[s-wingtips]

Fighting Sweat with Fabrics.

*Note: This is a question I answered for someone on the swing dancing subreddit, reddit.com/r/swingdancing. I'll likely revisit it later, with more in-depth information. 

Sweating will always be a problem on the dance floor, especially during the summer months when it's already a billion degrees outside. Soaking through your clothes isn't pleasant for anyone on the dance floor, and you can only fit so many extra outfits in your dance bag. However, there are fabrics you can wear that will help make all that heat a little more tolerable and help you feel a little less like a swamp monster. 

When the warm months roll around, you'll start to see lots of ads for "summer weight" fabrics and clothes. BE CAREFUL!!! Don't just jump on anything that lists itself as "summer wear". A lot of cheap brands will sell thick, cheap cotton as summer wear, and if it's tightly woven as well, you'll be dying. Look for fabrics with a looser weave and fine threads, they'll breathe much better and help keep you cooler. Here's some fabrics you want to keep a lookout for:

Linen. Tends to be more expensive, but it's lightweight and loosely woven, so it breathes really well. It does require some maintenance and tends to crease and wrinkle, so make sure you know how to iron or can spring for dry cleaning.

Wool. Not the most obvious choice, but there are some downright gorgeous light weight wools out there. Look for "tropical" wools in particular, and pay very careful attention to the weight (not all "tropical" wools are correctly labeled!). Wool tends to be even more expensive than linen, and can be hard to find in light weights, but it looks amazing, has gorgeous drape and lines, and (if you find the right stuff) is one of the most breathable fabrics out there.

Cotton. There are a couple of different types of summer-weight cotton fabrics out there. Pay very careful attention to the weight and weave when you look for shirts listed as generic "cotton", they're sometimes no better than winter shirts. Cotton also tends not to be as pretty as linen and wool, and won't hold its shape long when it gets hot on the dance floor. However, it's really easy to take care of and very easy to find, and is generally much cheaper than linen and wool. I'll break down a couple of good lightweight cottons:

Poplin. It's slightly dimpled (a byproduct of the weave), which creates air pockets in the fabric. This makes it highly breathable, and it'll dry fairly quickly. You'll probably only find shirts made out of this, I've only seen poplin pants and jackets once or twice. Tends to be a bit more expensive, since it's usually used by higher-end brands.

Seersucker. A personal favorite of mine. It's the lightest cotton out there, so it's great for summer. It's also naturally wrinkled, so it travels and dances well. It's not seen much outside the U.S., but it's very popular here. You can find everything from shirts to entire suits made out of it. It's most well known for the blue and white tight pinstripe pattern, which some people aren't comfortable wearing (which I understand. It stands out and can be a bit flashy). I have seen seersucker in other colors than blue though, so look around. The tan/white combo that I've seen in a few places around right now is very sharp, and likely a lot easier to pair.

There are other types of cotton, and lots of synthetic/cotton blends. You by no means have to stick to the two I outlined.

You can also look into wicking shorts! Wicking and compression shorts are made out a of a light, breathable synthetic fabric designed to pull sweat away from your body. Just be very careful with these, as they can deposit all that sweat right onto your clothes, giving you a serious case of swamp-butt. 

[s-wingtips]

Sorry!

Hi followers! I'm so sorry for the hiatus. I was taking a summer organic chemistry course, which sucked up all of my life. However, I am only taking one class this semester, so I should have more time to devote to this blog. :)

As always, if you have a question, please, please please (with sprinkles and whipped cream and hot fudge on top) ask away!! 

[s-wingtips]

Renegade Neckties

A lot of people (mostly men, but a few women) have told me that they don't “dress up” more often because they can’t keep their tie from flying around while they dance. I’ve been there, having been hit in the face not only by my partner’s tie, but also by my own as well. It’s not a fun experience, so I understand why people want to avoid it altogether. So, for those who would like to wear a tie on the dance floor without getting a face full of fabric, here are some tips for keeping that bad boy in place:

1) Tie Clips. Tie clips are FANTASTIC. They’re one of the few accessories in menswear that can be easily seen (as much as I love cufflinks, they’re usually not very visible). There are about a million tie clips out there, everything from vintage to modern, cheap to expensive, simple to ornate, classy to silly. There is a tie clip out there for everyone.

Using a tie clip is super easy. If you place it correctly, it will hold down a good portion of your tie (keeping it attached to your shirt instead of flying about). There are a couple of “rules” about how to wear tie clips, which I'll let GQ explain:  

        This is a good quick guide to the basics of tie clips (or tie bars, as GQ calls them). I will say I slightly disagree with number one. In my opinion, where you place the clip depends on what else you are wearing. If you're not wearing a jacket or vest, go ahead and place it lower to keep more of the tie in place. If you are wearing a vest or jacket, place the clip higher (like in the picture) so that it's visible.  

A tie clip is your best bet for keeping a necktie in place. It literally clips the tie down to the shirt, so you don't have to worry about it flying about. As a bonus, it gives you a chance to add some extra personality and flair to your outfit!          

2) Vests/ Jackets. If you don't mind having an extra layer of fabric on (one more layer to sweat through!), you can wear a vest or jacket. The extra layer on top will hold your tie down. 

