While searching for 1930’s reproduction clothing, I stumbled across Electric Gypsy, a UK-based retailer of handmade reproduction clothing from the 1930’s through the 1980’s. For each decade, there are a few choice garments made with a selection of fabric options, and I was excited to see that they went as far back as the 1930’s. Don’t let the psychedelic graphics on the website fool you, there is good swing era-inspired stuff here.
From the website: “At Electric Gypsy we also have our own label of handmade vintage and retro inspired clothing. We use a mixture of original vintage fabrics and kitsch cool new fabrics. Many pieces are one-off or short runs, so you are guaranteed to find something that is unique and original, whether it be a 1960’s inspired shift dress or a 1950’s Rockabilly skirt with a modern twist. Each item is individually handmade by us in the UK. We create our designs by modernising vintage patterns, designing our own patterns from scratch and customising old vintage clothing.”
Here’s what I’m loving:
OMG this kick-pleat 1940's skirt1940's sweetheart dress1932 Midnight in Paris dress1930's cape collar dress1940's tea dress1950's diner dress
Portland-based repro maven Jitterbuggin is running a Facebook promotion where YOU could win $100 in Jitterbuggin merchandise. You want this $100. How can you enter to win?
From the Jitterbuggin website: “This is a very special gift certificate! It will be given away FOR FREE when the Jitterbuggin Facebook Page reaches 1,000 likes! Once the page is at 1,000 we will publish a post that you can comment on to enter to win. We will number the comments in the order they were received and enter them into a random number generator to declare a winner.”
As I’m writing this post, the Jitterbuggin Facebook group sits at 786 fans – an impressive feat! But to get 1,000 fans we’ll need you to “Like” the Jitterbuggin Facebook page, maybe get your friends to “Like” it as well. Once the 1,000 mark has been reached, then (and only then) will it trigger the post for the giveaway. Now that you have your homework…go forth and Facebook “Like,” and check out the goods at jitterbuggin.com!
In another stroke of genius, the New Orleans-based Trashy Diva has launched a bridal collection, featuring some of their most popular dress styles in white stretch cotton blend satin. This collection is perfect for so many things, but especially for dancers who may want to change from their fairytale wedding gown into something more danceable for the reception, or maybe you just want something simple, beautiful, and comfortable to wear throughout your wedding. The choice of fabric here appears ideal, as well, with a lovely satin sheen for a slightly more formal look, but enough stretch to be able to move and dance comfortably.
Gah! Where were these dresses when I was getting married? There is a real need for these knee-length white dresses…just brilliant!
Of course, you aren’t limited to weddings in wearing this – anyone could wear one of these lovely white dresses alone, or accessorize with a pop of color. Here’s the collection:
This weekend I’m traveling to Norfolk, Virginia for the Be My Jazz Baby workshop and competition weekend. Two of my favorite male clotheshorses, Bill Speidel and Victor Celania, are organizing this event and I am excited to see the vendors they have selected for the event!
There will definitely be a report when I get back. 🙂
Vests don't have to be formal - see how great this tweedy vest looks with denim.
Unless you’ve been dancing under a rock, you’ve probably noticed an increase in the number of leads wearing vests at swing dances. The phenomenon is so prevalent in the Balboa community that Eastern Balboa Championships organizer and MC Chris Owens noted during one of the Balboa competitions at EBC 2011 that 10 out of 16 male competitors were wearing vests.
What makes a vest so great? Having worn a few myself, including a vintage one of Black Watch plaid wool my mother made in the 1970’s, I can tell you that a vest can really pull an outfit together; where something was just a shirt and pants (or skirt in my case), it becomes an ensemble with that one addition. It’s an upgrade without being too formal; it pulls things in at the torso without inhibiting movement; it leaves your arms free to do work, while the rest of you remains business. If fitted properly, it can make you appear more trim and elongate your silhouette. It looks great with or without a tie.
David Lochner in a vest on Governor's Island, NY
Since my experience with vests is limited, I asked one of the most dapper gents I know, dancer and clothier David Lochner of Philadelphia, PA, to weigh in on the topic:
“I wear vests for many reasons. They help keep you warm, they add a flair to one’s outfits, they help keep sweat off of a follow while dancing, and they help keep your tie in place. They also add a cleaner line by covering the bulk created by shirts becoming untucked, belt loops, and belts.
