This just in from the wire: “For “THANKSGIVING WEEK,” free shipping on all orders sent to anywhere in the U.S., from Monday November 21 to Monday, November 28th! For our Overseas customers – 50% off normal shipping prices!”
Shipping is usually around $20.00 for Re-Mix shoes from CA to NC, and I can’t imagine what the international cost might be…
If you haven’t started your holiday shopping, now might be a good time – who wouldn’t want a nice pair of Re-Mix Vintage Shoes under the tree?
It’s about that time – the time of the year where we don our holiday finery for holiday parties and dances, which means it’s time to start planning our outfits now. Regular hair flowers are great, but not always the right tone for a seasonal outfit. I’ve gone so far as to pick some unknown berries and leaves from my yard and put them in my hair because I wanted to look festive. I’m not sure if the berries were poisonous, so this year…safety first.
I’ll credit Philly dancer Caroline Gleeson for the tip about May Bell Creations, the Etsy store of Caroline’s friend, Mary Hadzimichalis. Mary has created some really lovely holiday hair ornaments, some that are more floral (like that elusive poinsettia I’ve been wanting) and others sparkle, and most do both. I think she’s done a fantastic job with the materials and making the pieces look festive without being kitschy. Here’s what I love:
Poinsettia clipGlittering snow flower clipShooting star on ChristmasFalling leaves hair clip - perhaps just in time for Thanksgiving?
I’m on a dress kick this week, so bear with me. Today we have this amazing 1930’s dress, in my favorite color, with lots of lovely details – the faux jacket (fauxlero?) with inset “blouse” in a slightly off (but complimentary) shade of green with a blossom print, contrast cuffs, Art Deco belt buckle, pleating on the front and back of the skirt, and a little “knot” at the back of the neck. So charming, this level of detail is fantastic, but doesn’t overwhelm. Can someone replicate this for me?
The seller has this listed as a 1920’s dress, but I would argue that this is a late 1930’s style, given the higher waist and the type of detailing. Thoughts?
As I multi-tasked through my emails this morning, I was contemplating making some cherry bounce for the holidays, then ran across this 1920’s dress in a cherry print. Serendipitous? Perhaps if it had been in my size…
Cherry prints are very popular for reproductions and can be found in vintage clothing every so often, but are usually associated with decades other than the 1920’s. Aside from the adorable print, this dress has some nice details, like mesh insets in around the arm holes, long sleeves with gold trim at the cuffs, and an adorable gold and red scalloped trim around the bottom of the dress that runs up the back of the skirt. Just fantastic!
Credit this dress to Emerald City Vintage, an eBay seller who consistently has the dress that catches my eye amongst the hundreds of eBay vintage dress offerings.
So many things to see! The brochures include vintage culture and nightlife spots in addition to vintage clothing stores.
Just when I was beginning to think eBay is the only place I’ll ever find a deal on vintage clothing or find, not just one rare gem, but hundreds of fantastic items, I travel to Portland, Oregon for a day of vintage shopping. Oh, Portland…your stores are so numerous that they fill up two brochures with maps of locations! I’ve been saving this post for Yehoodi because I knew it would be full of extra goodness, hence the delay in posting following my trip to Portland, Oregon a few weeks ago.
I should begin the story of my trip to Portland with an Etsy purchase from Jitterbuggin’(aka Kim Cullins), about a week before my trip. I noticed that her logo included her location, which happened to be Portland, and I thought, who better to give advice about what vintage stores I should check out in the city than someone who lives there and makes reproduction vintage garments? So I sent her a private message asking about vintage shopping, to which she responded “You should call me and I’ll meet you out for a shopping date.” Um…yeah!!!
So what makes two strangers from opposite sides of the continent able to meet up and share an afternoon of shopping? Two things: vintage clothing and swing dancing. Thanks to the Interwebs, our continents grow smaller and communities grow larger, and the friendly faces of the swing dance community, like Kim’s, open up opportunities in other cities that don’t seem to exist for people outside of our community.
My purpose in Portland was to visit my dear friend from college, Danielle McQueen, and have fun with her in Portland, while incidentally accomplishing some planning for her wedding. Part of the planned fun was already to go vintage shopping, so Kim’s offer seemed like the cherry on our plans sundae.
At Kim’s suggestion, we met her at Huber’s, a restaurant that has been in business since 1879 and has the distinction of being Portland’s oldest restaurant. The restaurant had a lovely Victorian interior and specialized in “a traditional turkey dinner” (hello turkey pot pie!), as well as coffees…but not just any coffees. Their signature cocktail is a Spanish coffee, which the menu states is “Kahlua, Bacardi 151, Bols triple sec and coffee topped with fresh whipped cream and nutmeg, flamed tableside.” You read that right – FLAMED TABLESIDE. Kim ordered a Spanish coffee and, having not seen the menu, had no idea what was going on when the bartender brought over a tray with all the ingredients to make the cocktail. There were grand pours of liquor, with a span of almost four feet, followed by a flame to caramelize the sugared rim of the glass, then more grand pours, and the topping of freshly whipped cream and sprinkles of nutmeg. It tasted so divine, I wish I had ordered one of my own!
After lunch, we embarked on our shopping trip. The first stop, Decades Vintage Company, was just around the corner from Huber’s. The store was small, but inviting, with a lot of great menswear pieces and an enviable rack of shoes in the back of the store. There was much lingering around the shoes and we began talking about the vintage shoes we longed for. I began to tell the story of how my grandmother danced a hole through a pair of red snakeskin heels in one night, to the dismay of her family who had scrimped and saved ration coupons to buy her those fancy heels, and how I wanted just such a pair. At that moment one of my companions gasped and we all turned around to look at the shop owner, who had discreetly pulled out a pair of red 1940’s heels from behind the counter and placed them on top of the counter while I was telling this story. Were they my size? You bet they were! I left Decades Vintage Company with a very happy shoe purchase.
Nearby was Avalon Antiques & Vintage Clothes, a large vintage store with museum-like displays of early 1900’s clothing at the front of the store and an entire wall of men’s suits that made it feel a bit like a vintage version of the Men’s Wearhouse. It took a while to take in all the awesome things on display at the front of the store, like 1920’s shoes and Victorian accessories, but I slowly made my way around the store. After going through the racks, I noticed I wasn’t encountering any pre-1940’s clothing – where was the good stuff? Kim pointed toward the ceiling, where there was a rack full of delicacies from the decades I love, plus some even older items. Introductions were necessary at this point to gain access to the rarities on the ceiling, so between the Lindy Shopper blog and Kim’s reproduction business, we had enough credibility to get some of the garments off the ceiling rack. The shopkeepers shared some wonderful treasures with us from the top rack and the mutual appreciation and joy for these garments was evident, as they continued to pull down things for us to admire – a 1920’s neglige, a spring green silk 1920’s dress, a gossamer 1930’s dress with matching jacket, a Titanic-era coat, and 1920’s day and evening-wear. While we didn’t leave with anything, we did have a wonderful experience in this store.
Next stop was Magpie, an equally large vintage store, but with a more eclectic and modern selection. Even so, there were some choice jazz age and swing era finds, like some divine suits, a sheer 1930’s day dress, silver t-strap heels, 1920’s day and evening-wear, bakelite accessories, vintage luggage, and hats.
We then encountered Ray’s Ragtime. This seemingly endless store is filled wall to wall and floor to ceiling with vintage clothing and accessories, which was great until the encounter. I sometimes forget my manners and begin to take photographs of vintage stores without asking the shopkeeper or owner’s permission, but I was so overwhelmed by the bakelite counter, then the girls beckoned me to the shoes, and I took a photo. One of the shop keeper asked me not to take photographs, so I then explained I wrote a blog and she gave me permission to take photographs. However, she did not relay this to any of the other workers, and within 5 minutes someone snapped at me to stop taking photos. I went back over to drool at the bakelite and one of them employees pulled out some things for me and I made my selections, delighted at the prices – a bracelet, earrings, and necklace! I was reeling until the woman made a comment about her holding on to the jewelry, implying that she would hold them so we didn’t shop lift them, rather than just saying she’d hold them for us until we checked out. Awkward. Dani and I then found Kim in an…I don’t remember the word Kim used, but an Asian style dress with amazing sleeves. Dani and I had barely opened our mouths to express our approval when Ray (THE Ray) came out of nowhere and screamed at Kim to get out of the dress immediately, that she was stressing the seams. The entire store stopped to look at Kim, who Ray had basically called a fatty in front of like 15 people, when Kim is the opposite of fat and was not fitted into the dress in a way that compromised its structure. We all retreated to the dressing room in a flurry of frantic whispers, where Kim showed us how the dress was already in poor condition and that someone had done a botch job on the back seams, where they had put inserts in the darts that weren’t even the same fabric as the dress. Kim was interested in using the dress as a pattern, but not after the screaming incident. While Dani and I waited for Kim near the register, I got up the nerve to ask if they had any 1920’s day dresses. I wasn’t going to leave treasures behind just because the owner was Oscar the Grouch. Ray interjected again, asked my size, and said “We have this 1930’s dress over on the wall, do you see it? It’s from 1931.”
“But I’m looking for a 1920’s day dress…”
“Then I guess that’s not good enough for you!”
Ray huffed, then turned around and continued working on something. He then turned back around, got a long pole, and fished out an orange and tan 1920’s dress from one of the ceiling racks. Orange is probably the last color I would wear with my coloring and before I could articulate my thanks for him pulling it down, he says again “well, I guess that’s not good enough for you!” I muttered my thanks, paid for my bakelite, and we ran out the door to wretch and moan on the sidewalk about our awful experience.
We needed a palette cleanser after that bitter pill, and, thankfully, our next and last stop for the day was Xtabay Vintage Clothing Boutique, a vintage shop with decor that looked like a cross between an elegant ladies shop and a Hollywood Regency boudoir. Calm and elegant was just what we needed, as well as the friendly chatter with Xtabay’s employees and owner. I found an “almost” with a 1920’s dress, but would have had to modify the garment too much for my purposes and didn’t want to hurt the integrity of the garment. Kim found the most amazing 1950’s shoes with little crystals/rhinestones all over the toe strap and saucy gold metal heels. There were some really great 1950’s party dresses, vintage suits, dresses made with wonderful novelty fabrics, and some seriously hot shoes at this store.
It was one of those days you hope never ends, even with the drama at Ray’s. Thanks so much to Kim Cullins for being our guide through the vintage stores of Portland and for taking the good photographs, since I left my camera at home and used my phone. After realizing just how many vintage stores are in Portland, it could take days just to get through them all. Sounds like another trip… 🙂
1930's Tails at Decades VintageThe man wall at Decades VintageKim shows off a tiny shoe at Decades VintageThe red heels from Decades Vintage!The museum-like displays at AvalonOnly a fraction of the man wall at AvalonCroc shoes and matching bag at Avalon - 1940's?
Amazing silver 1930's heels at Avalon Tuxedo, anyone? Check out those lapels! At Avalon
Dani and a rack of men's shoes - check out the white loafers1920's wool bathing suits at Avalon - itchy and scratchy1920's shoes at AvalonEdwardian coat from AvalonRed and black 1950's heels with rhinestones embedded in the bow and the inside of the heel, at MagpieAmazing 1930's silver t-straps at Magpie1920's dresses at MagpieKim models an Asian-inspired hat at MagpieA corner of vintage goodies at MagpieOMG THE BAKELITE at Ray's RagtimeA bevy of beautiful shoes at Ray's RagtimeYellow 1940's gown with beaded applique at Ray's RagtimeHoly platforms, Batman! At XtabayKim and her foxy new shoes at XtabayA gorgeous 1950's dress at XtabayThe shoes! And check out the changing area at XtabayA tiny, adorable dress with a circus novelty print1920's dress, just a wee bit long for dancing, at Xtabay
Some great shoes popped up on eBay from seller hopalong.acropolis, who found several pairs of vintage 1930’s/40’s cap toe shoes from an estate sale in a size 8. Starting price is $19.99 for each pair – take a look!
These two tone brown shoes are HOTBrown cap toes with nice broguing detailsA less fancy pair of brown leather cap toesDark brown leather cap toe oxfordsAnother pair of brown cap toe oxfords, but the soles look a bit thicker on these...maybe these are work shoes?
News flash! Emily, the adorable brogued t-strap heel launched by Re-mix Vintage Shoes earlier this year, has expanded color offerings, adding brown and black as more practical/seasonal options to the lovely cream and ultramar blue. In light of the possible phasing out of the Balboa shoe, these are welcome t-strap additions to the Remix line! I can’t seem to pull the photographs on my email and they aren’t up on the website yet…but I promise there’s a pair in black.
The Triangle Swing Dance Society has requested a post about where to shop locally for vintage or vintage-inspired swing dance clothing in the Triangle area of North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill). In the spirit of shopping locally, there are a few places I would recommend to find garments, but keep in mind that this is never a sure thing – vintage shops have one of a kind items and you may have to visit a shop several times before finding anything; similarly for retailers, things that may be in stock one season will not be carried for another season. I’ll list some of the more consistent producers and some general ideas about where to look for these things.
Dolly’s Vintage
Dolly’s Vintage is in the forefront of my vintage shopping right now because my office is two blocks away from this delightful shop and I often (read: 2 or 3 times a week) stop by the shop to chat with Jennifer Donner, the amazing and talented owner of Dolly’s, and to soak up some of the cheerful atmosphere of the store. Dolly’s is also the most reasonably priced vintage store I have ever encountered. Where other vintage stores would charge $40-$100 for garments, or even more, Dolly’s keeps everything just below that range, with most items between $20 and $30. Jennifer stocks decades from the 1920’s through 1970’s (with a few choice items from more recent decades), but keep in mind that 1920’s, 30’s, and 40’s garments will be much rarer and she may not have anything in stock, but you should still ask so that she knows how many people are looking for these garments. She will be more likely to purchase these items from people clearing out estates if she knows there is a demand. I can usually go into Dolly’s and find a few 1940’s items, and definitely a lot of 1950’s day dresses that are perfect for swing dances. For men, Dolly’s has a great selection of sport coats, pants, shirts, and an entire rack of 1950’s skinny ties. If you see something you like, you should either buy it immediately or ask her to hold it if you need to think about it or find something to match it – the clothes fly off the racks in that store and she stocks new items every day just to keep up with the demand. I know some of the Triangle dancers are already a fan of Dolly’s, as I’ve seen Elizabeth Tietgen pick up a 1920’s cloche, Holly Owens bought an adorable polka dot dress that she wore to a dance at the Century Center recently, and Jason Sager purchased a wig here for RDU Rent Party’s role reversal night.