There are a bunch of different types of vests and jackets, far too many to mention. I will say that a sweater vest is likely your best option. The knit will probably breathe better than any of the formal fabrics a suit vest is made out of, and you don't have to worry about keeping it buttoned or it crinkling up and looking sloppy. Sweater vests also have the potential to be much more casual, so you can dress it up or down for different events.

3) Bow Ties! If clipping your tie down or containing it under another layer still doesn't work for you, try ditching the long necktie altogether and wear a bow tie! Bow ties are short, so they won't get in anyone's face and will stay in place while dancing. They're also incredibly versatile. 

They can be worn for formal events: 

Or dressed down for more casual wear: 

They can be masculine (as seen above), or feminine: 

Anyone can wear a bow tie, pretty much whenever. They're pretty cool. 

I hope that helps some of y'all! Please, please, please, please, please send me an ask if you (or people you know) have a question. I want to help! Also, since I talked about bow ties here, should I upload a guide for tying one? I know a lot of people find bow ties difficult to master.

[s-wingtips]

Pantyhose Runs

One thing I've heard pretty much every woman I know complain about at some point is how frustrating it is to discover a run in their pantyhose. I know I've lost countless pairs to runs, cursing not so under my breath as I throw them out. Runs seem to be even more prevalent on the dance floor, to the point that I brought 10 pairs of hose with me to my first Lindy Focus and left with about 4. 

Luckily, I've discovered some tricks to keep my pantyhose intact since then. There are three main causes of runs:

Toenails poking holes in the feet. 

Fingernails poking holes as you pull them up.

Wearing the wrong size. If they're too small, the hose can stretch too far and split. If they're too big, they can catch and snag.

So the first big thing is to wear hose that fit. There are sizing charts on the back of each package, and each chart is unique to the brand. Be honest with yourself, and buy the size you need. Seriously. You're the only one who knows what size pantyhose you wear. If you're on the line between two sizes, go up, just to be safe.

Preventing runs from your nails (outside of constantly cutting them off) requires a little more effort, but there are some tricks:  

 Foot Covers. These things are gold for your pantyhose. I'm talking about those tiny little foot covers you see at the drugstore or the sock section of a department store, designed to be worn with flats. They usually come in black or tan. You know, these things: 

    Get yourself a couple pairs of these, and wear a pair under your pantyhose.  There are lots of different kinds though, so be careful. Make sure you get ones that cover however much of the foot you'd like covered. The bigger they are, the better they'll stay in place while you're dancing. Also, don't get any that have gel cushions or lines to hold them up. Those gel bits are glued on, and the glue WILL stick to your hose. One specific brand to avoid is West Loop (sold at Wallgreens). Those foot covers stuck to my pantyhose and caused runs when I finally managed to pull them out. So go for un-cushioned covers, or ones that have cloth cushions sewn in.                                          

Clear Nail Polish. Clear nail polish can be used to provide extra support to the toes of your hose. This will help keep your toenails from poking through and causing runs. Stretch the toebox of the hose out with your hand, and apply the clear nail polish all along the outside. Looks something like this: 

 Give the polish a couple of minutes to dry, and then you're set! You can also do this to the foot covers mentioned above, for added protection.

Gather and Pull. So, we've talked about preventing runs from your toenails. But what about when your fingernail goes right through the nylon? It's one of the most frustrating things ever. In order to prevent this, you can use the gather and pull. This little comic explains it perfectly: 

 Make sure you're sitting when you pull on your pantyhose. I've bruised myself way too many times from falling over trying to put on pantyhose while standing. 

Gloves. I personally think this might be taking things a bit too far, but if you've got long or highly decorated nails, it might be worth a shot. Follow the steps in the comic above, but wear lightweight gloves on your hands while you do so. Any gloves you wear will affect your dexterity until you get used to them, but light linen or cotton gloves will be much easier to work with than thick, bulky winter gloves. 

So there you have it! A few quick ways to keep your pantyhose run-free on and off the dance floor. I hope this helped some of y'all! If you have any questions, feel free to ask away! What would y'all like tips on next?

[s-wingtips]

Hello!

Hello tumblrhoppers! Welcome to s-wingtips. I started this blog as a way to offer advice and tips related to fashion in lindy hop. I've poked through the lindy fashion tags and talked to tons of people at events, and I've run into a lot of questions. People have asked me about everything from keeping their stockings run-free to what fabrics keep you cool on the dance floor to how to do pin curls. I'll hopefully be posting quite a lot, starting with little tricks and tips and moving up to "master posts" that cover larger ideas (things like how to match colors and patterns, fabrics that are good for not covering your partner in sweat, how to flatter your lines, etc). So, I have some posts planned, but what I really want to do is answer your questions. I've spent a lot of time figuring things out via trial and error and bugging the hell out of my friends, and I want to give back to the community that's been so accepting of my personal experiments. So, what little thing has always bothered you? What would you love to wear, but have never been able to figure it out? Do you want to dress up for a dance, and have no idea where to start? Please let me help. If I don't have an answer for you, someone I know sure as hell does.