When we buy vintage clothing we are supporting sustainable fashion, but there are other ways to be an eco conscious fashionista – in addition to vintage clothing, bolts fabric made in past eras to create clothing exist unused and potentially wasted, until someone like Dig For Victory scoops up these glorious bolts and gives them a new life.
From her Etsy page: “Dig For Victory! is a sustainable fashion label that creates limited edition and one-off pieces from vintage fabric. From elegant harlequin dresses and classic prom frocks to cartoon print playsuits, Dig For Victory! celebrates the history of fashion to be found in a wealth of vintage textiles.”
Celebration is an accurate description of her clothes, and I was immediately drawn to one of her dresses in an Etsy collection for its vibrant colors, and was delighted when I saw that her shop was full of joyfully colored garments.
The best part? You can get a vintage patterned garment made from vintage fabric like new for you. Sustainable and more durable! Here are some of my favorites from the Etsy store:
You don’t have to be on a boat to enjoy these nautical-inspired dresses and skirts from Shabby Apple‘s latest collection. Gingham, seersucker, cotton…all the summer fabrics are here! Just add a Dixie cup and set sail…here are some of my favorites:
Admiral DressLost at Sea SkirtOverboard DressSeven Seas Dress in Seersucker
Embrace your inner southern gentleman by purchasing one of Jos. A. Bank’s deeply discounted seersucker suits in blue, tan, or taupe – only $129.00 if you buy it today, marked down from $395.00. That’s right, you’d save $266.00. 🙂 Where would you wear it? Where wouldn’t you wear it! Seersucker is a lightweight cotton fabric, perfect for summer dances, outdoor events, weddings, and courthouses. I love, love, love that they have it in tan and taupe – one of the most beautiful color combinations I have seen is a tan seersucker suit with a coral shirt, brightly printed tie in coral and blue, and leather and linen oxfords. You can do this, gentlemen!
I am proud to announce that All Balboa Weekend will be having its first ever 1930’s Vintage Fashion Show this year, starring…hopefully…you! If you are planning on attending ABW this year and have a 1930’s outfit, day or evening, indoors or outdoors, or what have you, we’d like to invite you ladies and gents to be a part of this showcase. If you are interested, please submit a photo of you in your outfit(s) to Lindy Shopper at caab241@hotmail.com.
I’ll be compiling the entries and submitting them to the fashion show committee for further consultation and creative theme-making. This is not meant to be exclusive by any means – we want everyone to have the opportunity to show off your lovely 1930’s duds, from knickers and day dresses to tuxedos and gowns! Also, there are some ladies clothes that need to be modeled – if you are interested in modeling for this show, please email me your bust, waist, and hip measurements.
Who is the fashion show committee, you ask? Allow me to introduce our esteemed faculty, via Valerie Salstrom’s colorful bios on the Facebook invite:
Victor Celania – Professional clothier and lover of all things vintage and classically fashionable
Shannon & Bill Butler – Professional collectors of unique vintage attire since birth. They both also have 100% historically correct hair.
Shannon Sheldon – Professor of fashion from the beginning of time until now. Producer of oodles of fashion shows.
After posting these shoes I thought long and hard about what you might wear with them – a solid dress, separates with those colors, but I never thought I’d come across a vintage dress with this same color wave. I was pleasantly surprised to discover this late 1930’s/early 1940’s dress on eBay with those lovely blues detailing the neckline. Finding matching pieces in vintage is already difficult, if not impossible. So disappointed that this is also not in my size. Surely there is someone out there to fit into this 28 inch waist dress AND wear a size 6.5/7 slightly narrow shoe!
I noticed yesterday that the My Heinies website has officially expanded their line of dancewear to include the shoes, hosiery, and hair flowers I mentioned in my previous post on My Heinies and their creator, New York dancer and instructor Carol Fraser. This certainly calls for another post highlighting these goodies, because now we have pictures. 🙂
Before we get to the goods, I want to point out that Carol does her homework. At week one of the Balboa Experiment, Carol brought in samples of everything and held a focus group to talk about what Balboa dancers look for in a shoe – heel shape, heel height, colors, styles, straps, where the shoe falls on the top of your foot, suede v. hard leather, and everything in between. The shoes now available on the My Heinies website represent the results of this group discussion, most of which Carol had overnighted to the Experiment house so that we could try them on in person, give further feedback, and have the option to purchase. The sample shoes remained at the Experiment house for weeks 2 and 3 to try out as well, and I’m sure she’s solicited feedback from a number of other dancers. Another great thing about using the Experiment as a testing ground was that it gave Carol an international perspective on what dancers would want to wear, not just dancers in the U.S.