Social dancing is an art form and line and proportion are essential in art. But the line only comes when pants are worn properly at one’s natural waist. If the trousers aren’t worn at a proper height then the vest hinders this effort by allowing the shirt tail to peek out the back and destroy the look. Dancing is not only about the communication between partners but communication of beauty through movement and line to the audience watching.
I purchase vests where I find ones that fit. Being a long, they can be hard to come by, but I look at major retail stores, online, thrift shops, vintage stores, and eBay. Knowing one’s measurements can help ensure a proper fit. Also, taking along a man who knows menswear never hurts. Most women don’t know menswear so they can’t be reliably counted upon. (No offense!)* You don’t want something in style since style is constantly changing. It is important to take someone with you if you are not seeing a tailor since most salespersons will “Yes” you to death. Nothing is worse than buying a piece of clothing, then realizing it doesn’t fit properly while wearing it out for an extended period of time.
I hope this helped. I know my views are looked on as a bit harsh by some. But I say them because I take what I do, selling vintage menswear and swing dancing, very seriously.”
We believe you, David, and we salute you.
I think David has some great advice here, particularly about fit and style. I hadn’t considered that, with menswear, buying something fashionable now would limit wearability down the road, since menswear changes so little overall. However, the subtle details make a difference in menswear (skinny 50’s neckties, narrow 60’s suits, wide 70’s collars), so going with a classic, nondescript thrift store find may be a better choice in the long run than the trendy vest you may find at the mall.
Vest in action - Jaredan Braal with Gabriella Cook
There really is no go-to source for vests. In many cases, they come as part of a suit. In vintage and thrift stores, they are often orphaned pieces. In my area, the vintage store with the most vests is the least likely place to find something from the swing era. I also hear the mid-west has a great selection of vests, based on Jaredan Braal’s extensive vest wardrobe acquired during a single shopping trip in a mid-western city…
I find that if you are looking for a particular something, you will start to notice these things as you are out and about, so keep your eyes open and you may come across the vest you desire where you least expect it. If you see someone in a vest, ask them where they got it – you may get some ideas of your own about where to look in your area.
Incidentally, if you are in Philadelphia, you should make plans to visit Briar Vintage, a vintage store devoted entirely to menswear and manly “collectibles and oddities.” David is the manager of the store and I’m sure would be happy to help you “invest” in some great pieces for your wardrobe.
I love the micro-economies that pop up at swing dance events. I hope that vendor areas continue to develop at events and bring dancers closer to the goods and products they need and want.
I’m not at Lindy Focus this week, but it’s hard to ignore all the Facebook status updates. I had hoped that my friends who are attending would take photographs of their purchases so I could live vicariously through them. A photograph of Sharon Crawford in a top hat caught my eye, as I scanned my Facebook wall, with the description, “See Sharon Crawford if you’d like this vintage Beaver Top Hat from London to be yours.”
The post was from Bill Speidel, collector of sartorial antiquities, who acquired several top hats from an estate sale and decided to sell one of them at Lindy Focus through Sharon Crawford’s vending table at Lindy Focus. This top hat is spiffy – a Herbert Johnson of London beaver top hat, size 7, sold by Fifield and Stevenson of Chicaco, IL. Bill is asking $125.00 for the hat, which, given the condition and wearable size, is a good price for this topper.
If you are interested in the top hat, there are two ways to go about acquiring the hat: 1) if you are at Lindy Focus, find Bill Speidel or find Sharon Crawford’s table in the vending area – she’ll be the one sewing custom boutonnieres and fascinators; or 2) if you are not at Lindy Focus, email Bill at wspeid@cox.net to arrange for payment and shipping. Buyer pays shipping costs.
The top hat would pair well with one of the tuxedos I posted yesterday… 😉
This post was written by Lindy Shopper. Comic strip of unknown origins, featured in Town and Country Magazine, January 2012
While reading my mom’s copy of the January 2012 issue of Town and Country, I ran across a comic strip detailing the history of the tuxedo – not normal comic book fare, so I was intrigued. Here’s your history lesson for the week: according to the strip and Wikipedia, the word tuxedo comes from the Lenni-Lenape Native American tribe (also known as the Delaware Indians), who were allegedly called Tuxedo (meaning “he has a round foot” (which may be in reference to the wolf), “place of the bear” or “clear flowing water”) by their enemies the Algonquins. The Lenni-Lenape lived near a lake which they named “Tucseto,” which later became known as Tuxedo Lake, and the area where they lived was called Tuxedo.
How does a tribe of Native Americans and a lake relate to the modern formal suit? In 1885, Pierre Lorillard IV developed a piece of land his grandfather owned in Tuxedo for a summer resort for the wealthy and well-to-do, naming it Tuxedo Park. He then “organized the Tuxedo Club and the Tuxedo Park Association, as hunting and fishing preserve (and society), and surrounded the property with a high game fence. In 1886, he built a club house, which saw the debut of the short dinner jacket, which soon became known as the Tuxedo jacket. Eventually, the Tuxedo ensemble, featuring the short dinner jacket, became the accepted dress for formal affairs. To give you some perspective on the class of people who frequented the Tuxedo Club, the “Blue Book of Etiquette,” written by Emily Post, was “based on what she observed inside the great stone gates of Tuxedo.”
I am amazed that the basis for modern formal menswear originated as far back as the 1880’s, but this demonstrates how the tuxedo has withstood the test of time.
As the modern Lindy Hop community matures, I see more dancers donning a tuxedo (or part of a tuxedo) for New Year’s Eve, specifically at Lindy Focus (alas, I will miss my first Lindy Focus in six years!). Just adding a bow tie to a black suit can elevate your look, or wear a vest/bow tie combo for maximum mobility.
Tuxedos are more attainable, thanks to the advent of eBay, but even thrift stores have tuxedos, sometimes castoffs from formal wear stores or a donation that simply doesn’t fit or isn’t used (and is usually rarely worn, so it good condition). You can often acquire a vintage tuxedo for less than the cost of a vintage suit because they are the garment that was worn least and survived the decades. It amazes me that people spend money to rent tuxedos when for the same price or less you could buy one.
Here are some lovelies on eBay and Etsy to make your New Year’s Eve classic and well-dressed:
1930's tuxedo with a faille shawl collor, size 42, buy it now $65.001930's tuxedo with tails, white vest, and white tie, size 38, $75.00 starting bid - paging Fred Astaire...1940's tuxedo, button fly, size 40, buy it now $30.001950's shawl collar tuxedo on Etsy, $98.001940's tuxedo, size 44, $65.00
New colors! Free shipping through December 31! We’ll start with one of my favorite Re-Mix Vintage Shoes styles, the Balboa, which appears to have received a slight redesign along the toe cutouts. The wonderful pepper/palm green combo is back, and they’ve added two new colors – a butterscotch/taupe combo and silver! I’ve been waiting for these to come out in my favorite metallic. 🙂 I don’t see the new colors on the website, so I’m going to post the graphic from my email with all the information and photos of the lovely new shoes, in other styles as well. Enjoy!
Yesterday morning, Lithuanian swing dancer Mindaugas Bikauskas reminded me about Stacy Adams shoes, as he posted on Facebook that he had just received two pairs (it IS so exciting to get a new pair of shoes). I remember a time when a brand new pair of Stacy Adams shoes was all that Dirk from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy wanted for Christmas…but I digress. 😉
‘Tis the season for giving and a lot of guys I know seem to perpetually need new dance shoes. Stacy Adams is great for providing both standard, classic colors and some non-traditional color options for shoes. If you’d like for people to notice your footwork amongst the sea of white cap toes, check out the line from Stacy Adams.
Here are some viable options from the Stacy Adams website:
Gah! These are gorgeous! Someone please buy them and ask me to dance. Also available in black/white combo.The Madison, available in 7 colorsThe Faith - classic cap toe in black patent leatherFor those who have always wanted spats...available in four colorsThe Dayton - a different take on the oxford, in four color combosFestive red oxfords to go with your Santa suit. 🙂
Oh, Trashy Diva, oh, Trashy Diva, how lovely are thy dresses…Trashy Diva, the New Orleans-based retail and online seller of fantastic vintage-inspired dresses has added some new additions to their line of stretch cotton blend satin dresses. Notably, a very lovely shade of green in the Ballerina dress and the Dottie Dress. Unfortunately, these items are only available for pre-order, so you’ll have to plan for events after the holidays.