While not technically inside the borders of the Triangle, Beggars and Choosers should not be overlooked. It is a bit of a drive to Pittsboro and they are only open on some Saturdays, but this is the only place I know of in the Triangle that stocks clothing from the late 1800’s through the 1970’s and consistently has a few items from the jazz age and swing era. I see a lot of conflicting information about when this store is open, so it’s best to call ahead before you decide to make the trip. This is a gold mine for men’s and women’s vintage clothing, so I promise it will be worth the effort!
While they have no brick and mortar store, the Raleigh Vintage Collective has a lot of swing era clothing and accessories available for purchase through the web. They are a group of ladies who periodically have trunk shows around Raleigh and list their wares on Etsy (Raleigh Vintage and Time for Vintage). Most notably for dancers, they will have a trunk show at this year’s Eastern Balboa Championships, back by popular demand after last year’s trunk show, which featured only items from the 1920’s through the 1950’s – no digging through polyester to find what you want and no question about the garment’s decade of origin.
There are a few other vintage stores in the Triangle, but my experience with them in finding garments for swing dancing has been unsuccessful, as they stock 1960’s or later garments. Men may find them more useful, as menswear has changed fairly little over the past century. For example, The Clothing Warehouse in Chapel Hill had a rack of men’s vests that looked promising.
Other random notes: Someone who designs for Urban Outfitters must have a penchant for vintage hats because I always seem to find great vintage-inspired hats at this store. I always make sure to stop in at the Southpoint Mall, Durham location when I am there to browse through the accessories. Also at Southpoint, Anthropologie is a store that has built its brand around vintage-inspired clothing and accessories. The prices may set you back, but they always have a good sale rack and, if you find something on the sale rack or in the store that is not in your size, they will locate your size in another store and have it shipped to you.
Gents, the best and cheapest place for you to look for things are your local thrift stores. When my grandfather passed away, most of his suits went to a thrift store – jackets and suits from the 1950’s forward, most of them only worn on Sundays so they were in great condition. I see a rack of suits and sport coats and every thrift store I go to and this can be a great place to pick up something cheap that you don’t mind sweating in. You may also want to check shoe repair places for vintage dress shoes, as people leave shoes or bring them there to sell them. Men’s shoes, for the most part, are easily repairable and able to be shined up to look as good as new. Main Street Shoe Repair in Durham always has several pairs of cap toes and wingtips that look dance-ready, at a fraction of the price of a new pair of shoes.
Finally, Remix Vintage Shoes, a company based out of California that makes gorgeous reproduction shoes, sells their shoes in a couple of stores in Durham – Magpie, a boutique in the West Village tobacco warehouses, and Cozy, on Ninth Street. Neither store carries the entire Remix line, but if you find a pair locally that you like it will save you about $20 in shipping from Remix in California.
On the heels of their white wingtip, Dancestore.com has introduced a black wingtip oxford to their line of Aris Allen dance shoes. This is most certainly a welcome addition and one that, I believe, may be picked up by people outside of the dance community. At $74.95, this pair of basic black dress shoes is less than half the retail cost of most new pairs of black wingtips with leather soles.
There are vintage stores that seem like they have everything but the kitchen sink; then, there are vintage stores that are “curated,” full of carefully selected items that may evoke an era or perhaps only carry the choicest items. I could tell that Dear Golden Vintage on Etsy was one of these stores, even before I read the store description – the collection of items in this Etsy store is truly choice, and selection of things more lovely than the last.
Dear Golden Vintage sets a beautiful scene with clothing and accessories and you should definitely peruse all the online offerings, but here are my favorites:
Blue 1920's cloche1920's silk chemise1940's chocolate curl heels - WANTBlue suede and brown leather two-tone shoesCotton eyelet 1930's dressI'm a sucker for a chevron dressAdorable plaid 1940's dressBlue peplum dress with cutouts - HOTTTTT1950's party dress with giant pockets
It was another wonderful year at Richmond, Virginia’s Jammin’ on the James, both the dancing and the shopping. Some of my favorite vintage shoppers – Lily Matini, Elizabeth Aldrich, Bill Speidel, and, a new addition to my vintage cavalry, Josephine Stewart – made cameos at the event this year and it made Saturday an exciting and bustling day at the vintage shops in Richmond. I reported on my trips to Richmond’s two best vintage shops, Halcyon and Bygones, after last year’s Jammin’ on the James, but there’s always new inventory to scout.
Step into Halcyon!
Halcyon is my favorite Richmond store because it is so inviting – beautifully decorated, not too large/too small/too crowded, with a carefully chosen selection of garments that leaves you with the feeling that the entire store is filled with the “good stuff,” no filler. This year was no exception and I left with one beautiful 1930’s dress, but there were several other things I probably could have taken home if the budget had allowed. After we expressed interest in ties, Angelica from Halcyon pulled out the hidden rack of beautiful 1930’s ties, including one with circles and butterflies that Bill and I both claimed, but, ultimately, Bill won out because my husband wouldn’t answer his phone to tell me if he would wear the tie. Bill also scored a vintage Alexander Calder inspired tie by Carnival Jones, Elizabeth left with a lovely black faux fur jacket, and I left with a 1930’s silk dress. There were some really lovely pieces from a Richmond estate, including a 1920’s dress that must have had over 100 green bakelite buttons down the front and both sides.
Next stop was Bygones, which is famous for its window display and top of rack displays. This season’s display did not disappoint, with an Egyptian revival-themed window-dressing and an inside display of furs and faux animals that just begged for some taxidermy or, as Bill said, the barrel of a shotgun peeking out from between the furs. Josephine had great luck here, asking for tiny sized clothing and they definitely delivered. Favorite pieces included two 1940’s suits, one in light aqua velvet with quilting detail on the jacket and another in green silk velvet with amazing trim detail on the jacket.
Check out the goods from the photographs below!
A lovely coat from HalcyonThe dress of 100 buttons at HalcyonHalcyon's bakelite offeringsBill, the tie snatcherA 1940's dress with shoulder pads fit for a linebacker...still a gorgeous dress!The winner! Step into Bygones...The fur display at Bygones, complete with Mr. FoxBakelite at Bygones, including a set of strawberries, with necklace and earringsThe Bygones display casesThe pale aqua suit with quilted detail at BygonesA lovely 1940's dress at Bygones - the photo doesn't do the color justiceBygones carries reproductions, like the rack of Leluxe dresses shown hereThe menswear section at BygonesWhich smoking jacket?Josephine in a glorious green velvet suit at Bygones
This is another article I’ve written for Yehoodi, with this topic at the request of the Yehoodi staff – enjoy!
Vintage or reproduction? The obvious answer is both, but I’d like to delve into the pros, cons, and considerations that go into the collection of both and the considerations that go along with the decision to wear each of them.
CRAFTSMANSHIP
Gorgeousness from Trashy Diva
Clothes made in the swing era were rarely mass-produced, and certainly not on the scale that clothing is produced today. The techniques for tailoring and the training that most women went through as a part of growing up to learn how to sew and mend their clothing is almost a lost art today, as is the art of tailoring men’s suits. So, while the clothing is old, it is usually very well made and, if in good condition, can be mended and altered with relative ease. The tailoring and details like pintucks, smocking, and embroidery can take many working hours to make, hours that modern retailers rarely put into their garments without passing on a lot of cost to the consumer.
That said, there are some reproductions that do provide these details, but they don’t come cheap. Trashy Diva, who mass produces dresses, puts a lot of thought into their reproduction garments, keeping the tradition of matching belts, contrast buttons, and interesting dressmaking details. Likewise, ordering something custom from a tailor or online custom clothing service will get you that quality, but you’ll also see that quality come out of your bank account.
DURABILITY
Here’s the big argument – what if I rip something? The fear of destroying vintage is something I dealt with for a long time, even after ripping the back out of two vintage dresses and seeing that they could be fixed without noticeable signs of mending. Obviously, reproduction garments will be more durable because the fabric is newer, but that doesn’t mean that the newer fabric won’t rip. Part of the durability issue, for both new and old garments, can be tackled by some careful considerations before purchase – does the fabric feel durable? Can I move in this (do some solo jazz steps in front of the mirror in the dressing room)? Does it fit me properly or is it too tight in one or some areas? Are there parts of the garment that could get in the way of dancing?
Even model and vintage clothing collector Kate Moss has had mishaps with her vintage - but look how gorgeous this gown is!
Reproductions will win this point, but not all vintage should be discounted. I’ve got some vintage crepe dresses that are indestructible and the construction of vintage men’s jackets really speaks for itself.
ORIGINALITY
Reproductions have come a long way since I started dancing, as clothing makers have begun to move away from the black, white, and red with polka dots color scheme and embrace prints, period colors, and period appropriate fabrics. I’ll continue to use Trashy Diva as an example because they do it so well on a large scale – some of the rayon prints they choose for their fabrics are so spot-on that it’s hard to tell if the dress is vintage or new. Other fabric choices, such as silk crepe or a knit that looks like wool jersey (but without the itch), are period appropriate, upgrade the look of the garment, and, in some cases like the jersey knit, provide a modern upgrade of a classic fabric that makes it even more wearable for today.
You can work with a dressmaker or tailor to make your vintage reproduction unique or an exact copy a garment. This does require you to become involved in the creative process of the garment by selecting fabrics, buttons, details, notions, and any considerations you have about the fit of the garment. It took me a while to become comfortable being a part of the creative process (what if the fabric I picked out looks bad?), but after spending a little time in a fabric store and familiarizing myself with fabrics used in both modern and vintage clothing, I was able to embrace the creative process as a new challenge – to collaborate with the tailor to put together a look, in a fabric and color/print I love, with a pattern I love, to create a new garment that is vintage by design with a reflection of my personal style.
With all this in mind, there is hope; however, the creativity of seamstresses and tailors past is far reaching and the patterns much more complicated – as the number of skilled sewers was higher, the patterns of the swing era were more complicated and counted on the person sewing the garment to make certain dressmaking leaps in creating the garment. I say this because my mother has made me a few dresses and even though she is an extremely skilled seamstress, her experience was primarily through the streamlined silhouettes of the 1960’s and 70’s, not the draped, detailed, side zippered, crazy seamed 1930’s and 40’s. What I’m getting at is that, on top of the already unique nature of these clothes and fabrics that are no longer made, you have a skilled population who more often embraced the task of clothing design/creation and the creative challenges that go along with it. I believe those creative challenges resulted in some truly original designs – some of them may fall short, but many of them are what makes owning vintage clothing such a pleasure in our mass produced world. I often use these creative choices of the past to inspire my own reproduction creations.
AVAILABILITY
The reproductions will win this point – even though vintage comes in all sizes, for the most part, it’s one of a kind and finding something with your measurements can be difficult. For men, vintage daywear is nearly impossible to come by. Reproductions, whether mass-produced or custom, are able to be replicated in multiple sizes. With the rise of Etsy, the Vintage Pattern Lending Library, and other web-based and local tailors who have taken an interest in making reproduction garments, reproductions of swing era clothing are more available now than ever.
FIT
Fit actually works three ways in this discussion. The best way to get something fitted is to have a reproduction made for you. In my opinion, the next best fit usually comes from vintage clothing, especially if you are going for accuracy. For example, Trashy Diva, while divine, mentions in some of their garment descriptions that they have raised the waist line to a more empire waist, which is neither period appropriate nor the most flattering cut if you have an hourglass shape or a small waist. Other reproduction makers will cut corners, either with tailoring or fabrics (stretch fabric, while sometimes helpful for movement, does not make a garment FIT any better if the garment is ill cut), to make a one shape fits all silhouette which really only flatters a certain body type that most of us do not have. Vintage garments are usually constructed in such a way that they can be modified, while mass produced reproductions are made without ample hems to be let out or seams that are surged and tight, without that extra 1/2 inch or inch of fabric that might be available to be let out to make something fit just right.
SUITABLENESS FOR DANCING
This can be pretty garment-specific, or even year-specific. I don’t see a lot of early 1930’s reproductions because the hemlines were lower and some of the skirt shapes not necessarily movement-friendly. When using an early 1930’s pattern to create a reproduction, I usually ask that the hemline fall just below the knee, instead of at mid-calf level so when I dance and compete people can see my legs. The designs of the late 1930’s through 1950’s are, overall, pretty dance friendly and I think most reproduction swing dance garments draw from this time frame. Reproductions usually come in more wash and wear fabrics, which is helpful to dancers because we sweat a lot. Only a handful of reproductions I’ve encountered seem to have issues with dance-ability, usually relating to fabric choice (silky/slippery, wool, synthetics that don’t breathe) or the cut of the sleeve or arm hole – I always do an over the head test with my arm to test a garment’s range of movement.
COST
Overall, vintage clothing is cheaper than buying a reproduction. There are obvious exceptions to this rule, but generally, if a vintage dress costs more than the reproduction, it’s probably not something you’d want to wear to a dance to sweat in because it’s a quality piece. Most of the vintage I purchase for dancing is less expensive because it’s a common silhouette, in a common (usually durable) fabric, and it’s second-hand goods. Because it costs less, I won’t feel so bad if something happens to it on the dance floor. With reproductions, you are paying for the labor and fabric with today’s costs of producing, distributing, and marketing the garment. However, that added cost can mean piece of mind if you are truly concerned about ruining something vintage or if you are particularly rough on your clothing.
I’m sure there are other pros and cons and I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic – feel free to chime in or let me know if you have any questions.
I’m excited to announce that the Yehoodi staff has invited me to contribute featured content to the Yehoodi website. This is my first article for Yehoodi, which I am also publishing here on Lindy Shopper for your use and enjoyment.
Following the Why I Wear Vintage post, Evan Philips requested an entry on how to take care of your vintage clothing and I am happy to oblige. Taking care of any wardrobe requires some maintenance if you want to keep it looking nice. Vintage clothing sometimes requires a little more effort to keep it looking fresh, but if you are careful in your choices for maintaining your vintage garments, you can enjoy them longer and with less worry.
For this article, I consulted with the all-knowing Movie Diva, Laura Boyes, who has experience working with the costume collection at the North Carolina Museum of History. I’ll share my observations from experience, but Laura will be providing the pro tips!
CLEANING
So you bought an article of vintage clothing, wore it to a dance, sweated in it for three hours, and now it’s a little ripe. You’d like to know how to clean it, but there’s no convenient garment tag telling you if it’s dry clean only, hand wash, or wash cold/tumble dry low. Think about what you have in your closet that is in the same fabric – what instructions for care are on that garment? Now, consider that this garment is vintage and, as a precautionary measure, what method of cleaning would be a bit more delicate than that, just in case?
Identifying the fabric is very important. Unless a garment is made of cotton, I will be sending it to the dry cleaners, and even the cotton garments sometimes get sent there if I’m particularly squeamish about hand washing the garment or putting it into my washing machine on the hand wash setting. If I am washing a garment myself, I always hang it up or lay it flat to dry, rather than putting it in the dryer. Laura recommends washing your vintage clothing in a gentle detergent, such as Orvus WA Paste, “a synthetic anionic detergent with a neutral pH which will remove most common dirt and stains.” You may be able to find this at farm supply stores, as it is used to shampoo show horses.
Finding a dry cleaner you trust is worth its weight in gold. You want to find someone with years of experience – don’t cheap out on this just because the $1.99 cleaner is near your house. Do some research, make calls to find out how long they have been in business, if they have worked with vintage and antique clothing, and be willing to sign your life away for them to clean it because most of them won’t want the liability of having to deal with you if the garment deteriorates. Usually if a place has been in business for a long time, they will have a good reputation and will also have older clientele who may have some of these older fabrics and older items that need some extra care when cleaned. I feel truly lucky to have found an amazing dry cleaner in Chapel Hill, NC, Plaza Dry Cleaners. Not only are they the oldest dry cleaners in town, one of their cleaners has taken classes in clothing preservation at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. I’ve been using their services for 6 years now and they have yet to ruin one of my vintage items; in most cases, the garments come out looking even better, with fewer stains and a fresher look to the fabric.
When you take a garment into the dry cleaners, you will need to make a few declarations about the garment so that they know that you are educated about the garment, so they have the information they need to make an informed decision about cleaning the garment, and so they are on notice that this is a special care item. If you know the decade, tell them how old the garment is, note in advance the flaws you are aware of (spots, holes, etc.), indicate whether or not you want them to try to get the spot out, and tell them what you believe to be the correct fabric. If you don’t know what kind of fabric you have, someone there will be able to identify it.
They may not want to clean the item for fear that the process will do something to the fabric or that something on the garment will be harmed in the process. I will say that this situation is pretty rare and limited to uncommon garments, like a 1920’s velvet dress with a jeweled piece or a 1930’s rain coat. In this situation I usually ask if there is some other way I could clean the garment myself or ask if hand-washing would damage the garment. If I really want the item cleaned and do not care if the garment could be harmed in the process, they will usually have me sign a waiver stating that I have been informed of the potential consequences and waive their liability.
Unless you are wearing vintage every day, the cost for your vintage dry cleaning shouldn’t be prohibitive. I might have two items per month that I take out for cleaning.
In those extremely rare cases where the garment can’t be cleaned, don’t wear those garments dancing or in places where you will sweat a lot. Hang them up after you wear them and let them air out for a few days before storing them again.
MENDING
Almost everything can be fixed. Many times, if you look closely at a vintage garment, you can find places where it has already been fixed or altered by the previous owner. Earlier generations mended holes in garments, rather than discarding them, because resources and clothing were more limited. I find that vintage garments tend to take a mending much easier than newer garments because of the way the garments were constructed.
Order of operations number one is to find a tailor who has either worked with vintage clothing in the past, works with fine fabrics, and/or has been sewing for longer than you’ve been alive. I once made the mistake of handing over a silk 1940’s suit in a strawberry print for my mom to reinforce the seams on the sleeves and, having never worked with silks, made the mistake of putting the suit under the needle of her Singer sewing machine on the regular setting. She might as well have put it under the knife, because the silk shredded into a million pieces. I should have told her to hand sew the sleeves, but this is a lesson in assumptions – don’t assume that every tailor will know how to fix your garment. Ask lots of questions and err on the side of caution.
