Tag: sequin

Sparkles Done Right at Lindy Focus

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Adding to the dance and music bliss at Lindy Focus is the particular attention I see many people giving to their ensembles for the evening dances, even more so in years past. While most people save their sparkles for New Year’s Eve, I’m seeing the sparkles come out even earlier this year. I’d like to give a shout out to Anna Bryant and Caitlin Farthing not only for making the finals in the intermediate jack and jill, but also for selecting really stellar competition dresses that were vibrantly colored, swishy in the skirt, and sparkled in a way that drew attention without getting in the way of dancing (as beads and sequins are not so kind to leaders’ hands). Check out Caitlin at 3:28 in the video below, with a sequined collar, and Anna at 4:08 with a rhinestone (?) detail on the front of her dress. The video does not capture how much these two were twinkling in the lights! If I had been a better reporter, I would have gotten a photo of them together, but there’s like 1,000 people here so it’s hard to find everyone. 🙂

1940’s Holiday Dress

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

With the holidays fast approaching, it’s time to think about what to wear to those holiday dances or, perhaps, Lindy Focus or Snowball for New Year’s Eve. I am in love with this 1940’s dress in fuschia – an unexpected color, but close-to-red and festively bright, with trimmings of sequins in the shape of…macaw? It looks like an eighth note at a distance…regardless, this dress would be the topic of conversation at any fête. It’s 20% off until the end of today when Fab Gabs’ sale ends!

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Large Holiday Clutch at Target

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

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I went into Target tonight to get ingredients for chili and, as I strolled by the accessories, I noticed a large sparkly holiday clutch and thought, “Wow, I bet I could fit a pair of dance shoes in there.” So I took one home with me and found out I was right! I’m not a big fan of collecting purses (usually one purse fulfills 99% of my bag lady/lady bag needs) but sometimes I need an upgrade and I find myself with two bags – a shiny, tiny purse that fits some cards and a tube of lipstick and a separate dance shoe bag in some state of disrepair or dirty. THIS purse is the solution.

Even if I decide not to put dance shoes inside, it could carry a full size wallet, phone, toiletries, meds, grocery bags, etc. I usually stuff in my purse, or if you are out in a pair of 4 inch heels for a night on the town, it could carry your emergency flats. Yay, function! Now, if we could just get them to put pockets in more dresses and pairs of pants…

Available in purple, black/silver, silver, and bronze. $18.00 or $22.99.

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Dragon Ladies at Trashy Diva

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Yes, I know I just posted about Trashy Diva last month, BUT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND – they have just outdone themselves, following up their perfect-for-early-fall plaids with a collection of insanely elegant, whimsical, and ultimately flattering dresses that will work year round and make you the sassiest attendee of any soiree you may attend. It deserves a fashion standing ovation – let’s take this Asian-inspired collection dress by dress, because I can’t narrow it down.

The Dragon Lilian dress is just fab – if you’ve always wanted a cheongsam, but didn’t quite fit into the shape of that dress, I can already see that this dress is more forgiving and flattering. The skirt looks straight, but there are tucks that give the skirt more room and forgiveness for the posterior and hips. The awesome potential is off the charts.

I might die if I don’t own the Peacock Lillian dress, so I’ve already pre-ordered it to save myself from annihilation. I have been looking for a vintage dress similar to this for about a year now – something a little cocktail, a little sparkle, and elegant for gigs, but something I could still wear dancing if I needed to swing out. Blues, greens, gold, *drool*…SO HAPPY!

With “the bodice and sleeves…modeled after a 1937 vintage pattern,” the two tone Frenchie Dress is adorable, sexy, eye-catching, and actually looks really comfortable. Not to be overlooked are the wonderful vintage-inspired frog closures at the waist. The overall effect is slimming, with red drawing your eye in and the black slimming you from the sides.

The Soutache Sandy dress is, obviously, ornamented with lovely soutache embroidery. I am excited to see this detail limited to the waist, as it usually ornaments shoulders or a neckline and is sometimes used a bit too liberally. It makes a lovely focal point on the bodice of this flattering silhouette.

Last, but certainly not least, is the surprise dress of the collection – the Sadie Bustle dress. Yes, the heart pockets (!!!) are adorable on the front, but then you turn around and BOOM, there is a red cascade of ruffles, skyrocketing the sass levels into the stratosphere.

I think one of the Trashy Diva employees who posted on Facebook said it best about this collection: “I’m so excited it’s like Christmas! And I work here, heehee!” If the employees are that excited, you know it’s good!

