This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Lindy Shopper’s Closet Episode 4 is up and I’m talking about my favorite swing dance shoes! Tune in, be sure to subscribe to my channel, love you all and wish we were going out dancing tonight! ❤
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Lindy Shopper’s Closet Episode 4 is up and I’m talking about my favorite swing dance shoes! Tune in, be sure to subscribe to my channel, love you all and wish we were going out dancing tonight! ❤
Tagged 1940's shoes, Arika Nerguiz dance shoes, Balboa, Balboa shoes, ballroom shoes, Chloe Hong dance shoes, dance shoes, Lindy Hop, Lindy Hop shoes, Lindy Shopper's Closet, Red Cross 1940's shoes, Remix Vintage Shoes, reproduction 1940's shoes, solo jazz shoes, swing dance, swing dance shoes, Toms for swing dancing, Very Fine dancesport shoes, vintage shoes
My favorite purchase of the weekend, from Flower Child – HAZ DIPSY DOODLE
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I attended my 12th All Balboa Weekend this past weekend and, although I didn’t compete, DJ, run a fashion show, or run a band, I still managed to fill my weekend with so many good things and people even though I came there “just to sing.” Of course, no trip to Cleveland would be complete without a bit of vintage shopping, both on-site and in town. You can check out past blog posts for the scoop on Sweet Lorain and Chelsea’s Costumes, the former being my favorite vintage store of all time and the latter being a great place to score some inexpensive and awesome menswear.
At the Holiday Inn, the vendors did not disappoint this year. There are always a few new items of ABW merchandise each year, including baseball tees with the phrase “I’d rather be doing Bal” and a cute silhouette of Bal dancers on a solid tee and a striped tee. If you’ve looked at the ABW baby tees and thought you didn’t have a use for such things, have you considered that your dog may look adorable in just such a tee? A sweet pup named Luna came to hang out at the event (who may be the most calm and tolerant dog I’ve ever seen) and did a little photo shoot for us and everyone’s heart melted just a little bit.
Dog fashion at All Balboa Weekend
Re-mix Vintage Shoes was out in full force with an array of Bal-friendly footwear in colors to suit just about any outfit. I didn’t see any new models, but that doesn’t particularly matter when you are dealing in the classics and when you want to replace that pair of gold Balboas that you’ve worn out that not even a gold Sharpie can salvage at this point to make them look like you didn’t put them through a meat grinder…it always makes me happy to walk by this table and see people excited about buying a pair of Re-mix shoes.
Beauty in geometry from De Fils en Perles
De Fils en Perles returned with even more gorgeous beadwork and whimsy. Classic Art Deco-inspired cuffs abound, a new series of rings were added, along with a number of butterfly designs (which were super popular and sold out last year), and (for funsies) some 8-bit characters from Super Mario Bros. and some Minions. The detail here is scrumptious, with no two pieces alike.
Dancestore made an appearance, although I should really call it the Laurie Gilkenson (aka Nina’s mom) booth because it’s more than just Dancestore shoes, it’s also a collection of vintage and vintage-inspired items (such as castoffs from Nina’s incredible shoe collection), as well as hand-crafted items made by Laurie, such as knitted caps for newborns.
Victor Celania set up a booth for his successful custom menswear business, Established Sartorial – based in Austin, Texas, victor has clients both within and outside of the swing dance community and decided to try a vendor booth at ABW. Victor is also the bandleader of the Waller Creek Vipers, whose debut album Bespoke Bounce is hot off the presses and you could pick up a copy at his booth while you drool over all the lovely menswear fabrics.
Jamie Sturdevant of ChatterBlossom was busy every time I rolled by her booth and I think people are finally in the same place I have been for a while, bringing Jamie garments and getting her expert opinion on just the right color, texture, and scale to complete your look. I say complete because I never quite feel right with just my plain hair at a dance event anymore, a flower just elevates an already special night of music and dancing. I also spotted a number of men picking up her boutonnieres, which delights me to no end.
Holding it down at the end of the hallway were the ladies of Flower Child, who informed me that this is their favorite event to collect things for throughout the year, and you can tell that they know their audience well. I find myself revisiting this area multiple times throughout the event, to look for myself and to marvel at how well-curated it is, to the point that I picked out a couple of things with specific people in mind and those people ended up buying those garments. They get us. I saw that they had more separates this year for women, gorgeous blouses, and my favorite piece of clothing was a light turquoise gabardine jacket that Victor picked up for himself.
That’s all for now – save your pennies for next year and join us at All Balboa Weekend for excellent dancing, music, and shopping!
I love a baseball tee!
New styles and new silhouette for the ABW merch.
The namesake shoe in a bevy of colors – by Re-mix
Glorious brogues, by Re-mix
So many lovely things to put on your feet…
Victor’s smiling face awaits to guide you to your bespoke dreams
A little menswear, a little hot jazz and swing at the Established Sartorial table
Gorgeous cuffs by De Files en Perles
Maybe you need a little rainbow butterfly in your life?
Rings, such tiny details!
Some Dancestore shoe classics, including a tiny pair of women’s white oxfords in the back
Sometimes shoes don’t have to be new to be fabulous – find yourself a pair at Laurie Gilkenson’s booth
Any angle of ChatterBlossom’s table is gorgeous
ChatterBlossom headbands of loveliness
Men’s accessories display at Flower Child
A flower child vignette
Perhaps the original inspiration for Trashy Diva’s Hollywood style dress/gown – at Flower Child
The queen of all the peasant blouses at Flower Child, with the tiniest, most detailed embroidery
I died a little when this didn’t fit
A perfect brown and white houndstooth jacket.
Because everyone needs a white dinner jacket
Gorgeous two tone late 30’s gown with everything I love – puffed sleeves, matching belt, and flowers that can be worn on the dress or in your hair
A couple of those wonderful blouses I mentioned
Until next year…
Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Dresses, Events, Gentlemen, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Ladies, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Skirts, Suits, Sweaters, Swimwear, Vests, Vintage Stores
Tagged 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, ABW, album, All Balboa Weekend, Art Deco beading, Austin, Balboa, beaded jewelry, Bespoke Bounce, Chatterblossom, Chelsea's Costumes, Cleveland, custom hair flowers, custom menswear, dance heels, dance shoes, Dancestore, De Fils en Perles, Established Sartorial, fascinators, Flower Child, flower headbands, geometric jewelry, hair flowers, Holiday Inn, hot jazz, Independence, Jamie Sturdevant, jewelry, Laurie Gilkenson, Luna the Dog, OH, Ohio, Re-mix, Re-mix Vintage Shoes, reproduction shoes, Shoes, Sweet Lorain, swing, swing dance, swing dance clothing, swing dance shoes, swing music, Texas, TX, Victor Celania, vintage accessories, vintage clothing, vintage flowers, vintage shoes, vintage shop, vintage store, Waller Creek Vipers
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
5-year-old Lindy Shopper is squeeing right now, because Re-mix Vintage shoes has added a number of purple shoes to its lineup – my favorite color as a child, second favorite to green now. I remember looking for purple shoes to wear with vintage for a long time and I did manage to pick up a couple of pairs, but nothing I could wear dancing, and Re-mix always had a couple of pairs (mostly multi-tone or eggplant), but nothing that really spoke to me until now, particularly seeing them all in a row. Let us take a moment and bask in the purple options in various heel heights and styles…
From left to right: pleated toe wedge (my favorite wedge), Minnie, Emily 2.0, Tivoli, and Uptown.
Posted in Shoes
Tagged 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, ankle strap, Balboa, bow, brogueing, dance shoes, heels, leather sole, Lindy Hop, oxford, pump, purple, Re-mix, Remix, reproduction, Shoes, swing dance, swing dance shoes, vintage shoes, wedge
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
The shoe news just keeps coming, Re-mix Vintage Shoes has some new goodies for us – a limited edition teal/blue color combo in their popular Balboa style (but only 16 pairs total – don’t hesitate if you need these in your life) AND a brand new style called Starlet. I love love love the new Starlet shoe, anything with a wide low heel and cutouts is good in my book. It has the same heel as the Gabrielle shoe, I just hope it doesn’t share the same width issues for my fat feet…feel free to weigh in on fit/stretch in the comments after you’ve worn yours for a few months. 😉
GET ON MY FEET
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I apologize for the tardiness, but, as we all know, life happens outside of the Internet – always better late than never is the All Balboa Weekend vendor post, because ABW has, in my opinion, the best vendor aggregate year after year. This was my 10th ABW, if you can believe it, and the first one I couldn’t attend for the entire weekend, but I promise I crunched to maximize my time there and to give you this attempt at a comprehensive vendor post.
Before we get into the shopping, I have two things to note:
LindyShopper talks, Kate is radiant in Genevieve’s dress – photograph courtesy of McFreebird Photography
2. Coif magicians Destinee Cushing and Francine Amendola combined forces to form the Hepcat Salon, delivering incredible and pristine vintage hairstyles all weekend long. I know several people who will get their hair done and wear it for a couple of nights or most of the weekend so they don’t have to worry about doing it multiple nights and to keep it out of their faces, which I think is a great plan to maximize your ‘do and practical for a dance weekend with lots going on that you don’t want to miss.
The flagship booth at ABW is always Re-mix Vintage Shoes, who makes very rare appearances at any events outside of southern California. I know people wait until ABW to buy their first (or second, or 10th) pair of Re-mix shoes so they can try them on and see how the styles fit their feet. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see them all in a row.
Next in the lineup was Sweet Lorain, which is my favorite vintage shop in Cleveland. To call it a shop is really an understatement, it’s almost a warehouse, definitely a department store, and you can get lost in there for hours amongst the clothing, furniture, kitchen wares, records, Christmas decorations, and on. Of course, for ABW, they pull a selection of garments with dancers in mind from the 1930’s through the 1950’s so that you don’t have to do the digging, it’s already been dug out for you and is sitting in the hallway of the event. My story this year is that Andy Nishida and Rita Shiang (dancers and organizers of Richmond, VA’s Jammin on the James) had come to Cleveland a few weeks earlier for the World Congress on Art Deco and had scouted a 1920’s dress for me at Sweet Lorain. 1920’s dresses are hard for me because of my body type, so I was hesitant to phone in the purchase, even though Rita knows my size. I show up at ABW with this texted photograph of a dress and the owner, Redwin Lewis, knew the dress immediately, still had it, knew it would be perfect for me – and it was! Sometimes vintage shopping is easy and sometimes it takes a few steps to find a dress a home.
De Fils en Perles returned to ABW this year with even more intricate beadwork, much of it Art Deco-inspired. I was particularly smitten with the earrings this year, which were often made of an exquisite central bead with smaller embellishments and looked perfect for certain 1920’s and 1930’s ensembles. I am often overwhelmed by jewelry, so many beautiful small things at once, and I took some time to sit down and go through the earrings and really appreciate the detail that goes into each piece.
Retro Rosie made its ABW debut this year and before I even got to ABW, there was a buzz that a vendor was there selling Trashy Diva. I spoke with Miranda Scott, the owner, who runs this brick and mortar shop and an online shop, that most of her sales are online. I found this unsurprising, given the specialty nature of the garments (as much as I like to think we are the norm), and was glad she gave ABW a chance. She had several Trashy Diva dresses that are discontinued in most sizes, so secondary stockists are essential for the dress you may have missed (since they TD lines are selling out within days of launch, nowadays) and the chance to try things on in person. She also had a selection of Besame Cosmetics, another item that I can’t purchase locally to me, but that I see on the internet all the time on vintage blogs and it’s great to see the colors in person and be able to try them on, as well.
Jamie in an ABW ensemble with giant lily
Jamie Sturdevant’s Chatterblossom booth is always a bright spot, with her cheery disposition, creative floral-inspired ensembles for each day, and a bevy of blooms for each possible scenario and outfit. Indecision abounds at this booth, as there are so many to choose from, so many outfits to match, so many beautiful pieces that you just want to come home with you. My favorite pieces this year are the giant lilies she acquired earlier in the year by chance, they are just so big and elegant, I want one in every color! Message her about matching one to your favorite ensemble, her Etsy listings are only the tip of the floral iceberg.
Finally, at the end of the hallway are the Flower Child ladies, who also do an amazing job of curating just the kinds of vintage goods dancers and swing era enthusiasts want, and also go back to their warehouse to look for items to fill specific requests. With new things brought back every day, it’s worth a gander multiple times during the event to keep up with what is in stock. My favorite item this year, brought to my attention by Jamie and ultimately purchased by Destinee, was a chartreuse 1930’s gown studded with rhinestones, featuring braided straps and a bias cut guaranteed to flatter the figure. Destinee wore it on Saturday night and, with her impeccable hair and makeup and a Chatterblossom bloom, looked like a legit silver screen movie star – or perhaps early technicolor, because no one should hide the color of this gown!
And here we are! Enjoy the photo spread below!
But for serious…this chartreuse gown from Flower Child is everything! Thanks to Destinee Cushing for allowing me to use this photo.
A sun-speckled display at the Flower Child booth.
Ladies hats, ladies things…at Flower Child.
A gorgeous 1940’s rayon print dress at Flower Child.
Bathing suit…romper…whatever you want…at Flower Child.
A waistcoat and some men’s accessories at Flower Child.
Lilies, roses, and blooms about at ChatterBlossom.
A purple and white orchid at ChatterBlossom.
Oh, God, I’m terrible at botany – I don’t remember what these are, but they looked like they were dappled in frost, just so lovely – at ChatterBlossom.
A sight for sore eyes – gorgeous Besame Cosmetics on display at Retro Rosie.
Vintage hairstyling books and Trashy Diva at Retro Rosie.
Trashy Diva, alive and in person – at Retro Rosie.
Perfect summer cropped top at Sweet Lorain.
What even is this magical woven trim detail on this dress? At Sweet Lorain.
A sweet 1940’s rayon print long sleeved dress at Sweet Lorain.
Bakelite abounds at Sweet Lorain.
1940’s neckties at Sweet Lorain.
More delicious details at Sweet Lorain.
Minty fresh color on this comfy men’s shirt at Sweet Lorain.
One of many awesome sweater vests at the Sweet Lorain booth.
A summer starched topper at Sweet Lorain.
Re-mix, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
Men’s selections at Re-Mix Vintage Shoes.
Knots divine at Re-Mix Vintage Shoes.
Beaded sets at De Fils en Perles.
All this wonderful detail, handmade, just incredible – at De Fils en Perles.
Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Art Deco, Dresses, Gentlemen, hair, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Ladies, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Shorts, Skirts, Socks, Suits, Sweaters, Swimwear, Undergarments, Vests, Vintage Stores
Tagged 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, ABW, All Balboa Weekend, Balboa, Beach Clip, Besame, Bobby White, chartreuse, Chatterblossom, Cleveland, clothing, cosmetics, Destinee Cushing, dress, evening gown, event, fascinator, Flower Child, Francine Amendola, Genevieve Grazis, godets, hair flowers, hairstyle, Jamie Sturdevant, Jammin on the James, Kate Hedin, lipstick, Miranda Scott, OH, Ohio, pinup, puff sleeve, Re-mix, Redwin Lewis, Remix, reproduction, Retro Rosie, satin, Sweet Lorain, swing dance, Trashy Diva, vendors, Venice Beach, Vinspire, vintage clothing, vintage department store, vintage hair, vintage makeup, vintage millinery flowers, vintage shoes, vintage store, weekend, workshop
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Short and sweet – one of my favorite pairs of Remix Shoes, the Anita in green, has popped up on eBay in excellent used condition, size 7.5, priced to move at $74. If they were a 1/2 size smaller I’d pick them up as a backup pair!
Tagged 1930's, Anita, Balboa, green, heels, Lindy Hop, Re-mix, reproduction, Shoes, vintage shoes
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
I think it’s safe to say that All Balboa Weekend has the best vendor setup for any event in the United States. With veteran vendors and a few new ones, this year was a good year to bring a little extra to spend at ABW.