I found my vintage tailor through a locally owned fabric store that sells fine fabrics and other fabrics for clothing. The had a list of people they recommend for people who want custom made items, with a description of each person’s areas of expertise. After talking with the ladies in the store about what I was looking for, they were able to make recommendations as to which tailor(s) would be best for the job.
You may have noticed that article of clothing purchased new that you wear frequently for a period of several years may begin to fall into disrepair, or even fall into disrepair after one season if not well made – remember this when you are cursing that newly discovered hole in your 1940’s pants or dress. The tendency for modern clothing is to get rid of it – throw it away or donate it to a thrift shop, because there will always be something to buy new. The approach to wearing vintage clothing is entirely different and is rooted in that era’s sensibilities. There may be more vintage clothing, but the supply is not replenishing, so repairing a vintage garment becomes an act of preservation.
To preserve your vintage clothing, you sometimes have to think outside of the box, or ask your tailor to be creative. If a button falls off, there’s no little plastic baggie with an extra button for you to sew on and finding a matching button is impossible. So, you find new button and use this opportunity to make the garment even better – something as simple as buttons can change the entire look of a garment, and you can update the garment with new buttons or find vintage buttons on Etsy, eBay, or a few other online resources. I had a 1940’s dress with terrible buttons on it and just switching out the buttons took the dress from matronly to swing-worthy with just a few stitches.
What if there’s a giant hole? Your tailor may be able to harvest some fabric from a hem or inside part of the garment to create a seamless patch, or come up with another way to cover the hole.
What if the seam split? Get your tailor to sew it up and perhaps reinforce it.
You get the idea. 🙂
STORING
Enemy target: eradicated
Moth balls smell like old people. Vintage clothing was once worn by old people and stored by old people. Why is vintage clothing still around? I’m not going to credit moth balls with saving all vintage clothing from moths, but I am going to credit it with maintaining a good portion of my wardrobe and the portion of my wardrobe inherited from others who used moth balls to keep their clothing free from holes. I initially shunned moth balls because of my mother’s over-use of the moth ball when I was growing up – she would toss a whole box into a closet and stuff them in drawers, until every time you tried to wear something that hadn’t been just laundered, you’d come out of the house smelling like a great-aunt. When I went to college I stayed far away from moth balls until I pulled my favorite red wool dress out of the closet to wear at Christmas and discovered two large moth holes in the shoulder; a deeper dig into my wardrobe and I discovered even more casualties. In tears on the floor of my bedroom, I vowed that the moths would never claim another victim from my closet.
Moderation is key. I don’t need moth balls to protect everything, so I have a moth ball section in my closet. I use a hanging moth ball basket I got at the grocery store, which initially came with moth cakes, but I can also fill with moth balls. The moth cakes/balls dissipate over time, so you do have to refill them from time to time. The hanging basket allows me to group my most vulnerable clothing (wools and other natural fibers) in one section of my closet and hang the basket in the middle of that group. It has limited the extreme moth ball smell to a smaller group of garments, which I then air out a few days before I plan to wear them.
Let’s talk about hangers – next to moths, wire hangers are your clothing’s worst enemy. Wire hangers are too sparse to hold clothing without almost penetrating it and, over time, the wires begin to rust and that rust is corrosive to clothing. I’ve seen countless casualties created by wire hangers, where the rust stains have eaten holes in the garment and you can see exactly how that garment was hung on the wire hanger. Please invest in plastic, wooden, or fabric covered hangers for your clothing. Plastic and wooden hangers are good for everyday clothing. If you have a more delicate item, such as mesh, chiffon, or other sheer fabric, pick up a few padded, fabric covered hangers.
If an items is particularly fragile or the weight of the garment is too much for the straps or shoulder of the garment, consider storing the garment folded in a drawer, with ample space and nothing stored on top of it (i.e. don’t cram it into an already full drawer). According to Laura, it’s also a good idea to have some acid free tissue paper on hand to line drawers, separate layers, stuff hats, or pad hangers, as needed.
If you have clothing that is from the 1920’s or older, Laura states that these garments should be stored flat. “If you buy one of these boxes (and keep it under your bed, or on a closet shelf) and layer in between with acid free tissue, it will preserve your dresses from the stress of hanging. You would probably want to store items this way that you wear only occasionally.”
The rest is common sense: Don’t leave things where your pets have access to them; men, hang up your ties, don’t leave them on the floor; don’t store things where they might get soiled; etc.
If you have any further questions about this topic, please feel free to ask! We want to keep these articles of vintage clothing alive and wearable as long as possible.
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. 🙂
Lindy Shopper 