Swing clothes by genre

[pygmalion]

So here's a question. At least around here, if you see a swing dancer in retro duds, chances are it'll be either a dance pro dressed in a performance costume, or a college aged lindy hopper.

The West Coast people, boppers, ECS people, and C&W swing people all seem to have their own "costumes," so to speak. Do you see anything similar where you are? Do different swing communities have different ways of dressing?

[Phil Owl]

FWIW, I notice it to some degree too.


Die-hard LIndy Hopper's seem to go for the vintage or vintage-style duds.

People into WCS tend to wear slinkier/sexier attire

[HepcatBob]

Die-hard LIndy Hopper's seem to go for the vintage or vintage-style duds.


No we don't. I only have 10 zoot suits. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[voilsb]

I've seen t-shirts and baggy pants to be the style for hardcore lindy hoppers.

And slightly nicer looking t-shirts and baggy pants for competitions.

[HepcatBob]

I've seen t-shirts and baggy pants to be the style for hardcore lindy hoppers.


I've seen that, too. If I'm dancing outdoors during the summer, or at a fairly informal dance, I'll go that route. Either that, or I'll replace the t-shirt with a very loose fitting bowling shirt.

[LindyKeya]

For awhile it was only the newbie lindy hoppers (and ECS dancers) that actually dressed up vintage. That is still largely the case. Although I believe it is a lot more fun to get all dressed up, and am trying to spur the better dancers to indulge in it!

And the other differences in what people wear dancing is fairly specific to their dance- it wouldn't make a lot of sense for westies to dress up in vintage 30's or 40's clothes.

[SwinginBoo]

I agree with LindyKeya that it seems that a lot of newbie lindy hoppers get all decked out when they start. I think the transition to more casual clothing comes when you really get into it and realize that it's a SWEATY dance! You end up changing at least once or twice a night, lol. I find that in the summer months dancing in a skirt is better because the weather is warmer and you just sweat more. Well that could be the New England humidity too. :evil:

[Diavo]

I have 16 (17? I lost count!) lounge shirts and 5 pairs of black slacks...
There is only one other guy I know (a close friend) who dresses similarly on a regular basis. It's because we're swing freaks ;P but also being magicians we have an advanced sense of style and like to stick out, as it were.

However, for the first time ever (this weekend at Glen Echo) I saw *many* guys dressed in lounge shirts at a swing dance! It was great! Normally the guys I've seen at DC/Baltimore swing dances have T-shirts on, maybe the occasional dress shirt. But lounge shirts are a style of their own, keep 'em comin'!

--Diavo 8)

[Swing Kitten]

a lead that's all dressed up doesn't nessesarily make me want to ask him to dance (and yes, I've embraced the fact that I would be the one doing the asking).

A while back there was a well known lead at a local venue wearing a nice purple silk (or looked silk-like) shirt, black pants and fedora. Sure he looked nice at the begining of the evening but it didn't take long for that nice shirt to become absolutely soaked with sweat. Now I'm a girl that really doesn't mind sweat when dancing and even I was repulsed (which says a lot actually).

Of course that problem would be solved with bringing an extra shirt or two... style's fun and all but it's not worth it if it gets in the way of cleaniness, comfort, and dancing ability

[Diavo]

Even better, he should've been wearing an undershirt or other T-shirt underneath that nice purple silky one. Even though I'm out in a lounge shirt, I definitely have something underneath to soak up sweat. (ew)

[dancin/dj]

So here's a question. At least around here, if you see a swing dancer in retro duds, chances are it'll be either a dance pro dressed in a performance costume, or a college aged lindy hopper.

The West Coast people, boppers, ECS people, and C&W swing people all seem to have their own "costumes," so to speak. Do you see anything similar where you are? Do different swing communities have different ways of dressing? yes inquiring minds want too know :) ,i go to west coast swing dances-hustle-salsa and ballroom-and also dj some of the dances,anyway i often wonder why do the west coast swing dancers(from ny-new jersey- and pa dress so ahh down or kind of shoddy if you will,dont get me wrong i like a lot of these folk-but gee,anyway i see better dressing in other types of dances-hope i did not go too far off your thread pygmalion-and how do westies dress down your way?

[dancin/dj]

i quess i should have said how do westies dance in general down your way when not performing pygmaion?

[Diavo]

I too wonder about the lack of dressing up on the EC... I read about how WC swing dances have the best dressed dancers, and see pictures and think "Why don't people around here dress up more?"

[etchuck]

Many of the more serious lindyhoppers here will wear bowling-shirt-like attire (men) to T-shirts. The women it does differ though: some will wear nice skirts and blouses, while others will wear leotards and pants. West-coasters will wear more or less the same thing actually, though I haven't gone to a place that was extremely serious with WC yet (there is a place, but I haven't gone on Westie night).

Personally, I wear my one sports jersey (authentic, but on clearance for $12). Fortunately one other swinger wears his favorite sports jersey to dances, so I don't feel weird about it. I did try wearing it to a salsa dance, which the guy at the door said "no." Underneath I had my sports T-shirt which he said was okay (given the fact that others there were wearing button-downs or T-shirts... the latter to my surprise).

I usually wear button-down oxford shirts at ballroom dances. My favorite is my black shirt with white buttons, which I guess I also can wear to the other dances (salsa or swing).

As for pants, usually cotton khakis. One day maybe I'll see lime green khakis... 8)

[jon]

"Why don't people around here dress up more?"

Hm, let's see.