Vintage Showgirl Costumes

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I can’t help but be fascinated when these vintage dance performance items show up on eBay. I posted some 1920’s tap shoes earlier, but these auctions really take the cake! eBay seller monicasvintagefashions has four vintage dance costumes worthy of a Busby Berkeley style dance number, which is pretty rare, considering I had trouble even finding reference photographs while researching costumes for The Carolina Fascinators. These are just fantastic, especially the ones from the 1920’s…paging Sharon Davis and Sister Kate…

Beaded 1920's Art Deco costume, with a nod to Egyptian revival
A beautiful sequined 1920's costume with butterfly wings
A three piece suit in gold sequins with Art Deco-style cutouts around the neck, hem, and top of the gloves
A lovely blue 1950's costume with beading on the bodice and gloves

Sequin Queen

Kristen Minksy's lovely flapper-inspired costume

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

One of the biggest challenges for me this year has been finding costumes for The Carolina Fascinators, an all-girl jazz performance troupe that I organize. When I started thinking about costumes I contacted Casey Schneider of Sister Kate to find out where they had been finding costumes, because the Sister Kate girls always look so put together – and by that I mean, from head to toe, each girl looks like she is in a professional costume with a well-thought-out thematic that goes with the routine and the music. Casey agreed that this was not an easy task and that the Sister Kate girls were lucky to have some really creative and talented seamstresses in their ranks.

I’m no great seamstress, but I was determined to find costumes that would evoke the swing era and not fall prey to the “sexy” Halloween costumes or gaudy modern “jazz” costumes. Where do I find that Busby Berkeley-inspired costume today and not pay an arm and a leg for a custom costume?

I later ran into Kristen Minsky, of the Minsky Sisters, at an event she organized in Durham for her cabaret, Chifferobe. For one of her performances she wore a fully sequined dance costume that was very 1920’s and looked like it was custom made for her. In a way it was, and it wasn’t – she ordered it from Sequin Queen, an online retailer of sequin dresses and costumes, who have samples you can choose from, but then everything else, from the fit to the sequin color, is customized for your needs. If this looks like drag queen garb, that’s because it is (even RuPaul gave this place a nod on her show, Drag Race) – but if you push aside the Suzanne Sugarbaker pieces, you can find some gems here. The prices are amazing for custom, sequin dresses and some of the samples are made with a stretch base, to allow for less-restrictive movement. I’d love to see more sparkle in swing dance performances and I think some of these costumes would work well for performance teams as well as solo jazz and Charleston.

Here are some of my faves from Sequin Queen:

A more modest neckline, but keeping that 1920's look with the beaded hem
I like the boldness of the red and the contrast of the flower - I think this would show up well for a performance
Don't hang me for this one, but I could definitely see a circus themed routine using this costume
Shimmy and sparkle!
Add a strand of beads and t-straps and you've costumed your Charleston routine

Leluxe Samples in Copper and Gold

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

One of my favorite retailers, Leluxe Clothing Co., has listed some sample dresses on eBay, lovely reproductions of 1920’s dresses that were produced once. Will they become part of the Leluxe lineup of dazzling dresses? I don’t have the answer to that, but I do know they are lovely and you can have first, and perhaps only, dibs on wearing these gilded models for 2011.

Honeycomb dress
Another variation on the honeycomb
Egyptian-inspired dress

1920’s French Art Deco Beaded and Sequined Dress

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Consider this dress the companion to the tuxedo I posted yesterday – classy, elegant, and perfect for a New Year’s Eve or Christmas cocktail party, with a starting price of $9.99 – affordable elegance at its best! I simply love beaded 1920’s dresses and this one from eBay seller malinalco is truly exceptional, with an amazing combination of beading and sequins straight from the Champs Elysees. I am at a loss for words….it’s just so beautiful!

Hey Sailor! on Etsy

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Burgundy cloche

There’s something about 1920’s cloches that is simply not replicated when you pick up a cloche at Urban Outfitters, or even Anthropologie. The level of detail is missing, the clever layering, buttons, ribbon, and trim; what you are left with is a basic hat. Sometimes I want more than just a basic hat. I want something that makes a statement without being overt or tacky.

I’ve been pining over Etsy seller Hey Sailor!‘s cloches for a few months, unable to decide which one I really want because they are a bit pricey and I could probably only afford one…but man, are they gorgeous! It’s like that pair of shoes you had to have, but have nothing to wear with them, so you build an outfit around them.

Hey Sailor! also has some interesting and amazing hats that may work well for your Halloween costume or even inspire your costume. This is the only place I know of that you can get a tricorn with a schooner on it for your Marie Antoinette costume.

You are also in luck because the store is running a sale through October 4, with everything 30% off!

Here are my favorites:

Navy cloche with brown felt feather
Cream and coral cloche
Tilt topper hat
Sequin mouseketeer? YES!