Available for purchase right now are a collection of vintage coats Trashy Diva has just listed on their website, including a glorious olive velvet 1940’s coat, several faux mouton coats, and a few models with fur collars.
Here’s a preview of the pre-orders:
Ballerina Dress in greenHoney Dress in steelCage Dress in magentaDottie Dress in green
After finding this gorgeous dress on eBay, I was inspired to post about cheongsam (plural cheongsams?). I have loved these sexy Asian dresses since I saw the opening sequence of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as a kid. Also known as “qipao” in Mandarin, the cheongsam has a long history that overlaps with the jazz age and swing era.
According to Wikipedia, the original qipao was wide and loose, and meant to cover a woman’s shape, but “the modern version, which is now recognized popularly in China as the “standard” qipao, was first developed in Shanghai in the 1920s, partly under the influence of Beijing styles. People eagerly sought a more modernized style of dress and transformed the old qipao to suit their tastes…it was high-class courtesans and celebrities in the city that would make these redesigned tight fitting qipao popular at that time. In Shanghai it was first known as zansae or “long dress” (長衫 – Mandarin Chinese: chángshān, Shanghainese: zansae, Cantonese: chèuhngsāam), and it is this name that survives in English as the “cheongsam”…as Western fashions changed, the basic cheongsam design changed too, introducing high-necked sleeveless dresses, bell-like sleeves, and the black lace frothing at the hem of a ball gown. By the 1940s, cheongsam came in a wide variety of fabrics with an equal variety of accessories.”
Case in point, the amazing 1940’s cheongsam pictured at above/right, with a gorgeous silk pattern, double piped seam along the neck with fantastic toggles going all the way down the side of the dress. While the trend originated in China, this dress was made in Japan. I also see that the bust/waist/hip ratio on this dress is a little more forgiving than the versions sold today, which leave little room in the hips. Someone buy this dress because you will look so elegant in it!
If you’d like a new cheongsam, there are multitudes of them on eBay and other internet retail sites, some as cheap as $10.00. When I had to come up with an inexpensive costume for The Carolina Fascinators, I remembered that I’d been wanting one of these dresses and how they came in an array of colors, sizes, and prices on eBay. These dresses are not made of silk, obviously, but if we are going to sweat in them, perhaps a cheap dress isn’t such a bad idea. These dresses are visually stunning, in great colors and prints, and come in a variety of styles (sleeves, sleeveless, knee length, calve length, halter, etc.).
There are a few drawbacks that we discovered – they are cheaply made and we had to sew the snaps back on, reinforce the toggles, and if you don’t get the right size you may split a seam while dancing. Those slits are there so you can move, because this is supposed to be a form fitting dress. The cut on these dresses was not conducive to any of our shapes – narrow hips meant ordering a size that fit the hips and all of us had to have them tailored to take them in at the waist, or bust, or both. However, it was worth the tailoring and mending because the dresses looked amazing in the end.
Also, don’t get hung up on the size labels. This girl needed an XXL for the hips. Those of you that know me know that the booty is not THAT big. Buy the size you need, based on the size charts provided.
I’ll leave you with a video clip of my initial inspiration. As an FYI, if you want Kate Capshaw’s sequin cheongsam, Sequin Queen will make you one for $250.00. 😉
This Norfolk work jacket, which the seller labels 1920’s/30’s, was made by Shenandoah Tailoring Company of Mt. Sidney, Virginia, and has some interesting bits of tailoring going on. From the front it looks like a work jacket, with pretty plain front, pockets, collar, and a big metal zipper. From the back, it looks like an elegant belt-back jacket, with tucks that look like they could be ironed out for definition. The jacket is also unlined, which I find odd, and the seams are piped with a trim so the fabric doesn’t unravel. There was a spot with threads (which can be pulled out) where the coat had a patch at some point…it would be interesting to know what was on the patch.
The jacket is labeled a 34, but the seller says he fit into it snugly at a 38, so it could fit a 36, with some fabric in the cuff of the sleeves to let out for tailoring. Starting price is $24.99, which is a great price for a coat, period; however, I don’t know what delusions of grandeur the seller had listing the Buy It Now at $1,200. I think I’d take my chances in the auction!