Q: "Why don't you wear ties while dancing?"

A: Too hot, no ventilation.

Q: "Why don't you wear long-sleeved shirts while dancing?"

A: Too hot, no ventilation.

Q: "Why don't you wear a suit jacket while dancing?"

A: Too hot and constricting, no ventilation.

You may sense a trend here.

[Diavo]

LOL! Yeah, I used to wear zoot suits to dances but it was far too hot (plus I was too overdressed compared to everyone else and I'm not -that- good).
But even just lounge/bowling shirts with slacks looks mostly dressy for guys... Heck, even just slacks with a T-shirt is an upgrade for some... :roll:
Girls around here run the spectrum -- nice dresses, twirly skirts, down to jeans and a tank-top.

[setsuna713]

Our main lindy night is on a Wednesday night, so we get a mix of people coming straight from work and the baggy pants/t-shirt look. I say dance in what's comfortable (as long as you prepare for your skirt to fly when you spin :oops: )

[pygmalion]

Amen to that, sister. Dance trunks are a must. (Either that, or those cute, frilly, dance pants from dancestore.com. :wink: )

[swinginstyle]

Here's a breakdown of my local scene:

Lindy hoppers: more relaxed clothing. If they go vintage, it will be a relaxed, but classy look.
East Coast Swingers: I used to see way too many zoots suits. Nowadays, it's a bunch of teenagers, so they don't bother dressing up. Typical high school wear.
Westies: They definitely aim for sexier. I see more skin in this scene. Guys will wear slacks and bright shirts. I told my female lindy hopper friend to get a navel piercing to fit in with the westie follows. I was joking, but you see a lot of those at comps.

[HepcatBob]

I too wonder about the lack of dressing up on the EC... I read about how WC swing dances have the best dressed dancers, and see pictures and think "Why don't people around here dress up more?"

The humidity may play a role in that, too. Most people on the WC have no concept of what REAL humidity is all about. For example, back in August of '99, I flew out to Los Angeles to be on Wheel of Fortune. I stepped off the plane at LAX that day about 3:00pm wearing a zoot suit, long sleeve shirt and tie. While I was waiting for my luggage, I went outside to have a smoke and I was amazed at how comfortable it was. I didn't even break a sweat like I would have here in NC. I got to my hotel, turned on the TV, and the newscasters were complaining about hot and humid it was. I had to laugh. I was tempted to call the station to tell them how clueless they were. The humidity in LA that day might have gotten up to a whopping 10%. I don't think the humidity in NC has ever gotten anywhere close to being that low, even in the middle of winter.

[DancingMommy]

AMEN HCB!

Good Lord, you'd think those "Left Coasters" would die if they ever came to Florida..... :roll: Nothing like 100% Humidity and 95+ degree days to make you appreciate good A/C....

[jon]

Most people on the WC have no concept of what REAL humidity is all about.

Oh, come now. It can get quite humid in the SF Bay Area, especially in dance venues near the big, um, Bay. Surprised me when I first moved out here and found that dances at the Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco (about 4 blocks from the Pacific) were no improvement over NC, but there it is.

Having lived in Chapel Hill for 10 years before moving here I'd give it an edge at its worst in August and September, and certainly it's humid through a longer part of the year there. But OTOH people in the Southeast are much more likely to dance in places that have decent air conditioning, something that rarely exists around here because the climate is perceived as so mild.

I haven't danced in Sacramento much, but AIUI the central valley gets darned sticky in the summers, too. Most of LA is in a totally different climate zone than northern CA.

[HepcatBob]

Jon, you misspelled Chapel Hell. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[jon]

I liked it there, aside from the occasional ice storm. Still miss the dogwoods in the spring.

[shopper-lisa]

On the note of what to wear... how do you all handle the heat and sweat issue? I feel so gross by half way through an evening of dancing that I practically gringe when a guy pulls me into closed position. I feel he is going to be so grossed out. And I don't think I am any sweatier than the next person. But how do you all handle it?

[Diavo]

I tend to wash my hands a couple of times during the dance, I have a hankerchief in my back pocket to mop my brow (and beezer) and I bring a change of shirt for later on. Plus a water bottle (a hydrated body stays cooler they say).
My deodorant is reliable all night long so I don't have to bring more of that.

I used to love those Old Spice face wipes (for guys of course) because they cleaned you, made you smell nice, and you *felt* clean. But sadly I can't find them anymore.

If I'm really hot (just danced up a storm) then I'll go outside for 3-5 minutes and chill. Sometimes summer nights aren't any more cooler than inside though (due to MD humidity).

[shopper-lisa]

thanks... great tips

[pygmalion]

You know what I've taken from a bunch of the swing dance threads? Wear whatever you want that makes you comfortable, and forget about what everybody else thinks. Just dress to please yourself.

[pygmalion]

On the note of what to wear... how do you all handle the heat and sweat issue? I feel so gross by half way through an evening of dancing that I practically gringe when a guy pulls me into closed position. I feel he is going to be so grossed out. And I don't think I am any sweatier than the next person. But how do you all handle it?There's an old sweat thread. What was it called. I'll dig it up, if I can remember.

[Doug]

Wear whatever you want that makes you comfortable, and forget about what everybody else thinks. Just dress to please yourself. What pygmalion said. Especially in the Lindy crowd. I find the westies - at least here - tend to be a lot more fashion aware. Reread what swinginstyle wrote. 'tis true.

[shopper-lisa]

that's cool! I think I am going to like this Lindy crowd!