The Swing Book

by Degen Pener

  Chains: Up to sixty inches long, chains are the accessory of choice for a zoot suit. “The chain is part of the uniform,” says Smiley Pachuco. “The coat should not be buttoned, so that the chain shows.” To jazz the look up even further, consider buying a double, triple, or even quadruple chain.

  Cuff Links: To run with your own Rat Pack, you’ve gotta show cuff. And that means amassing your own collection of cuff links (Sinatra’s hoard was legendary). There are thousands upon thousands of designs out there. So take the time to look through those glass cases in the thrift shop for a few pairs that suit your personality—or your mood. For snappy reproductions, check out Winky and Dutch’s cool sets with everything from pinups to martini glasses to dice on them. And don’t be afraid of oversized cuff links. The real zoot-suiters were known for strutting down the street wearing rock-sized pairs on their wrists.

  Hair: For a basic forties look, just keep your hair short and slick it back (with either grease or pomade). To get fancy, try a pompadour—zoot-suiters wore ones with ducktails. In the fifties (and on the New Morty Show’s Morty Okin) they were higher. But whatever you do, don’t go to a salon for a cut. “If you are a guy, go to the oldest barber you can find in town,” says retro hairstylist Kim Long, owner of San Francisco’s W.A.K. Shack. “The older barbers will know what to do.” And for real authentic flair, you may even want to try the pencil-thin mustache seen on Cab Calloway and Nat King Cole. Talk about walking a thin line.

  Hollywood Jackets: Also called leisure jackets, Hollywood jackets were casual unconstructed sport coats, made of rayon or wool gabardine, that came into popularity in the late 1940s. The classiest boast a two-tone look, such as a cream jacket with contrasting brown-and-cream houndstooth sleeves and collar. Some were also belted. The most desired vintage labels are Mr. California and a line endorsed by bandleader Xavier Cugat. Jackets by C. Joseph, a label available at San Francisco’s Martini Mercantile, are among the best reproductions.

  Pocket Squares: Frank Sinatra was fastidious about pocket squares. He’d even go up to other guys and fix ’em if they weren’t worn right. Pocket squares should puff out from the jacket’s pocket a bit, while simple white handkerchiefs are worn crisply folded. Pocket squares come in all colors and fabrics (the classic is silk). Choose one that coordinates especially well with your tie, along with your shirt and jacket.

  Socks: Ever thought you’d be wearing men’s hosiery? Yeah, you heard it right. Guys often wore just as much nylon as gals back in the forties. The favorites were sheer nylon ribbed socks, often humorously referred to today as pimp socks. The best finds are dead-stock—from all-American brands like Gold Toe—or the well-made reproductions by Stacy Adams. “They come in every color you could think of,” says Siegel’s Michael Gardner, who sells them in traditional black or brown, but also in red and sapphire. “People tend to forget that in fashion in the thirties and forties, color was really big.”

  Spats: Spats were originally designed to protect one’s shoes while walking in rainy weather. These leather ankle cover-ups, usually chosen to complement your shoes, give an instant period feel.

  Sweaters: Hey, junior, want to be the B.M.O.C. (Big Man on Campus)? Throw on a collegiate-style sweater such as an argyle vest, a long-sleeved tennis sweater, or a pullover with an oversized varsity letter on the front. You can really make the grade by topping it off with a smart bow tie.

  Sweat Rags: A sweat rag isn’t as unimportant (or gross) as it sounds. If you’re one of those guys whose mop-top sweats too much from doing the hop, you’d better carry a rag to stay neat. But no need to get fancy here. Just grab a small white towel from the gym and tuck it into your pocket. Or better yet, stuff it in the back of your suspenders.

  Tattoos: Many neoswing observers have remarked on the seeming incongruity of tattooed Gen X-ers wearing forties clothes. But it’s not such an anachronistic mix after all. Before tattoos ruled the mosh pit, they were the province of sailors and sharpies during the war years and earlier. “The tattoo thing was a big part of the swing period,” says Savoia Michele. “They were called flash tattoos. It was all about pinup girls and dice designs.”

  The Collegiate Guy

  Tie Clips: Nothing looks better than a tie held down with a great clip—witness Vince Vaughn in the Vegas scenes in Swingers. They range from simple (a basic bar) to expensive (with diamonds) to trompe l’oeil swords (designed to appear that they have been stuck through the tie).

  Underwear: Boxers, of course, in silk or rayon. “But it’s also kind of fun to wear a pair of nylon underwear with a matching pair of nylon socks,” says Siegel’s Gardner.

