Slide & Swing

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

This tip came to me via a Twitter conversation with @RebeccaBrightly and @jonandcris about dance shoes, where @jonandcris noted that he “spent all last weekend at Paris Swing Workshop wearing @slideandswing & feet/legs/knees not sore at all.” A few clicks later and I was exploring Slide & Swing, a Barcelona-based shoe-maker/retail shop/online store, selling vintage-inspired shoes with a modern twist for dancers and muggles alike.

The shoes are available in men’s and women’s sizes, focusing on three classic styles – an oxford, a saddle shoe, and a wingtip. What makes these shoes a modern update are the clean lines and the available colors and color combinations. The clean lines are essentially created by the absence of broguing and the smooth, clean look of the leather. The colors update the look even further, with gray as their baseline (in lieu of black) and vivid, distinct colors/combinations like a royal blue and white saddle shoe for women and an oxford in canary yellow for men.

I’d also like to note that these are great flats options for women (which always seem to be in short supply), with construction that will keep these on your feet and some nice color options that are different from our usual standbys. With all leather construction and their fresh take on the classics, Slide and Swing dance shoes look like a viable option for dancers seeking shoe options that are created with dancers in mind.

What Katie Did Seamed Hosiery

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

As I sit here in front of my space heater, loathing the cold front that came in and whisked my summer away, I’ll admit that I have to start thinking about warmer garments. I’ve been saving up some things to write about until the colder weather arrived, such as highlighting some great seamed hosiery options offered by What Katie Did, my favorite retro/repro undergarment web store.

I am completely smitten with the Swiss dot seamed pantyhose – an element of adorableness amidst the classic, yet sassy, seam. I also love the metallic seams, which you can buy in nude with a gold seam or black with a silver seam – the OCD in me would pair them with matching metallic heels for a Balboa comp. Finally, I see what could potentially be a more durable option for dancing (80 denier as opposed to 15 denier) with opaque seamed hosiery – in black with a red racing stripe for the back of your legs. 🙂

Stacy Adams Shoes

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

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:

00028-229 — Gah! These are gorgeous! Someone please buy them and ask me to dance. Also available in black/white combo.

00034-020 — The Madison, available in 7 colors

00616-004 — The Faith - classic cap toe in black patent leather

00026-111 — For those who have always wanted spats...available in four colors

00610-249 — The Dayton - a different take on the oxford, in four color combos

00619-600 — Festive red oxfords to go with your Santa suit. 🙂

Dress Forms at Urban Outfitters

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Every now and then Urban Outfitters will have some home item that just blows me away. As I was pilfering through their website looking for gifts for the Boy, I came across these fantastic dress forms. Aside from sewing shops, I’m not sure where you would buy a dress form, but they evoke a certain nostalgia for me. I’d love to have one in my guest room/auxiliary closet to have around, perhaps displaying a particularly awesome vintage garment. From a functional aspect, it would be helpful to have one to hem dresses, or take in dresses, or accomplish some other simple sewing tasks I am capable of.

While these forms are not adjustable, you can buy one in your size (or a close approximation to your size). Available in plain muslin, two prints, and three solid colors. Consider the green one added to my Christmas wish list!