Wearing History Review: Smooth Sailing Trouser and Norma Jean Blouse

This is what 5:00 a.m. at RDU looks like.

I see that Wearing History will be one of the vendors at Cal Bal (the California Balboa Classic) and thought this would be a good time to review the clothing I received from Wearing History as a result of backing their Kickstarter in August. It’s been fascinating following the manufacturing process after funding, with owner/designer Lauren Maringola giving frequent updates on the status of the fabric, printing, and the manufacturing timeline for each garment, among other details about working hands-on producing her made-in-the-USA line of 40’s-inspired clothing.

I backed Wearing History at the level where I would receive a pair of the Smooth Sailing trousers in denim (yes, I bought pants! Also available in plus sizes.) and the Norma Jean blouse in a must-own-or-perish musical note print. The package arrived in the mail and was waiting for me when I got home from the holidays and Lindy Focus. It was my intent to wear the outfit dancing, but the Lindy Focus plague (née the flu) and my cat getting sick prevented me from attending any local dance nights between then and now – but I wanted to make sure my Cal Bal ladies and all of you could know about this great line of clothing!

So instead of dancing, I decided to put my Wearing History outfit though another intense experience – a whirlwind trip to Hot Rhythm Holiday in Austin, Texas, where my band, the Mint Julep Jazz Band, would fly in, perform, and fly out in a period of 32 hours. 4 airports, 4 flights, shuttles, carrying baggage/equipment, eating my weight in Tex Mex food, and touring a bit of Austin before playing the Fed that night.

Just in case the glockenspiel case and traveling with 6 dudes carrying odd-shaped instrument cases wasn’t enough, the eighth-noted Norma Jean blouse would let everyone know that I was a musician and this was a band flying to a gig (and I was so excited, I’m sure I annoyed the crap out of everyone nearby). The blouse was actually a great travel piece and I imagine, for similar reasons, would be for dancing – it stayed tucked in with the darted waistline and high waisted trouser combo, the arm holes and slight dolman sleeve allowed for a wide range of movement, the tencel fabric was soft and durable, and the blouse could be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion.

Trousers and blouse dressed up a bit more

The Smooth Sailing trousers got the double travel treatment – I only wore the blouse on the first day, but wore the trousers for both traveling days. The weight of the denim is just perfect – not too thick, not too thin, and soft without losing its denim qualities. The cut is flattering, and I love the way a high waisted trouser makes your bum look. After two days on airplanes and sleeping on planes and in the airport, the trousers managed to retain their shape really well, with no stretch bubbles at the knee, and the only noticeable change was perhaps a little loosening at the waist, which may have been a casualty of my Tex Mex food baby. Two days in these pants and they performed like champs. I even slept in them when I got home – after a 23 hour day and 3 hours of sleep (with intermittent airport/plane sleeping) there was really no need to get into pajamas when the trousers were just as comfortable.

And there you have it – Cal Bal ladies, do go by the Wearing History booth and check out this wonderful new collection of clothing and remember that Wearing History is just getting started! Everyone else, please visit the Wearing History website, where you can order these lovely garments, plus some other adorable garments from Wearing History’s first clothing line. I can’t wait to see what else Wearing History has up its sleeve and would back another Kickstarter in a second. Quality goods with great style!

Collectif Clothing – 40’s and 50’s Inspired Clothing from the UK

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I have been on the hunt for knitwear to pair with my Chloe Hong trumpet skirts to transition them into winter and fall. My conclusion is that most of the great knitwear I am finding is coming from the UK, so let’s start with one of my new favorite knitwear sources, Collectif Clothing. What’s this all about? From the website: “Established in the year 2000, Collectif is an independent 1940s and 1950s inspired vintage reproduction brand based in London. We create garments and accessories that are inspired by genuine vintage patterns, knitting patterns, and fabrics from our extensive archive.”

