ATTIRE

Written by Jody DeFord, Fashion Darling @redshoediaries

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SWING is an immersive experience unlike any other – So bench the typical jeans and jerseys or cocktail dresses and tuxes and dress the part with style that echoes a

Bygone Era of Baseball: 1930s Vintage Chic. 

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Sometimes referred to as the “Decade of Design,” the 30s saw many advances in machine technology and ready to wear clothing, which gave rise to fashion as an accessible expression of personal style regardless of socioeconomic status or class, just as baseball continued to grow in popularity as a game for all Americans. Influenced by the Art Deco movement, 1930s style came in lots of forms, and many fabrics and styles first popularized in the decade have become classics that you may already have in your closet and can still find in stores today. That means it’s easy to recreate a 1930s Vintage Chic look without actually buying vintage!

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Here are some tips to help you and your guests SWING into 1930s Vintage Chic style:

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• Hats, Hats, and More Hats: Men and women alike wore hats when heading outside to the ballpark (or anywhere else), and weren’t considered fully dressed without one! Tweed caps, newsboys, berets, tams, cloches, top hats, and fedoras were all de rigueur. While not everyone wears a hat in today’s world, all of these styles are still widely available, especially in the Fall.

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• Menswear: Tweed suits and sport coats, bowties, and braces (suspenders) were all in fashion. If you want to swing for the style fence, don some plus fours (baggy knickers) with high socks and/or a merino wool team jersey!

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• Womenswear: Modest, calf length dresses cut on the bias, often with puffy sleeves and cinched waists were considered stylish. But wide legged jumpsuits and high waisted wide legged pants with crisply tailored blouses were also the height of chic. In the Fall, Harris tweed blazers, vests, and A-line cycling skirts were also standard, as were cozy but striking fair isle jumpers.

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• Footwear: Brogues, wingtips, and oxfords were popular for both men and women, and women also commonly donned rounded toe Mary Janes and ballerina flats.

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A Special Note about LADIES’ FOOTWEAR: Our infield will serve as the dance-floor for the evening, and we hope everyone will “cut a rug” (a term popularized in the 1920s and 30s) to our music entertainment lineup. But, we don’t want to cut up the turf, so we kindly ask that you leave the heels at home and opt for flats. The good news is that the shoe styles described above fit the bill, and your feet will thank you at the end of the night!

 

For more ideas, check out what folks wore to SWING 2023: