1930’s or 1940’s, but someone who knows menswear better than me might have a better handle on their decade of origin. In any case, knickers are awesome and here’s a whole suit for your day on the links, night on the dance floor, or the next tweed ride – 39 jacket and 31 waist.
Second, ignore the uncomfortable looking dude in the picture and focus on this blue Depression-era wool suit that the seller dates between 1933 and 1935 due to the National Recovery Administration (or NRA…not to be confused with that other NRA) label inside. This suit is exactly my husband’s size and he won’t have anything to do with it because it’s blue, so I’m beside myself with disappointment…but maybe it will fit one of you? 42 jacket, 32 pants, starting bid at $19.99.
With the price of bakelite jewelry in the astronomical range, reproductions of this classic early plastic jewelry are a welcome commodity. I’ve found a few “fakelite” pieces via Forever 21 a few years ago and apparently Avon did some reproductions in the 1980’s, but both have been found in limited quantities. Classic Hardware was a sight for sore eyes, with a line of classic bakelite-style (called “Retrolite” on the website) pins, bracelets, necklaces, and rings that will give your vintage or reproduction dress the perfect finishing touch.
According to the website, “Karyn Cantor is the originator and driving force behind Classic Hardware and it is her personal vision that is reflected in every handcrafted piece. Her love of vintage fashions mixed with a strong post-industrial aesthetic is further influenced by art nouveau and dadaism. This striking amalgam of sensibilities, coupled with Karyn’s sense of humor has developed into her current line of accessories that reflect today’s sense of individuality, sophistication and spunk…Karyn’s tastes are eclectic and varied, running the gamut between rock ‘n’roll, punk rock, rockabilly and old timey music. She loves swing dancing, live music, travel, flea markets and playing the ukelele.”
She loves swing dancing! One can’t help but wonder if Karyn noticed all the unadorned lapels and necklines at dances and wanted to do something about it…
Here are some of my favorite “Retrolite” pieces from the Classic Hardware website:
Kissing swallows necklaceButterscotch pinPenguin pinScotty dog pinSwan pinCarved bangle in black, also available in brownStrawberries bracelet, matching necklace and earrings also availableDeco ring, available in 7 colorsRaspberry bow barette
EBay seller 4 Birds Vintage may have hit the motherload: “This is just the one of a 50-pair shoe collection ~ mostly new old stock from a family shoe store ~ that will be available within the next week. Most shoes are from the years 1890 – 1940 and include original boxes and store price tags. Brands include Star, Poll Parrot, Florsheim, and more.” I’ll definitely be checking back to see what this seller adds to his/her eBay page!
This pair of white leather oxfords is the first of this collection listed and they are in fantastic condition. You’ll have to get a ruler out to determine the size, but the seller says, “These shoes measure 10″ in length on the inside, 3 1/2″ wide on the bottom, with a 1″ heel.” Buy It Now is at $125, a bit more than your Aris Allens, but definitely less than a pair of Remix oxfords.
I’ve written in the past about finding vintage clothing in a size larger than tiny, or any size, really, but even for those who find vintage more commonly in their size, it can be a burden of a task to find vintage dresses that fit that also suit your style. While vintage clothing does exist beyond the tiny realm, it is much harder to find, especially when eBay sellers list L/XL as anything from a size 10 upwards – that’s quite a range of sizes to pilfer through! I’ve been touting the benefits of reproductions (ready to wear, made for you, or make yourself), but haven’t found a lot of resources for women who wear over a size 12 or 14.
New Vintage Lady on Etsy has seen this need and done something about it. New Vintage Lady is “proud to stock one of the largest rotations of original plus size vintage patterns and reproductions. I specialize in plus size vintage patterns (but carry items of all sizes!), reproduction patterns 40″ bust and over, clothing, notions, and vintage inspired creations often of my own design.”
