It’s been a couple of months since I praised Trashy Diva, so we’re long overdue.
I’d like to highlight their pencil skirt, which I have “seen” before, but didn’t “notice” until today. I’ve had several people request information on where to find a good pencil skirt, but I have not been as helpful because I usually run in the other direction when I hear the words “pencil skirt,” much like “skinny jeans” and “leggings” – all highly unflattering items on my figure.
However, I believe that the pencil skirt is not an impossibility, it is just given a bad rap by the tubes of fabric retailers are calling pencil skirts these days. I have a pencil skirt of my grandmother’s from the late 1950’s/early 1960’s in gold brocade and the fit is divine, but the difference between this skirt and modern pencil skirts I’ve seen is that it has a waist. That nip makes a nice illusion and line that comes down from the top of your hips and gives the illusion that the skirt is hugging your shape, rather than actually clinging to it, like modern skirts – one reeks of desperation, the other does not.
But do not despair! The Trashy Diva pencil skirt is a dead ringer for my grandmother’s skirt and I have high hopes for it. I might even break down and buy one, if I am feeling ambitious. It comes in so many colors – black, gray, red, white, blue, pink, green, floral, polka dot, leopard – it will be hard to decide!
In light of recent online discussions about gender roles in Lindy Hop and the recent Amendment/abomination passed this month in my home state, I decided to take up a suggestion made by Sam Carroll that I do a post on women dressing in menswear or dandy garb for dancing. Specifically,
“For my own sake, I’m interested in outfits which cater to the curvy woman’s body, but which are using traditionally ‘male’ items – eg jackets, waistcoats, trousers, hats, cravats, etc. Not women’s clothes, but men’s clothes for women. Or men’s clothes tailored for a woman’s body. Most of the ‘female dandy’ stuff I see about features ridiculously skinny, flat-chested women without hips. That’s not me, I’m not interested in that stuff. But it’s hard to find alternatives.”
I think this is a really cool concept, one that could be practical for dancing socially, traveling, or in performance where a female could be leading and/or want to fit into a particular role in the ensemble.
When Sam posed this question, a few things popped into my head:
– Like vintage clothing for men, the actual vintage options will be limited, but with ladies’ narrower shoulders it could open up more jacket options.
– Accessories are the key. Like many gents I know who dress in vintage or in vintage style, many of the main pieces they wear are regular menswear or reproductions and the accessories, which have usually survived and are more plentiful, take their outfit to the next level. It’s all in the details.
– Finding pants is going to be really hard. As someone who has pretty much given up on finding pants, it could be even harder for me to make a recommendation.
– Like any good dandy, you will need a tailor.
– Women’s clothing retailers offer some dandified options, if you know where to look.
So let’s break this down into the man uniform. Menswear is generally comprised of pants, shirt, jacket and/or vest, socks, shoes, belt or suspenders (but not both). Accessories could be a tie, a cravat, a tie clip, cufflinks, hat, cap, watch, lapel pin, etc. I’ll try to hit on most of these pieces and recommend ideas for sources (because that’s what we’re all about here – where the @#&* do I find it?):
PANTS
Gonna get this one out of the way. Men’s pants are not made for women’s bodies and vice versa, but this doesn’t mean that men and women are made of one shape, or that men’s pants won’t ever fit. One of my favorite pairs of pants in college was a pair of men’s pants and I purchased a tuxedo for myself last year and didn’t have much trouble with the pants (although they cut a wee bit tight across the hips, more so than I am used to feeling). They fit me a hell of a lot better than these skinny jeans that are in style right now (which make me look like a linebacker) and give the illusion and drape of a proper pair of men’s trousers, in spite of the hip area.
My next suggestion is to find men’s pants that fit in the hips and have them tailored to fit your shape. This may not work for all men’s pants, but I believe it’s a viable option. Most nice men’s pants are cut to be tailored and taken in or let out.
Plaid knickers may be adventurous, but this pair of khaki knickers could be the basis for a great lady dandy summer outfit with fantastic socks!
There is always the option to have them made, which is my favorite because they are guaranteed to be made for your shape, in the fabric you like, and can be tailored to look like men’s pants. You can also have more options, like a higher waist to give it a more vintage look. Also, with the higher waist pant, it’s more likely to be a flattering cut for the female figure. I’m thinking specifically about the 13 button sailor pants the U.S. Navy used to issue as part of a uniform – those pants are universally flattering on just about every human I’ve seen wear them.