If there’s one thing we need to wear as dancers, it’s appropriate and comfortable footwear. Shoes that fit you well can make a positive difference in your dancing; conversely, shoes that are ill-fitting can negatively impact your dancing and potentially cause health problems. So what do you do when you can’t find a pair of shoes that fits because of the width or shape of your foot?
I’ve had a couple of requests about dance shoes for irregular feet widths, specifically dance Keds and Balboa shoes. While I wear a regular width shoe, I just barely missed the genetic gift of narrow feet from my father and paternal grandmother, who both have very narrow feet (Granny wears a AAAA). Finding narrow shoes in retail stores seems to be an extinct possibility for them, so both of them have had to order shoes from catalogs that offer narrow and wide width shoes. This can get pretty expensive, considering my dad had to wear a suit and dress shoes every day to work and my grandmother loves to dress up.
However, these shoes do exist! I’ll start with the Keds, because that is easy – Keds makes narrow and wide widths of their Champion Oxford, the quintessential Lindy Hop shoe of the past few years. Keds makes them in AAAA (super narrow), AA (narrow), B (medium), D (wide), and EE (extra wide) widths. You are a bit limited in the colors available, but the classic white and black are there, as well as navy, blue, red and tan.
The process to get them to dance shoes is the same – buy Keds and either glue the suede/leather sole them yourself or take them to a cobbler to be sueded/leathered.
You can buy the different widths from the Keds website, but I found that finding the different widths was easier and they were cheaper on the Maryland Square website (which is the catalog my Granny uses). Also, the EE width did not appear to be available on either website, but was available in the paper catalog, so if you are looking for this width you will probably need to place a phone order with Maryland Square.
Men, you can have these in two-tone or one color, with 13 different colors to choose from.
My suggestion for different widths of Balboa shoes and for men looking for an oxford for dancing is to buy a custom pair of tango shoes. Tango shoe makers tend to offer vintage-inspired styles of shoes and will create a custom pair for your feet using actual measurements of your feet. The cost is more than a pair of Aris Allens, but generally less than a pair of Re-Mix Vintage Shoes. I ordered a custom pair from Mr. Tango Shoes a few years ago and had a very positive experience. The fit of my custom shoes was unparalleled. On top of the width/shape, you can also customize the colors in both two-tone and mono-tone, the heel height and width/shape, the type of sole, the arch support, cushioning at the ball of the foot, and whether or not you want a platform. Another friend has had a good experience ordering custom shoes from Guaranteed Fit Tango Shoes.
Kind of digging this pair from Mr. Tango Shoes, maybe with a silver metallic and a wider, shorter heel
If you have narrow feet, the vintage shoe world is your oyster. I would encourage you to look for vintage shoes on eBay and in vintage stores. Always ask whoever is working in the vintage store if they have narrow shoes because they don’t always put them out, and ask your local vintage store to be on the lookout for your size – often, stores will turn down shoes that are narrow because they don’t believe they will sell. Let them know you are the person who will buy these shoes!
Also, if you have wide or narrow feet and have found something that works for you, please feel free to share your experience or source here – I know there are others who would like to have this information. 🙂
I am always pleased when sellers list seasonal items during the right season – when you are in the mood for something, retailers usually respond, and right now it’s the smell of cinnamon, clothing that sparkles, and Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas playing overhead (how did they know?! 😉 ).
I can’t give you the cinnamon, but here’s the Ella, and some vintage dresses from each of our swinging decades that really sparkle:
This 1950's holiday dress intrigued me - I like the clean shape of the black dress, with long sleeves, and this sort of geometric corsage/pocket/thingy adds this modern bit of excitment and pop of colorI am so in love with this 1940's maroon/fuschia belted dress, with just enough detail in all the right places - oh, the embroidery and beading! *drool*What would a proper holiday dress selection be without velvet? Please ignore the crappy photography from this seller and focus on the awesomeness of the tucking, draping, and gorgeous belt buckle on this 1930's dress.A 1920's dress in my favorite holiday color, with ombre beading and beading on the belt in my size...now, where is that $220 I need to buy it...
Lindy Shopper 