I am so in love with New Vintage Lady’s aesthetic – I am actually more enthralled with her own pattern designs than the original patterns she has listed, primarily because she illustrates her own patterns with whimsy, color, imagination, and style. Her patterns are adorable, with thoughtful details like buttons, tucks, contrast panels, belts with buckles, and scalloped edges. She even has hat patterns, and an entire pattern devoted to different types of sleeves that you can add to any dress – imagine that, designers-who-produce-clothing-for-any-mall-retailer – SLEEVES! If anyone has worked with vintage patterns before, you know that the arm holes/sleeves tend to run on the small side, so this add-on pattern is a genius idea.
New Vintage Lady has other great items in her shop, like vintage patterns of all sizes, sewing books, and some vintage and reproduction dresses. Here are some of my favorite items from her shop:
Knot Bodice Day Dress patternKnot Bodice Day Dress complete and styledKimono Sleeved Flapper Dress patternKimono Sleeved Flapper Dress styled and flat1940's Sport Dress with deep back, optional sleeves and boleroThe 1940's Sport Dress in eyelet, available for purchase
A few of our participants at curtain call, from L-R: Abigail Browning, Elizabeth Tietgen, Patrick Draus, Kyle Kettner, Dominique Blouin, Mia Goldsmith, Bobbly White, Emily Shuhmann, Heidi Rosenau, Joe McGlynn and Valerie Bissig - photographs by Patrick Hovan
I had the honor of working on the committee that produced All Balboa Weekend‘s first 1930’s Vintage Fashion Show this year. The committee was comprised of Valerie Salstrom, Shannon Sheldon, Shannon Butler, Victor Celania, and myself, with some consultation about accuracy from the reigning queen of vintage, Heidi Rosenau. The idea was that we would put out the call for people attending ABW to submit photos of themselves in 1930’s clothing that they either own, inherited, or borrowed and we would decide on themes based on the contents of the submissions to put together a complete show. We would also take people who were interested in modeling and put them in extra vintage clothing, provided by myself and Valerie.
The plan worked. We had enough models, clothes, and themes to put together a cohesive fashion show. Having never actually coordinated a fashion show, I was relieved when Shannon Sheldon stepped up to the plate at our meetings to expertly organize the execution of the show, down to charts of participants, clothing, what rack their garments would hang on, who they would enter with, in what order, who had a quick change and would get priority near the rack, and who needed help changing. I love organization! Victor and I cat-walked in the lobby to make sure the music was right for each theme. After a single run through with the participants we hoped everything would go according to plan.
We knew there would be a bit of a time crunch getting everything in, but when it came time to put on the show everything ran so smoothly that I think we came in under time! The themes/vignettes were beachwear, sleepwear, collegiate, picnic, day wear, cocktail, and evening wear. In addition to helping organize the show, I also participated in the show, in a floral day dress and straw hat and a green velvet evening gown with matching cape. I also had one of those quick changes and it was so fast that, even with two people dressing me and not changing shoes I barely made it out in time for the vignette! I have to hand it to the people who do this every day, getting people dressed, re-dressed, and parading them around a room is hard work!
Thank you to everyone who participated and made this wonderful! Special thanks to Remix Vintage Shoes for sponsoring the fashion show and giving all participants a discount on their lovely shoes, as well as the vintage store Flower Child for providing the participants with props for the show.
Here are some photographs of the fashion show, courtesy of Patrick Hovan (P.S. if there are more photos I haven’t seen them, but would love to post more here! Please let me know if you find others):
Dominique Blouin, Bobby White, and Shannon Butler model evening wearKate Hedin, Joe McGlynn, and Brandi Ferrebee show off their cockail attireHeidi Rosenau in beach pajamas and Joe McGlynn in a Palm Beach suitA closeup of that Palm Beach suit - looking sharp, Joe!Mia Goldsmith's gorgeous black and gold gownLindy Shopper's gown and cape, with Carla Heiney sporting a velvet and fur coat over Valerie's grandmother's black and white evening gown
Continuing with the nautical theme, I thought I’d post some straw boaters, so the gents can order them in time for Independence Day festivities. According to Wikipedia:
“Boaters were popular as summer headgear in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and were supposedly worn by FBI agents as a sort of unofficial uniform in the pre-war years…Being made of straw, the boater was and is generally regarded as a warm-weather hat. In the days when men all wore hats when out of doors, “Straw Hat Day”, the day when men switched from wearing their winter hats to their summer hats, was seen as a sign of the beginning of summer. The exact date of Straw Hat Day might vary slightly from place to place. For example, in Philadelphia, it was May 15; at the University of Pennsylvania, it was the second Saturday in May.”