Of course there’s much more than knitwear here, and I’ve seen a few pieces pop up on other vintage/retro retail websites, like ModCloth and Miss L Fire (US shipping!). From blouses to knitwear to gowns to overalls, I love the variety available here – there’s lots of really good everyday basics to work into your wardrobe, casual or dressy, and you could put together an entire ensemble here or just pick up a few special pieces. Also, plaid…keep it coming, I can never get enough!

Here are some of my favorites from Collectif Clothing:

A lovely full "swing" skirt in red — A lovely full “swing” skirt in red

Where was this ivory blouse when I needed it years ago?

My mostest favorite! This wonderful green Fair Isle sweater. :) — My mostest favorite! This wonderful green Fair Isle sweater. 🙂

Prohibition Clothing Launches Women’s Line

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

The long-awaited women’s line from Prohibition Clothing Company is go – I saw the fruits of their labor at the Jazz Age Lawn Party in August and now you can order these great separates online. Everything – the Parker trouser, the Clara knicker, and the Margaret skirt – is perfect for fall and coordinates with the existing menswear/unisex accessories. The neutral palette will also compliment so many other clothing items and colors for fall. I am particularly excited about having a ready-to-wear option for knickers and the potential for lady dandy dance ensembles and tweed ride awesomeness. Take a gander, folks!

Two Spring Sales: Prohibition Clothing Company and A Vintage Sole

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Two spring sales worth posting about! First, the Original Prohibition Clothing Company is offering a great sale dubbed the “Spring Made-to-Measure Event” – with a focus on spring/summer weight fabrics (hello, tropical weight woolens and linens), the following price cuts:

Unconstructed Jackets were $348, now $298
Full-Rise Trousers were $188, now $159
Fine Cotton Shirts were $88, now $75

Prices valid through March 31st, 2014. There are so many “3 season” suits and heavy suits out there, it seems that for dancing that the most practical splurge would be for a summer suit, no? If you don’t like ironing or wrinkling, my vote is for the tropical weight wool. Remember, wool is a natural fiber that breathes…

Buy these $78 early 1950's wedges and get 15% off with the Benzie code at 5% goes to a food bank! — Buy these $78 early 1950’s wedges and get 15% off with the Benzie code and 5% goes to a food bank!

Next, a wonderful sale from the I-can’t-believe-this-is-a-thing retailer A Vintage Sole, selling dead stock/never worn vintage shoes – here are the details:

“Enter ‘Benzie’ in the discount box at checkout and receive 15% OFF your entire order. By doing so, you’ll be lending a very helpful hand to those in real need.

When you use the Benzie code, we will donte 5% of your order to the Benzie Food Partners, our local all volunteer food bank.

Visit aVintageSole.com to learn more about our $hop-$ave-$upport program and the huge impact your purchase will make for those in Benzie County, Michigan.”

Buy some vintage shoes, help those in need!

Nudeedudee on Etsy

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Dreaming of warmer climates... — Dreaming of warmer climates…

I ran across Kim Stewart’s Etsy shop, Nudeedudee, a few years ago when she was doing custom reproduction garments – at the time, she was one of the very few people with any 1930’s listings. I decided not to blog about her shop at the time because I try to keep the things I post on this blog under $200, but upon revisiting her blog I see that she is doing ready to wear in limited runs at great prices for reproduction garments made and sourced from materials in the USA.

You should definitely give her shop a once-over, then a twice-over – I feel transported looking at all her wonderful tropical prints in the middle of NC’s Polar Vortex/Snowmageddon/Hoth shutdown. I can pretend I’m in sunny California, shopping for vintage reproductions made from deadstock fabric…from the comfort of my laptop.

According to the shop description, the ready to wear is only temporary, as Kim needs “to switch gears to ready to wear in order to care for this little darling baby.” Get to shopping the goods while they last! Ethical bonus: “I donate a portion of the proceeds from this shop to humanitarian and environmental issues.”

Here are some of my faves:

It is almost impossible to find a good white button-down with puff short sleeves - yet here it is. Motorcycle not included. ;) — It is almost impossible to find a good white button-down with puff short sleeves – yet here it is. Motorcycle not included. 😉

Darcy Clothing

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

This menswear resource tip is from Christine Hall of the Decophile group on Facebook – Darcy Clothing, previously The Vintage Shirt Company, has expanded from shirts to include a much broader range of reproduction menswear and accessories from the 18th century to the early 20th century. This is a huge span of time, but there are plenty of 20th century goodies from this UK company to place in your closet.

From the website:

“The clothing is largely made specially for us and is taken directly from original garments. The shapes and fabrics are uncompromisingly genuine. We only ever use natural fibres in any pre C20th garments. The construction methods however take advantage of modern mass production techniques which means that we can supply costume designers with the authenticity they require at an affordable price.”

Here’s what I’m loving from their collection:

Working men's striped braces, available in 11 colors — Working men’s striped braces, available in 11 colors

Military ties - for your Buck Privates tribute routine — Military ties – for your Buck Privates tribute routine

Fair Isle socks - like stripes, but subdued...but more intricate... — Fair Isle socks – like stripes, but subdued…but more intricate…

Replica ollar pin, if you'd like to get your Boardwalk Empire on — Replica collar pin, if you’d like to get your Boardwalk Empire on

Cricket trousers - "perfect for any period cricketing attire" — Cricket trousers – “perfect for any period cricketing attire”

Cotton Work Jacket - a nice summer weight jacket option — Cotton Work Jacket – a nice summer weight jacket option

ViNSiNN

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Laura Keat's dress, the "Savoy Ballroom Kleid" - Laura has it in red, but I love the teal. I CAN HAZ? — Laura Keat’s dress, the “Savoy Ballroom Kleid” – Laura has it in red, but I love the teal. I CAN HAZ?

This shop comes to you courtesy of Laura Keat, who posted a photo album on Facebook detailing the sources of her most-asked-about items of clothing. I recognized all of her sources except for one – ViNSiNN. A Google search led me to a website written entirely in German. Not easily deterred*, I used Google translator so I could browse their shop and tell you about it…in English.

The founders of this retail site are Marina Fischer, Peter Bieniossek, and Lucy Flournoy, all swing dancers with a passion for the vintage aesthetic that comes with the dancing. Marina details her frustrations with attempts to locate vintage clothing, mostly sourced from America, and dealing with shipping, taxes, customs, and the waiting, only to find out that after such a great effort the garment wouldn’t work after all. Then came the resourceful idea to start a shop of vintage-inspired garments to sell in Germany. I am a firm believer in “if it doesn’t exist, you create it” and Marina picked up the ball and ran with it, along with business partner Peter, who shared similar frustrations, and Lucy Flournoy, whose paragraph did not translate well in the Google translator…but I can attest to Lucy’s sense of style, as I observed it when she was going to college in North Carolina and dancing at regional events.

This is definitely a store with the dancer in mind – as I browse through all the lovely dress, top, and skirt options, I notice lots of great modern takes on familiar vintage shapes, lovely details, lots of color, but the overarching theme is that all of these are dressing I wouldn’t hesitate to dance in. There are some great basics for men, even a pair of knickers. And the socks page is divine!

Now I have the reverse problem as Marina and Peter – how to get these items (reasonably) from Germany to the US? Anyone coming to ILHC? 😉 Faves listed below.

*I once used Babelfish to translate an entire transaction over the phone, in real time, into Spanish so I could order custom tango shoes from Columbia from a salesperson who spoke no English.

How About a Second Mate? Dress - also available in a romper, what the what?! — How About a Second Mate? Dress – also available in a romper, what the what?!

Anything Goes vest and... — Anything Goes vest and…

...matching knickers! — …matching knickers!

Lots of great caps to choose from... — Lots of great caps to choose from…

Twelve Bar Blues skirt, also available in black

Each pair of socks is named after an illustrious swing dance instructor - shown here, the "Nick socken" — Each pair of socks is named after an illustrious swing dance instructor – shown here, the “Nick socken”

Iconic Wardrobe Starter Kit

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

Menswear can be a difficult world to navigate and, if you are just starting to accumulate your dress wardrobe, figuring out which pieces will be essentials, what colors to get, which fit, etc. can add to the confusion. The Original Prohibition Clothing Company is here to help, with a pretty awesome deal – a jacket, two pairs of trousers, three shirts, two bow ties, and a hat, all made-to-measure for your body, with your choice of fabrics and colors, and a helping hand to guide you through these choices to create what is, in essence, the framework for a fabulous wardrobe. At $998.00, this is a lot of bread to throw down at once, but it is an overall 20% savings off these individual items, and they are made for you, in the USA, to your specifications and measurements. If I were a dude, I’d start saving right now and treat myself at Christmas. 😉 (Update: Deal runs through September 1 – rethink Christmas present, get your monies together soon!) See details below (from their Facebook page):

Men’s High-Waisted Trousers

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

This is how it's done. — This is how it’s done.

I recently went to see The Great Gatsby (2013) and the thing that bothered me more than the horribly anachronistic female costuming and the inflatable zebras were the men’s pants. They were obviously out of place – poorly tailored stove pipes that wrinkled/puddled around the ankles and calves, much in the way that a pair of skinny jeans would on a hipster. David Lochner tells me they used Brooks Brothers’ Milano Fit Trouser, their “slimmest fitting trouser with a lower rise and a plain front.” Something about this description seems like the antithesis of 1920’s menswear. That the film would sacrifice historical accuracy for a modern marketing opportunity is no surprise, but it got me thinking about high waist pants. Is this really the best they can do? When I search for high waist pants, what are retailers offering these days?

The pre-qual to these questions is how we got out of the fashion of wearing high waisted pants in the first place. Whenever I wear modern pants while I am dancing, they slowly inch their way downward or pull unnecessarily on my legs when I wear a belt. Doesn’t it make sense that our bottom garments would be better served by being secured at the narrowest point on our body? As someone with an extremely short inseam, why would I want to make my legs look shorter?

So many questions…in my initial search online for men’s high waist pants I found this great article by Cator Sparks for the Huffington Post called “Rise Up, Men, to the Glorious High-Waisted Pant!” which seemed to address several questions:

Quoting Nick Wooster of Bergdorf Goodman, “men have become so comfortable with low rise that it’s like bringing back the pleated pant; it took years to get men out of them and now we are showing men how good they can look in them. He sighed, “Men are creatures of repetition and when they get conditioned to like something it takes a very long time to change that.”

Quoting Robert Bryan, stylist, “Nothing looks worse than a long torso with short legs, a look created by pants that rise only to the hips, or these days, considerably lower,” he demurred. “Furthermore, it seems only natural that trousers should rise at least to the natural waist where they can rest for support on the hips and drape from there,”

In closing, “So, men, it is up to you daredevils that want to look tall, erect and sophisticated to bring back this iconic staple to our wardrobes.”

Support and drape sounds beautiful and practical for dancing…so where do we find these high-waisted pants?

There should be a website devoted to hot men in high-waisted pants.

Well, a lower rise appears to have overtaken all modern retailers – I asked two of my favorite male sartorialists, Bobby White and the aforementioned Mr. Lochner, about where they find high-waisted trousers with modern retailers and it is just as I feared: nowhere. Sure, you can find waists that are higher in comparison to low-rise pants, but not pairs, for example, like the ones Marlon Brando is sporting in the photo to the left. Mr. Lochner added, “Even the old men’s section at Macy’s lowered the rise.” Your options are to order something made for you, seek vintage sources, or spend countless hours searching for that one elusive pair in a shop and buy every pair they have in your size.

There are some online custom trouser purveyors: Revamp Vintage has several reproduction options, like their 1920’s Elliot trousers and their 1930’s Felix trousers.

I found a nice selection of high waisted 1950’s pants at the Rusty Zipper, including some sweet looking Army slacks.

A Google search of “men’s high waisted pants” revealed a few, perhaps, not-quite-so-high-but-higher-than-low-rise options:

Cator Sparks says he picked up a pair of Levi’s 517’s, which he says are the pants the cowboys wear. Aside from describing the seemingly endless zipper, I love that Mr. Sparks talks about how he hasn’t felt this comfortable in a pair of pants since he bought a pair of custom made tuxedo pants.

Emporio Armani has this pair, but they don’t look particularly high-waisted to me, rather somewhere just above a low rise.

Dickies, classic purveyors of work-wear, offers this trouser – added bonus: hidden expandable waist and extra pocket on the leg.

And there you have it – with the passing of generations that wore high-waisted pants and the wearing-down of the waistline, so to speak, to more low-rise trousers being en vogue in subsequent generations, we have run out of a resource. If you have resources for high-waisted pants, please feel free to share them here in the comments section below. I know others will thank you for it!

**********

Note: I have heard protests from “larger” gentleman about high-waisted pants not being a fathomable or flattering option for them. There is a great discussion at the Fedora Lounge on this topic. I would also recommend that you find Austin, TX dancer Victor Celania and pick his brain about this topic.

Also: Some more thoughts on the benefits of high-waisted trousers.

And this: On getting the right fit with high-waisted trousers.

Silliness: This pair from Wal-Mart.

Field Trip: Amalgamated Classic Clothing and Dry Goods, Alexandria, VA

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I have anticipated checking out Alexandria’s Amalgamated Classic Clothing and Dry Goods since April, when I heard of its opening shortly prior to DCLX and the wonders that awaited me – rumors that the owners have a warehouse where items are pulled for Hollywood movies, that the inventory has real swing era stuff, GOOD stuff, and I was salivating. As I ditched the Saturday afternoon DCLX dance to head over to Alexandria I got a text message from Bill Speidel that the shop was closed. Oh, the disappointment!

Thankfully, I had already planned to attend the International Lindy Hop Championships in August, so I knew I’d get a second chance. I messaged the store’s Facebook page a few days prior to the event to make sure that they would be open and should I send my measuremnets. The answers were yes and yes, and I was elated.

I planned to go on Friday of ILHC and at the Thursday night dance I met Beth Midavaine, who had also planned to take a trip to Amalgamated with Bill Speidel, but Bill had bailed on her, so it seemed that fate would have it that we go shopping together. We headed to Amalgamated the next day with Jason Sager and arrived at the store at noon on the dot. The store was closed. I was frantic. We went next door to a knick knack store owner, who didn’t know why the shop wasn’t open. As we regrouped on the sidewalk, the door opened to Amalgamated and it was, after all, open for business. *phew!*

It took us three hours to get through everything in the store and try on the rack of clothes that Beth and I accumulated through our collective digging through the store. The store itself is small is square footage, but packed with everything good – there was no small rack where the few swing era items were delegated – the entire store was pre-1960’s, so 100% of their inventory was everything that you would want to see in a vintage store. It was glorious! The men’s section rivaled the women’s section in size and magnificence (who has an entire rack devoted to two tone Ricky Ricardo jackets?) and a men’s shoe section that took up an entire table, and included children’s shoes (tiny leather and mesh oxfords!). Owner Shelley White took us through boxes in the back room filled with delicate 1920’s beaded dresses, there were racks of glorious dresses and gowns, plus some very practical items that would be perfect for dancing. The women’s shoes had a good selection of larger women’s sizes, which was great for Beth, who picked up a pair of fantastic 1940’s heels.

I don’t think words or photos will do this place justice, so you’ll just have to go and see for yourself. Until then, check out some of our finds below:

2012-08-24 12.11.30 — The more choice men’s shoes behind glass.

2012-08-24 12.11.47 — The more choice women’s shoes behind glass – if you wear a size 5, those green t-straps could be yours!

2012-08-24 12.22.14 — On closer inspection, the print on this adorable 1940’s suit with giant lucite buttons features winged puppies! Does it get any cuter than freakin’ winged puppies???

2012-08-24 12.19.29 — Love this green 50’s dress, with a white scalloped stripe across the upper torso to draw the eye up and GIANT POCKETS.

2012-08-24 12.29.31 — Tie rack includes dead stock ties as well as used vintage ties.

2012-08-24 12.29.46 — …and more men’s shoes…

2012-08-24 12.41.24 — Wide leg high waist women’s pants with adorable trim.

2012-08-24 12.46.36 — Ricky in brown and white

2012-08-24 12.52.04 — A shirt Jason considered…

2012-08-24 12.58.05 — Beth in a snappy hat

2012-08-24 12.59.17 — Jason snuggles with a vintage cat pillow.

2012-08-24 12.57.01 — A school spirited hat

2012-08-24 13.18.28 — A 1920’s beaded dress in my favorite color.

2012-08-24 13.39.04 — My find of the day – a 1930’s day dress in green. I’m holding the back because it will have to be taken in a bit, but I can’t pass up a green 30’s dress…

2012-08-24 13.41.06 — Beth’s find of the day – a gorgeous 1940’s gown with floral appliques and overlays

2012-08-24 14.27.50 — Love this Asian-inspired shape in a cotton leaf print.

2012-08-24 14.28.31 — Just about died when this almost-but-didn’t-quite fit

2012-08-24 14.29.26 — Gorgeous embroidery on this peach 1920’s day dress

2012-08-24 14.30.39 — A men’s vignette in the store

2012-08-24 14.43.15 — Another display at Amalgamated

eBay Seller qbiffa: Men’s and Women’s 40’s Staples from the UK

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

$(KGrHqJHJCQE7yrJy)PIBPF(-ogw,w~~60_12 — The pattern…

$(KGrHqF,!i0E+JJQ2Y3yBP+Ufg57u!~~60_57 — …the result. 🙂

Every once in a while I will come across an eBay seller that I can’t quite figure out – does the seller make the clothes? Hand-knit the sweaters? Is this small batch, but manufactured? How can they sell these garments at such good prices?

I came across eBay seller qbiffa’s store when one of their lovely reproduction 1940’s sweaters popped up in one of my searches. I saw that the sweater, which was not in my size, could be ordered in other sizes and, to my delight, there were many other colors and styles of these little short sleeved sweaters available. Then I saw wide leg pants for men and women, men’s button down short sleeved shirts, and 40’s repro jackets, with nothing costing over $120.00. Even better, the seller posted a photo of the original pattern for the sweaters and men’s items, so you can see the origin and maybe get some ideas about what to pair each garment with and how it would have been worn.

The items show can be made in different sizes and colors, simply contact the seller if the item you like is not in your size or colors. 🙂 I wonder why this particular seller picked eBay, it seems like Etsy might be a better forum for this kind of transaction…

I considered this find so good, I almost waited to post until after I bought what I wanted from the store…but there were too many things I wanted and I was too excited! Here are my faves:

$T2eC16d,!)kE9s4,BMVpBP+ZFw!j+Q~~60_57 — WANT this color combo

$(KGrHqFHJF!E88evnbzdBPWjDdTF)w~~60_57 — Blue high waist jumper

$(KGrHqJHJC!E+Z6TqhnvBP+(tgiG)Q~~60_57 — High waist trousers for women, available in a number of colors

$(KGrHqZ,!n4E-vFRlNSWBP+Wj6IOTw~~60_57 — Men’s short sleeved dress shirt

$(KGrHqR,!qwE+nTwyO3OBP+VfMt0o!~~60_57 — Repro men’s 1940’s trousers

$(KGrHqR,!p4E-8d)BfDlBP+VQMcRIQ~~60_57 — Adorable shawl collared sweater

$(KGrHqFHJBME63Uw1g5PBO4nRMg76Q~~60_57 — Men’s reproduction 1940’s jacket

$(KGrHqJ,!loE-39DRjLcBPwQcKBLjQ~~60_57 — Love this repro 1940’s plaid jacket

$(KGrHqV,!r!E88gToO!zBPi()svwkw~~60_57 — Purple, rainbows, and a rosette? SO HAPPY

$(KGrHqVHJC8E7BcvipznBO3oKkR)v!~~60_57 — Cherries!

$(KGrHqJHJBwE-dg)E7swBPwQ4QbB0w~~60_57 — Another great variation on the casual jacket

$(KGrHqNHJEwE88eJ1GV7BP(i3EIjy!~~60_57 — Ski bunny variation

30’s and 40’s Menswear on eBay

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

It’s rare that anything in vintage menswear shows up in multiples on eBay, but I kept coming across good things at good prices, so here’s a selection of menswear goods from eBay this week:

$T2eC16FHJF0E9nmFQU,mBP5cjS6gi!~~60_3 — 1930’s to early 40’s German “Stresemann” Suit means it’s business time – size 36 or 38, starting bid $10

$T2eC16FHJFoE9nh6m+bFBP5jOCpWJw~~60_57 — Another great 30’s/40’s German suit, size 36 or 38, starting bid at $10

$(KGrHqR,!lYE-dLy2ilKBP4iTin8cg~~60_58 — Double breasted navy 1940’s suit, about a size 42, bidding at $36

$(KGrHqF,!hsE-RcrILg7BPlL2Db6F!~~60_58 — Velvet 1940’s jacket – swanky

d1987 — I do love a tuxedo with a silk faille lapel…

Allure Original Styles on Etsy

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

I’ve been following Allure Original Styles for a while, from her initial offerings through eBay as seller buddhaboogie (which is still used to sell what appears to be samples), to a full-fledged Etsy store where you can purchase custom made reproduction swing era garments. Allure Original Styles distinguishes itself from other reproduction sellers by creating an extensive line of pants and complimentary blouses. The fabrics range from wool gabardine to light-medium weight denim, to cover both dressy and casual pants needs. I am probably most excited about having wide leg denim options – while I love to dress up, sometimes you have you wear jeans for more casual occasions and shopping for jeans is only a step above shopping for a swimsuit on the loathsome activity scale. What could be more comfortable for everyday wear than a pair of flattering wide leg lightweight denim jeans?

There are also some great dresses and other separates from the store. So much to love here…I might learn to love wearing pants again:

il_570xN.288414812 — Adorable - high waist belted denim trouser with contrast top stitching, complimentary seersucker blouse with neck tie *drool*

il_570xN.173209967 — 1940's reproduction overalls - so stinkin' cute

il_570xN.298269270 — Classic wide leg trousers with side buttons

il_570xN.297776028 — 30's/40's belted skirt

il_570xN.294975047 — Desperately want this dress in my size...

il_570xN.294537067 — 1930's blouse - love the bow and the zig zag seam below the bust line

il_570xN.279658547 — 1930's sailor skirt with fantastic seam detail

il_570xN.227226590 — Sailor shorts! There are also pants available in a similar style

Heyday! Revisited

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

It’s been a while since I checked on Heyday!, my favorite UK retailer of heavenly high waisted trousers, but I see that they have been busy. They have expanded their line of women’s and men’s clothing and have some pretty impressive and hard-to-find pieces at not unreasonable prices. Men can pick up some more casual style jackets, like the gab jacket or the Hollywood jacket, or some elegant 1940’s trousers. Women who are looking for separates will find several styles of adorable reproduction blouses, 1940’s style suits, dresses that are great for dances and work, as well as those famous trousers that make everyone’s bum look like a million bucks.

Here are my favorites from the website:

tn_img_9326 — How sharp are these! Get your Gene Kelly on in the Anzac trousers, available in 9 colors

tn_img_2338xx — You just can't go wrong with these swing trousers - available in 14 colors

tn_28580008-feet-up — Fleur wrap dress, available in 6 prints

tn_gw-1510 — Hollywood jacket, an alternative to the traditional blazer

tn_img_6384ccwm_1 — Olivia blouse - stinkin' adorable, in 11 colors

Vendors at All Balboa Weekend

This post was written by Lindy Shopper.