Finally, in rare instances (so rare that I can’t really point to a consistent source), I have come across wide or straight leg trousers in women’s stores that do sort of have a nod to menswear. The cut will be most important in this case, because womenswear is so squirrely and the cut may not be tailored enough to be truly dandy. Then, there is this sort of hybrid that is golf knickers, which are definitely more traditionally male, but also sporting female, and are made in women’s sizes at golfknickers.com (I would rock the Stewart plaid pair in a hot minute!).
SHIRT
I think most men’s shirts have comparable women’s shirts (tees, polos, button-downs). Sadly, I think a lot of modifications that retailers have made to women’s dress shirts to make them more…girly (?) have not worked out for the best. I am a lawyer IRL, so I deal with a lot of button-down shirts to wear under suits for court. I get miffed when I see that retailers have modified the neckline to show more cleavage – with that silly angle exposing more of the upper chest and removing the buttons so you no longer get to decide where your top button is located. Forget about wearing a neck scarf or a tie with it. And is it too much trouble to put a button across the peak of the bosom, instead of spanning it and causing a gap that must be safety pinned, lest your co-workers catch a glimpse of your bra? But I digress.
The shirt is just the beginning – add high waist trousers, tie or cravat, and a boater
I have found a few good basics for button-down shirts. My favorite is Banana Republic because the fit is usually really good (efficient, professional) and they have nice variations on classic menswear for women, without sacrificing buttons or adding excess cleavage. It’s also one of the few places I’ve found women’s shirts with French cuffs for cufflinks – bliss! They even have a line of non-iron shirts, which is the only kind of shirts my husband will buy, but that I haven’t seen made available that often for comparable women’s shirts. A scan of the BR line shows some great dandy options for summer – long sleeve basics, a safari shirt with rolled up sleeves, and a fantastic long sleeve button-down in blue or pink with contrast white collar and cuffs!
I think it is important to buy shirts made for women, if at all possible. Generally, our shoulders are narrower and we need darts to highlight our feminine shape and streamline our look. Being a dandy is about looking tailored, not frumpy, and I think men’s shirts are just too much of an adjustment in shape when there are options available that do not require alterations or custom-made garments.
I am also not above shopping in the little boy’s section for shirts…which sometimes works out well. 🙂
JACKET/VEST
Ralph Lauren striped jacket with insignia
Things start to get easier here. I’ve seen more women’s vests in recent history and there are always menswear-inspired jackets available. The key here is to mind your colors and materials – obviously, a pink boucle jacket is going to scream femme, but a linen, stripe, or tweed would be more along the lines of a dandy. I’d also experiment with vintage menswear and men’s vests, as there may be potential for tailoring them to fit, or with vests, cinching them if they are adjustable in the back. Again, the key is tailoring, keeping lines clean, and sticking to menswear basics.
SHOES
This becomes a wee bit more difficult because Dancestore.com isn’t making men’s Aris Allens in smaller sizes anymore – finding menswear-inspired shoes is fairly simple, but finding leather soles is not. This is where the ladies with the larger feet have an advantage. I went through great difficulty to find boy’s size 5 black patent leather oxford ballroom shoes to go with my tuxedo (and the size chart was so off that I had to send them back 3 times for an exchange). That said, there are some boy’s ballroom shoes out there in basic black oxfords.
Rachel Antonoff’s take on the classic loafer, for Bass
While I can’t vouch for the danceability of all the soles (there’s always the option of having things sueded), G. H. Bass has some great shoes right now for women that are a sort of twist on classic men’s shoes. I’m loving the Rachel Antonoff collection, which has things like clear/black patent wingtips, saddles shoes in lots of two tone color combos, and loafers with complimentary plaid panels. The Bass American Classics line for women almost looks like a collection of men’s shoes, with basic colors in loafers (tassled and penny; BONUS: leather sole) and saddle shoes.
SOCKS
This is where the fun starts. You could go with the traditional conception of matching your socks to your trousers, but one of the things I love about our male Lindy Hop counterparts is their fearless socks. So long as it matches your ensemble, feel free to experiment with stripes, argyle, prints, and color. This might be a good place to inject your femininity or sense of humor…
Dapper gents on a tie worn by a dapper lady? Hehehe
ACCESSORIES
Belt, suspenders, tie, cravat, tie clip, cufflinks, hat, cap, watch, lapel pin…this is where there are comparable women’s products (belt, watch), or adjustable (suspenders), or we have unisex sizing (hats, caps), or it’s one size fits all (tie, cravat, cufflinks, pins, etc. I’m actually thinking vintage 30’s and 40’s ties might work even better on women because they are shorter than modern ties. This is where you have very few limits – go forth to the men’s section and conquer!