Here’s what I love from My Heinies’ new selections of shoes, hosiery, and hair flowers (and don’t forget to check out the bloomers, I think Carol’s ordering a new batch very soon):
I'll start with my favorite shoe, which I helped create during the focus group - Melina in Pure Pewter with a 2 inch heel. 2 inches means comfortable Lindy Hop height for me and being able to Balboa for longer periods of time; pewter color means it goes with everythingThis shoe encapsulates the elements that spoke for the majority - solid pair of basic black shoes, t-straps, slightly open toed, slightly lower heel, with pretty detailing - you've seen this shoe before, from Tara Tango, but this model has a 2.5 inch heel instead of 3 inchSonrisa in Vanilla Biscotti - this was a really popular shoe with lovely two tone detailsMirage in Fresca Blue - one of the colors that came up was purple and I love this bluish purple - knowing Carol, there is more purple to be had, so stay tunedLove these nude fishnets with a contrast seamSheer hosiery with seams, bows and tassels - I am intriguedPetite gardeniasA pair of lovely green orchids
This week has, for one reason or another, been full of undergarment ideas. I’ll start with the tip I got from Micki Schultz, who was sporting a pair of Maidenform boyshorts as bloomers at the TSDS dance on Saturday with Acme Swing Mfg. Co. With just a touch of lace to give a nod to vintage slips or tap pants, they didn’t look out of place under her wonderful vintage 1940’s suit.
These might also be a good option if you’d like some additional help with smoothing things out under your dress. According to the Maidenform website, these boyshorts
– Provide everyday control
– Smoothe and shape your body
– Eliminate bulges
– Looks great layered with ready to wear (not sure what this means, but OK)
– Can be worn under all types of outfits
– Soft and silky against the skin
– Lace adds femininity (indeed)
They come in the basic wardrobe colors of black and nude. Also of note, the waistband is high enough to smooth over your muffin top and the bottom is full coverage to keep everything snug.
Aerosoles, often associated with comfortable and practical footwear, has stepped into the swing realm. I spotted Aerosoles on Laura Keat at The Experiment and on Nelle Cherry at DCLX, and wondered how they were dancing in these rubber soled shoes. The secret, according to Nelle, is to get the soles dusty and the rubber becomes the perfect consistency of slippery and sticky when you need it. Who knew? I wear Aerosoles to work for comfort, but I never thought about taking them out on the dance floor. This is great news for the people who dance in flats or heels or both – there’s a little something for everyone.
There are several things that make Aerosoles comfortable, but dancers specifically will notice the highly flexible sole, the cushioned footbed, and the soft leather interiors of the shoes. There are also some nice vintage-inspired shoes in their lineup.
Here’s what I like from the Aerosoles site:
Gingerroot shoe in pink, gray, or black leatherOut of Controle shoe in gray, tan, or black patent leatherSaprolite shoe in black suede combo or black leather comboGinerous shoe in purple, gray, or black suede
There have been a lot of great photos coming out of DCLX and, in general, the swing dance community is blessed with excellent amateur and professional photographers alike. I overhear technical jargon about the cameras, the lighting, the accessories, but how many of you would put all that down and attempt to use something like…a Kodak Brownie? I know it would be a lot of effort and the conditions less than ideal, but I think it would be cool experiment.
If you like this idea, but would like more information, there is a website devoted to all things Brownie called The Brownie Camera Page. The site features lists and descriptions of models, technical information, where to get film and parts, a gallery, and even tutorials on how to upgrade your Brownie.
Here are some inexpensive Brownies on eBay:
Brownie 2A, made from 1907-1936Brownie Junior 620, made from 1933 to 1936Brownie 620, made from 1933-1936Brownie Target Six-16, made from 1946 to 1951Another 620 with a sweet Art Deco cover
This is less of a field trip and more of a weekly lunch break ritual, usually on Fridays, to a destination two blocks from my office in downtown Durham, North Carolina – to Dolly’s Vintage, a confectionery of a vintage store that is more like a trip to Candy Land than a trip back in time. And, like the board game, Dolly’s is timeless, adorable, and nostalgic at the same time.
You can’t help but smile when you walk by the store, with its vintage bathtub flower bed and cheerful wooden sign welcoming you in. In fact, much of Dolly’s business is foot traffic now that the store has moved from a small space in Brightleaf Square to its expansive new location on Main Street. The store is like a magnet, drawing both men and women into its cheerful interior, with owner Jennifer Donner ready to welcome everyone with a smile and delightful conversation.
What’s inside Dolly’s Vintage? An array of vintage clothing and accessories, mostly ranging from the 1940’s to the 1970’s. The men’s section has a great selection of ties, sport coats, dress and casual button up shirts, tees, and some miscellaneous accessories, like tie clips and cufflinks. The women’s section is a rainbow of awesome dresses, slips, aprons, bathing suits, rompers, skirts, and tops – no losers here, even the 70’s stuff is adorable. A vintage dress will set you back $20-30, which makes it easy to feed the addiction. 😉
Dolly’s carries custom items, like crinolines and ruffled bloomers that Jennifer orders especially for the store, as well as adorable gift items (Hello Kitty, Pucca, Demeter fragrances, and a ton of cool stuff you’ll want to take home with you) and a candy table worthy of Wonka’s chocolate factory.
Jennifer also works with local tailors and seamstresses to mend and repurpose vintage items with flaws to sell in the store.
Location:
905 West Main St # 20G
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 682-1471 ‎
Open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Take a look inside!