The crown jewel at ABW is always Remix Vintage Shoes, who makes their only swing dance event stop here – you can try on that new style you spotted on the website, get that pair of Balboas you’ve been eyeing on any number of Bal follows, and this year they even took pre-orders so that you could be sure to get the style, color, and size of your choice and have them held for you at the booth until you pick them up. Owner Philip Heath was always helping someone with a pair, either giving advice or giving an opinion after they try them on, and he was at the booth until the wee hours of the morning. The demand is so high for these shoes that he pays to ship them from California and flys himself to Cleveland, hundreds of pairs just waiting for the right foot to take them home. Philip also told me that Remix was also working on revamping the website, so that’s good news for everyone!
Making their return to ABW were the ladies of Flower Child, a vintage store in Cleveland that has many contributors, and The Cleveland Shop, which had a nice selection of 20’s through 40’s. The ladies set up an impressive display of menswear, womenswear, accessories, shoes, jewelry, sewing notions, and Flower Child even had a large display of hats that would be appropriate for the Saturday night theme “A Night at the Races.” It was a race to get down there at get the goods at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday when the vendors opened, before it got picked over. Thankfully, the Flower Child and Cleveland shop ladies would replenish some of the supplies throughout the weekend, which I love about them – you never know what they are going to bring back the next day, and don’t be afraid to tell them what you are looking for because they may bring back that very thing!
On the new vendor front is a vendor who is near and dear to me here in North Carolina, ChatterBlossom (aka Jamie Sturdevant) who runs a fantastic Etsy shop for her handmade blooms and jewelry, as well as vintage accessories. What sets Chatterblossom apart are the vintage millinery blooms she uses to make some of her hair pieces – the colors are so RIGHT, especially when you see the color wave across the hall on the Flower Child clothing racks, you just KNOW that these blooms are vintage. I know she did well because her supplies of vintage flowers were dwindling by the end of the event.
Finally, we have FROMChloehong, who has taken the swing fashion world by storm, first with her trumpet skirts (MY storm), then with reproduction Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers jackets that she produced and took orders for especially for Frankie 100, then with her stellar showing of tailored menswear at the Frankie 100 fashion show. Chloe was on hand with sample skirts and menswear for people to try on for custom orders – there were so many more styles and colors available than I’ve seen on her Facebook page, and swatch books of fabrics that I just wanted to hold and touch and flip through to marvel at the options. I can tell you that we are just scratching the surface on what Chloe Hong is capable of accomplishing!
And that’s a wrap! Cheers to you, shoppers, for continuing to support these businesses and All Balboa Weekend!
Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Accessories, Designers, Dresses, Events, Gentlemen, Hats, Jackets, Jewelry, Ladies, Pants, Shirts, Shoes, Shorts, Skirts, Socks, Suits, Sweaters, Vests, Vintage Stores
Tagged ABW, All Bal, All Balboa Weekend, Balboa, Chatterblossom, Chloe Hong, Cleveland, Etsy seller, fashion show, Flower Child, Frankie 100, From, FROMChloehong, Independence, Jamie Sturdevant, men's suits, OH, Ohio, Philip Heath, Re-mix, Remix, reproduction, samples, swing dance, The Cleveland Shop, trumpet skirt, vintage millinery, vintage shoes, vintage store, Whitey's Lindy Hoppers jacket
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
It’s been a few years since I saw multiple sizes of the same shoe, new in box, offered for discounted prices on eBay, but this must be a lucky day! There are also a few lovely used pairs and single pairs. If you’ve ever wanted a pair of Re-Mix Vintage Shoes wedges, check out these links:
Twin strap slingback in cream and brown, size 6, $109.00
Tagged 1940's, Meadow, Patio, Re-mix, reproduction, twin strap, vintage shoes, wedges
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
On the heels of the Dancestore.com sale comes a Re-Mix Sale! Some particularly danceable models are reduced drastically – I’ll let the graphic below explain more. 🙂
Tagged Balboa, Charleston, dance shoes, Lindy Hop, Re-mix, reproduction, sale, Shoes, swing dance, vintage shoes
This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
Newly spotted: a listing on eBay for Remix’s “Avenue” shoe in olive green and dark brown, size 9. There are two bids already, but the price is still low at $32.00.
Also spotted, but not for the dance floor, a pair of Remix “Gilda” platform wedges in bronze, size 7, new in box!