I have heard that boater hats were generally considered disposable, a hat that someone purchased new every year – now, a vintage boater and new boaters will set you back a pretty penny ($100+), but some deals can be had if you dig for a bit. Here are some boater hats for sale in the more reasonable range:
A vintage straw boater from my neck of the woods, 21 inches circumferenceVintage Stanhope Brothers hat, size 7.25Vintage boater, circumference 22 and three eighths inches1920's Stetson straw boater, size 7 and three eighthsBrand new boaters in sizes small through XL
Sweet Lorain (formerly Suite Lorain, now under new ownership) is one of those rare places where there are entire racks devoted to 1930’s and 1940’s clothing, rather than being relegated to a few rare items on the wall or stuck in the middle of a mound of polyester. In fact, Sweet Lorain skirts the issue by focusing exclusively on “Deco to 1960’s.” It’s a huge store, with tons of furniture, housewares, knick-knacks, clothing and accessories, and maybe some random items from a past era you’ve never even thought about. The dresses, evening gowns, coats, and other swing era garments are comparably plentiful and in an array of sizes. There were so many things to see that my partner in crime, Elizabeth Tietgen, and I spent several hours there, long enough for the store owner to offer us each a bottle of water!
We were told that the store had been hoarding swing era items for the ABW participants and people were dropping off things to sell to the ABW’ers the morning of the day we went to Sweet Lorain, namely a pair of 1940’s low heeled sandals that Elizabeth took home and a green 1930’s raincoat that came home with me.
I have heard stories about Sweet Lorain for years from my vintage tailor/couturier, Laura Boyes, who grew up in Cleveland. She and her daughter have had great luck in this store during their visits and Laura has even seen buyers from Anthropologie using their corporate card to purchase items from Sweet Lorain to copy or as inspiration for their designs. Understandably, I’ve been eagerly anticipating this visit to Sweet Lorain and it did not disappoint.
Did I think to take photos of what we bought? No, of course not, but Elizabeth left with a bevy of blue and white items, including a 1950’s sundress, a 1930’s day dress with matching bolero, black 1940’s shoes, tap shoes, and an aqua velvet 1930’s gown, and I left with a gray 1920’s dress, a seersucker romper of unknown decade, the 1930’s raincoat, a tie for the Boy, and a Bakelite bangle. Quite possibly the best trip to a vintage store EVER. Did I mention the prices here are amazing? This store will be a must-do for all subsequent ABWs.
Here are some of the other goodies I found at Sweet Lorain (I apologize for posting photos from my phone, I forgot my real camera):
Read the signs, ladies - this is the place!A wall of slips, with cheerful bloomers hanging above the dressing room areaWonderful coral crepe print dressNavy and red crepe dress Purses under glassThe 1940's shoes we found for ElizabethTie clips galore, including one from the 1933 World's FairTies!A selection of men's hatsOh, the bakelite!
I’m heading up to Cleveland tonight for the 11th Annual All Balboa Weekend. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing all the regular vendors, as well as some new vendors added to ABW’s roster. Expect a full report when I get back!
I have also been given the unique opportunity to help coordinate a 1930’s vintage fashion show at ABW this year, the first fashion show in ABW history. As I mentioned in a previous post, we solicited models and outfits from ABW participants and the response has been wonderful. I’ve been compiling the submissions and I look forward to seeing these outfits, from day wear to evening wear and everything in between, on the runway this Saturday evening. I’ll probably do a report on the show as well. 🙂
Lindy Shopper 