The view from the front door - ahhh...Looking up at the wheel-o-crinolines suspended from the ceilingThe glorious purple velvet couch, with the women's section in the backgroundMassive tie rackI've mentioned 70's does 30's before and here is a good example - yes, the fabric is synthetic, but it's gauzy enough to look like a chiffon, and the shawl collar is so 30'sThis one came home with me 🙂I died a little when this dress with an adorable purple bird print and purple trim wouldn't zip up my rib cageA closeup of the bird printA rack of vintage slips...loveLive your Pretty in Pink fantasy with these 1950's prom dressesSportcoats!Ruffled bloomersGet your costume wigs here!Nibble on some candy while you shop
Recent events have me thinking about male leads and sweating, specifically how leads deal with keeping themselves dry during dances so their partner doesn’t have to get into closed position with Swamp Thing. I see several methods in play: changing tee shirts multiple times during the night, athletic shirts that are supposed to wick the sweat away from your skin, and men dressing in layers with an undershirt, dress shirt, and sport coat. Of these three methods, the most effective that I have noticed is the man wearing layers. The sport shirts always feel damp even though they aren’t wet and the tee shirts, depending on the wearer, can have a pretty short life span before the lead is drenched again. Every lead I’ve danced with wearing a sportcoat feels dry, at least from the outside. And I thank them for that.
I found an article called “Why You Should Wear an Undershirt at All Times.” It certainly made for an interesting read and I wonder how many of you employ an undershirt as a tactic for dryness. There’s even an entire website devoted to undershirts, The Undershirt Guy, with reviews of undershirt brands and debates on comfort and dryness.
This is less of an informative post and more of a musing – I’d like to hear your thoughts on this topic, as what works for one may not work for others. How do you stay dry? I might know some leads that need your help…
Raleigh Vintage on Etsy has delivered another winner, this time in the form of these gorgeous 1940’s shoes with a blue swirl/wave across the toes. This is such a unique pair of shoes that they almost look too modern – but for the shape of the shoes I’d claim they were a remnant of Miu Miu’s 2008 suede shoe collection. Estimated at a size 6.5/7, but check the listing for actual measurements. If they were in my size I would plan an entire outfit around them…
April 21 marks one whole year of blogging as Lindy Shopper – has it been that long already? It’s been a wonderful year and your growing support encourages me to continue writing this blog. I was worried I wouldn’t have enough material after a few months, but wonderful things keep coming my way, in part because of the large network of Lindy Hoppers worldwide who talk about products they love or sell themselves. More great content came from Lindy Dandy, whose insight into menswear and dressing well is universally applicable while maintaining Mr. Dandy’s own personal sense of style. Thank you all!
How many people read Lindy Shopper? It’s hard to say, but we are averaging 132 page views per day right now and are just shy of 30,000 views for the year. I am fascinated by the stats and probably spend more time following stats when I should be checking my posts for spelling and grammatical errors. 😉
Some more stats:
The most page views in one day, 234, occurred on April 4, 2011, when I wrote a post about My Heinies. Clearly, there is a need for bloomers in the swing dance community!
The most popular post of the year, with the most views of all time, was the post on Leluxe Clothing Co., maker of gorgeous 1920’s beaded reproduction dresses and Lindy Shopper’s first “supporter.” Leluxe also has the most “clicks,” the number of people clicking on a link to a particular site.
The most frequent search terms people have used to find Lindy Shopper (other than “Lindy Shopper”) are “bettie page clothing,” “reed shirtdress,” and “saddle shoe sneakers.”
Are you looking for that perfect vintage-looking cap, one that’s less Kangol and more newsboy circa 1932? Look no further than the eBay store ZaSu Caps, a treasure trove of vintage style hats and caps, including newsboy caps, alpine caps, railroad engineer caps, a pith helmet, and some WWII reproductions.
The maker of these hats, Ralf Reynolds, is also one of the Reynolds Brothers, a trad jazz duo from that packs a mean, swinging punch. Further, “Ralf has the distinction of being the only person ever to have a 30 year career as a professional washboard player.” Check their website – how adorable are these guys?
From Peter Loggins, via Facebook (who tipped me off about the hats): “These are the cats that seriously influenced my dancing, practicing every day to their Futuristic Junglism CD, songs like Pigmeat stomp. Fun, down to earth, historical knowledge, John Reynolds also played in Mora’s Modern Rhythmists, and is a hell of artist, and Ralf Reynolds makes the hats I wear!!! Zasu Caps…I remember the night I first met Ralph, he had just moved back to California, and went to the Derby, with a duffel bag full of hats. I can’t remember how many I bought, but it was every one that fit me…”
Find ZaSu Caps on Facebook and become a fan! Watch the video below, and you’ll become a fan of the Reynolds Brothers as well. 🙂
Continuing with the shoe theme and the pink theme, I’m posting this eBay auction for a pair of Remix Open Toe Spectator Wedges in pink and black, size 7-8. I’ve never seen this color combination before, but I like it. The shoes are a size 8, but the seller says she wears a 7 1/2 wide and that the size felt more like a 7 to her. Starting price is $20, but the buy-it-now is $50! $50 for a pair of Remix shoes? You know what to do.
Lindy Shopper 