As with creating any look or ensemble, it’s important to do your research – look for inspirational photographs of men and women in menswear, or women in pants from the swing era. Pants were definitely not the norm and I think you will find that women took a lot of inspiration from the men when they embraced pants.
I hope this was helpful in some small way – please let me know if you have any follow-up questions or product recommendations for other burgeoning lady dandies!
If you can’t wait for Dancestore.com to come out with their mesh and leather oxford, here’s an original specimen on eBay in size 10.5! These would look great with…just about anything this summer. 🙂
I’m going to begin chronicling pairs of shoes that I would shell out lots of money for, if only they were wider than 2.5 inches at the ball of the foot. I don’t know what sort of lives these 1920’s women led, but they must not have taken a step barefoot in their lives, have subjected themselves to foot binding, and been carried around in a sedan chair.
If you have narrow feet, for the love of everything wonderful, please start buying all these amazing vintage shoes!
I have three pairs in desperate need of reproduction this week (Re-mix Vintage Shoes, I hope you are taking notes. 😉 ):
Black leather Mary Jane, with two straps meeting in the center before crossing the top of the foot, and the cutouts are just screaming AWESOME. Cutouts from the top, cutouts from the side, this shoe looks good at every angle.There’s no one angle that really captures the awesomeness of this shoe, but I’m a sucker for green two tone heels and this pair is really unique in the way that the two shades work with the straps and curvature. This would look awesome in purple, too.View #2 – check those straps!GAH! These are just too much, the snake skin, velvet, stitching, cutouts… *passes out*
I do love a man in seersucker – there is something so refreshing about abandoning the typical dark male color scheme in favor of bright white, a touch of color, and some usually bright male accessories. It is such a stark contrast that I am afraid it has been relegated to dandies, preppy frat guys, and Southern lawyers (in my experience – if you go to the courthouse in July, you will be in the minority if you are not wearing seersucker, at least in my jurisdiction!) – which is a shame, because it’s a really versatile fabric.
One of the big complaints I hear from the gents is that jackets are so heavy and cumbersome to dance in – here’s a lightweight, time-tested alternative, so maybe give it a whirl? Seersucker is also fairly easy to care for and is usually wash and wear, no ironing necessary, due to the fabric’s puckered texture.
You don’t have to don wingtips and a boater to pull off seersucker – here are some ideas from eBay for seersucker garments to try to work into your wardrobe:
Your standard blue seersucker suit – 42R on eBay, bidding at $20.50!I always like finding non-traditional seersucker colors – here’s a pair of trousers in gray and white seersuckerThere are a bazillion of these JoS A. Bank trousers on eBay in every size, $50 including shippingRed seersucker trousers – I would ditch the shoes and the shirt, but I do like the red belt with thisThis Stacy Adams blazer has a slightly different take on the seersucker stripe – subtle, but with more colorBlack and white seersucker suit – not sure if this looks too “train conductor”…American Apparel short sleeve seersucker shirt – definitely an upgrade from a tee shirt 😉
Since I didn't snap a photo of the Aris Allen prototype, here's a version by Allen Edmunds, their "Strawfut," to give you an idea of the mesh and leather combo, but with a $300+ price point.
This past weekend at DCLX, amidst discussions of trumpet skirts, Dancestore.com owner Gay Santelmann showed me
her prototype of an Aris Allen
mesh and leather oxford, set
to go into production and be available for purchase in, approximately, 4 to 6 months. Excited! I’ve been looking for
a vintage pair for my husband and it’s just not happening…
but now it is!
I’m a big fan of the Dancestore.com mesh and leather heeled oxford for its comfort, flexibility, and breatheability. I can imagine that the same concept will translate well into an oxford for men. Kudos to Dancestore.com for picking up on this functionality.
Did I think to take a photo of the prototype? No, of course not, but the shoe I saw was two tone, with dark brown leather and tan mesh, and was copied from a 1940’s pair of the same coloring. Gay said they would also be available in black leather/white mesh, and possibly a black and navy combo.
Ladies, we’ve done it – we have convinced Dancestore.com to begin making and selling the trumpet skirt again! I spoke with Dancestore.com owner Gay Santelmann at the Saturday night DCLX dance at Glen Echo and introduced myself as Lindy Shopper. There was some question about which skirt we wanted, but I clarified that it was not the “Twirly Skirt” (which is shorter and more twirly), but the longer skirt that twirls at the bottom with all the lovely goring. As a side note, our beloved trumpet skirt was designed by Naomi Uyama, so we should all thank her for this fantastic design.
When will it be available for purchase? Stay tuned!