It’s been another fantastic year at All Balboa Weekend. If birds of a feather flock together, then our feathers are preened and shiny, because the Balboa people love to dress up and talk about dressing up. If you are a vintage style clothing or shoe retailer, then ABW can be an excellent opportunity to reach out to your fans, many of which come to Cleveland to shop in its vintage stores and/or pick up a pair of dance shoes from one of the ABW vendors (because it’s always great to try them on in person and to avoid shipping charges).

While it was a fantastic year, I was getting over a cold at ABW. I had many plans to do fantastic reporting on fashions, vendors, vintage stores, and take lots of pictures, but decided to take it easy and make sure I was well for the event. However, I have not left ABW empty-handed! The ABW vendors should certainly be highlighted for their fantastic contributions and much appreciated presence at the event.

My favorite vendor at ABW is Remix Vintage Shoes, which lines up their glorious shoes, some of which are not available online, in a long row that covers two large tables. Any Remix shoe can be an investment, so there’s always a delicious agony in choosing the right pair to take home.

DSCF0150 — White suede mens captoe from Remix

Remix owner Phil Heath was on hand to answer questions, help with fittings, and tell wonderful stories about the shoes (or rather, the shoe of origin). I picked up a delicious pair of silver “The Ritz” shoes and Phil told me he found the model shoe (and pardon me if I butcher the story) at some sort of flea market and bought them for a song – the pair was from the 1920’s and had actual gold leaf on them. The Remix versions, while not in 24K, certainly look gilded.

2088-BK-1 — Aris Allen 1940's velvet and mesh Mary Jane

I saw a number of gents pick up Remix’s answer to the white Aris Allen captoe, which have fantastic detail and come in a soft white suede. I couldn’t find these on the web site, so you’ll have to call Remix and inquire.

I’ll have more of my Remix photos at the end of this post.

Dancestore.com was at the event in force, with literally a wall of inventory in all shapes and sizes. Dancestore had two people staffing the table at times and the response for these shoes was overwhelming to wade through, with ladies and gents strewn about the hallway trying on shoes.

209-HE-1 — Aris Allen Classic Dress Sneaker

I saw a lot of ladies buying and sporting the Aris Allen 1940’s velvet and mesh Mary Jane heel, which looked fantastic on everyone who wore them. I was also informed that this was the ladies shoe of choice at The Experiment.

The men could stock up on those critical white Aris Allen captoes, or pick up a pair of Classic Dress Sneakers, which I saw on a number of male feet.

Heyday was back again this year, fresh from the UK, with owner Shona van Beers bringing over stacks of her amazing wide leg trousers, dresses, and flirty tops. If you haven’t experienced the wonders of the Heyday trousers, then you are truly missing out – they have an elegant drape, feel like pajamas, and make your bum look like a million bucks. I apologize for not having live photos of these items, and especially apologetic for not posting all of Shona’s amazing outfits that she wore all weekend – gorgeous stuff!

Toward the end of the weekend Bop City Vintage made an appearance at the end of the hall, with fresh vintage clothing for men and women each day and prices in the $10 to $20 range. There are no online resources for this company, but duly noted that it is very cool to have racks of vintage clothing for sale at a swing event!

I’ll end by saying that the Balboa community has some truly creative individuals, who came out in full force for the ABW Project Runway competition. The challenge was to create a look out of Bart Bartolo tee shirts with the slogan “Keepin’ it casual,” duct tape, and scissors. While I did not win with my pencil skirt with Bart kickpleat, pop-art halter top with chevron detailing on the back, matching purse, and fascinator, I was very pleased with the showing and with my model, Nelle Cherry, who did a smashing job showing it off. The winner of the contest made a fantastic, wearable dress with lovely goring and a twirly skirt. It may be too early for pictures – I’m hoping my Facebook friends come through with a few!

I’d like to thank Valerie Salstrom, MaryAnn Carothers, Kyle Smith, and the rest of the ABW crew for putting on a world-class event. This was my fourth ABW and, in my opinion, the best one thus far – I can’t wait until next year!