In the meantime, please go to the Dancestore.com Facebook page and post your thanks! And thank you all for your support of this crusade!
In the middle of my Trumpet Skirt Crusade I stopped by the Shabby Apple website to check out their new collection called “The Block.” Lots of bright, cheerful colors in this collection of dresses, tops, and skirts, including this wonderful pleated skirt that flares out at the bottom, creating a bit of that that trumpet skirt shape. Available in blue (Cityscape Skirt), red (Streetcar Skirt), and yellow (Taxicab Skirt).
I, and hundreds of other dancers around the world, need your trumpet skirt. I have mentioned this in passing, on this blog, on your Facebook wall, and I have waited patiently for years for you to have the trumpet skirt in my size. Yet, the stock does not replenish; nay, it has withered down to one size and I fear that in your haste to produce goods that are on trend you have overlooked that your trumpet skirt has been a staple in the Lindy Hop and Balboa communities for years. There’s a new generation that needs to experience the trumpet skirt and an older generation that needs to replace their worn out threads.
OK, I may be exaggerating about hundreds of other dancers around the world (ladies, feel free to chime in), but I do want to make my case for the trumpet skirt on my behalf, as well as on behalf of other dancers who I have heard make statements like “I need another trumpet skirt” or “I’d buy one in every color.” The black trumpet skirt is a wardrobe staple in that it can be worn with just about any color blouse or shirt; it twirls, but not enough to show your undergarments; it drapes so nicely; it gives the wearer a waist and a nice curvy shape. It is one of the few skirts that looks great on many body types. It is such a versatile piece and it’s easy and comfortable to wear. If I can’t figure out what I’m going to wear, the trumpet skirt is there.
I wear my trumpet skirt to work because it looks sharp and professional. I am looking down at my black trumpet skirt today and it looks a little sad because I’ve had it for so long, almost a decade. I’d love to buy another one to replace it. I went searching for a black trumpet skirt online and on every website that had one listed, you know what it said? OUT OF STOCK. Everyone wants this skirt!
I will continue to be patient in the hopes that you will consider producing these skirts again and, when you do, I’ll have cash in hand to buy two black trumpet skirts, just in case this happens again.
Sincerely,
Lindy Shopper
***UPDATE 4/5/12, 4:33 p.m. EST***
I’ve got their attention! If you want to see Dancestore.com make the trumpet skirt again, please go to their Facebook page, find my post (as Laura Windley), and “Like” it! You’ll see where they have responded and given this instruction. We can do this!!! http://www.facebook.com/ArisAllen
I know I do a blog post every time Re-Mix exhales, but this is important because I love dancing in wedges – Re-mix Vintage Shoes has come out with a new wedge they are calling Vogue (or, if you read the fashion bible, you might call it the VOGUE).
From the website: “We have replicated every detail of this 1940’s style, from the multi perforations on the vamp, to the grosgraine fabric piping of the original. It has a vintage “roller buckle” detail, and of course the legendary comfort is “standard”. All leather construction and polished leather soles. Available in White, Red or Yellow…”
I know we’re reaching the end of tweed season, but when something rare pops up the season of acquisition simply doesn’t matter – here, we’ve got two jackets that popped up on eBay this week. First, we have a J. Peterman reproduction Edwardian style tweed Norfolk jacket, size 38, with the classic belted back, square front pockets, and a nice feature where you can actually button up the jacket all the way (those lapels are not just for show!). Second, a nice Pendleton wool tweed Norfolk jacket, size 40, with elbow patches and a nice rainbow fleck to the tweed. Prices: $20.00 starting bid and $39.99 Buy It Now, respectively – steals, I say!
Collar up + sunglasses means we are ready for the outdoorsPatches: Safety firstLovely colors in this tweed
There’s been a flood of size 8 Re-Mix Vintage shoes on eBay – check it out! Most starting bids at $99.00, shoes are new without box.
Red patent leather Anita shoeMy favorite walking shoe - Dara, in blackGinger heels in brownPicasso wedges in greenSpectator wedge in brown and creamGreta wedge in brownGreta wedge in redGreta wedge in greenThis last pair are from a different seller and are pre-owned (but still fab!) - starting bid $94.99
Ah, bakelite…beads, bangles, earrings and many other items made from “the world’s first synthetic plastic” are a hallmark of the swing era, and rose to popularity during the 1930’s because of bakelite’s affordability (as compared to fine jewelry). If only this were the case today – when I encounter bakelite in most antique or vintage stores, the price is usually heavily inflated, with bangles selling for over $100 each. Why do these sellers think they’ve found a gold mine? I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t pay that much for any piece of plastic. It’s not THAT rare.
I began to grow frustrated with the prices in these stores, wanting some bakelite pieces to complete certain outfits, then I remembered my old friend eBay. eBay has sellers offering bakelite in abundance, at all price points, including some really great and affordable bakelite pieces. Here’s a sampling of what you may find in bakelite for under $15.00 on eBay:
Carved ivory bakelite bracelet, starting price $0.25!This little bakelite horseshoe pendant just needs a chain - starting bid $0.99Set of three bakelite bangles, bidding at $5.50Swirled bakelite ring, starting bid $6.00Interesting red bakelite brooch, starting bid $9.99Green bakelite earrings, starting bid $9.50Black Art Deco bakelite clamp bracelet, bidding at $12.50Orange carved bakelite bracelet, starting bid $9.99
This past weekend was my first trip to New Orleans, LA, which meant I was going to get a double dose of nerdy obsessive bliss – trad jazz and Trashy Diva. The occasion was to celebrate, bachelorette style, the upcoming nuptials of my dear friend Danielle McQueen, who also loves good music and beautiful dresses. On our Saturday in New Orleans the bride and bridesmaids headed over to Chartres Street to shop…
I blubbered like a blithering idiot when I got into the store, I was so excited to be there. The shop attendant was skeptical as I introduced myself as a blogger and asked if I could take photographs of the shop, but I probably sounded like a lunatic. The store was beautiful, so quintessentially French Quarter (but without all the Mardi Gras beads), and, most importantly, it was stocked full of every lovely Trashy Diva dress you can see on their website.
Dani and her gorgeous Natasha dress!
I’m pretty adventurous about buying clothing online, but it was so nice to be able to try on the dresses in the store. Candice Gwinn‘s designs are even more fetching in person. We all leaped in with gusto, each of us hitting either the jewelry counter, the dressing room, or both to take in all the wonderful things we spotted that wanted to come home with us. Danielle left with the dress of the day, the gorgeous deep red velvet Natasha dress, with beading at the shoulders and all around the waistband. The photo on the website doesn’t begin to do this gorgeous dress justice – it’s simply to die for – and it’s perfect for a Christmas or New Year’s Eve cocktail party or a winter dance opportunity.
We were running out of time, so we peeked into the Trashy Diva lingerie store next door to take in the wares. So many lovely, tiny, lacy things on racks! Of note, there are (what looked like) some excellent reproduction slips and nightgowns.
The bachelorette ladies flew out the next day, but I opted to stay an extra day so I could go dancing at d.b.a. to Tuba Skinny (so worth it! I even ran into Lindy Dandy!). This left me with most of Sunday to myself in New Orleans. Since the girls didn’t have time to visit the Trashy Diva shoe store the day before, I headed back to Chartres Street. The shoe shop is truly divine – an entire table is devoted to Re-mix shoes, a selection of the most adorable Aris Allens, and then there were even more fantastic and unfathomable shoes, as well as some more practical-yet-fabulous flats.
I struck up a less blubbery, but excited conversation with Rachel Scott, the keeper of the shoes, and managed to introduce myself like a human being, with coherent words and a Lindy Shopper business card. We proceeded to chat about so many wonderful things over the next hour and a half or so, shopping for shoes all the while, and the whole experience was delightful. After this conversation, I’m definitely looking forward to what Trashy Diva has in store for us in the future and have a greater appreciation for what Trashy Diva offers now in terms of products. Rachel also referred me to some other keen places in the French Quarter, where I could find bakelite, wigs and sparkly hair accessories, and some amazing pralines. To top it all off, the weather was perfect and sunny all day and I didn’t even need the sweater I packed in my bag.
If you ever make it to NOLA for ULHS, Jazz Fest, Girl Jam or what have you, you simply must go!
The view of the dress shop from the door - instant meltdown.Knit dresses greet you at the door, with fantastic necklacesLovely pink and gray - dress from the new bridal collectionThe beaded detail on the silk Sadie dressThe jewelry counter, with fantastic fakeliteAdorable flats!Rachel and the domain of delectable shoesA functional use of mantel space 🙂
File this under unisex: I found a great sailor suit this morning on eBay, advertised as World War II-era, and in a small men’s size with the signature 13 button pants that make everyone (male and female) look like they have an amazing bum. Obviously, this was originally a man’s uniform, but I love that they have a woman modeling it. 🙂 It’s also labeled as being in perfect condition, which is pretty amazing. My only complaint is that it is without rank, but perhaps one could go to your local Army-Navy store or eBay and find some period-appropriate insignia? Still adorable!
Lindy Shopper 