  DOLLS

  Starter Kit: Step into a floral rayon forties dress with a straight skirt, a pair of open-toe chunky heels, and some seamed stockings. Tuck a gardenia behind your ear. Add a pair of Bakelite button earrings. Apply bright red lipstick. You’re ready for your pinup.

  The Basics

  Dresses and Skirts: It don’t mean a thing if your skirt ain’t got that swing. Whether you go for straight knee-length skirts of the forties (like the pleated styles brought back by designer Marc Jacobs) or the fuller fifties circle skirts (the New York label Tuleh is successfully reviving the look), you’ll want an item that moves as well as you do. “Some dresses look great but don’t move,” says Graciela Ronconi, owner of San Francisco’s Guys and Dolls vintage store. “Like a Marilyn Monroe dress with long sleeves that’s off the shoulder and tight with a narrow skirt. That’s good for wallflowers only.”

  Classic styles—dresses usually have fitted waists and often belts—include floral prints, ginghams, checks, and polka dots and, in a nod to Carmen Miranda, anything with fruit, especially cherries. “Cherries go fast,” says Leann Wright of Guys and Dolls. But what really defines a forties dress is the fabric. The cheapest and easiest to find are dresses in rayon, either in crepes or gabardines. “They are easy to move in and shouldn’t be that expensive—maybe forty to sixty dollars,” adds Wright. Considerably more expensive are such rare finds as originals by Christian Dior, Adrian (the famous movie costume designer opened his own shop in Beverly Hills in 1942), and Elsa Schiaparelli. Don’t count on finding one anytime soon. Most are in museums.

  Because vintage dresses can often be quite fragile, buying a reproduction or making your own dress is often a good alternative. “Our line is designed specifically for the well-dressed dancer,” says Revamp’s Firley, “so that you can go out and not have to worry about your clothing falling apart on the dance floor.”

  Hair: Getting your locks to look like Betty Grable, Veronica Lake, or the Andrews Sisters isn’t easy. Back in the day, setting hair into intricate forties styles took lots of time and even more know-how. The era’s hairdos were like living sculptures, usually including pin-curled bangs piled high in the front, hair pulled back on the side, and cascading waves flowing down the back of the head. Setting the hair required using wet sets and painstakingly creating each invidual curl.

  But don’t be scared off. The W.A.K. Shack’s Kim Long advises tracking down photos in vintage magazines and watching old movies to see examples of the many varied styles. “I know plenty of girls who just find pictures and learn by doing,” she says, adding that “you should find the place in town where the old ladies get their hair done.” Also, many swingzines regularly run features on setting hair in an authentic period style. And don’t forget that one of the nice benefits of styling hair this way is that the do should last for a couple days. (Once the hair is set, it’s best to do a movement test. Hop around a bit, and if a curl falls out of place, spray it back down.)

  Should you not want to submit to the full monty—an authentic forties hairstyle can take more than forty-five minutes to complete—celebrity hairstylist Kevin Mancuso, author of the book The Mane Thing, recommends a simpler approach. “As long as the hair is a little bit polished and turned under and has a little bit of a wave to it and it’s pulled back on the sides, it automatically becomes that forties thing. You could achieve a simila
r silhouette with a curling iron or hot rollers and lots of product. Sculpt the hair with your hands, pin it or roll it, and create the shape you want. It should look soft and full, done but a little bit undone.” Either way, making the effort goes a long way. “Nothing looks worse than wearing a nice vintage dress and having a plain straight hairdo,” says Kim Long. “Nothing completes an outfit better than having your hair done and nothing makes it as polished.”

  Dolls Starter Kit

  Makeup: “Basically the makeup is like a very subtle drag queen’s,” jokes Angella Mendillo, a makeup artist who’s researched forties looks. “It’s very extreme, even though it’s not a lot of makeup. You want to do a very clean face, a sheer foundation with a good powder. You need high arched eyebrows—no bushy eighties brows. Curl the lashes and put on lots of mascara, though keep the eyelids pretty clean. And, of course, you want outlined lips with a very bold red lipstick.” Mendillo recommends reds from M.A.C. Cosmetics, plus Revlon’s Cherries in the Snow. “It was made in the fifties and you can still get it,” she says. Finish off the face by making a black beauty mark—or buy some of Temptu’s great temporary tattoo beauty marks. Says Mendillo: “One little black mole really brings it all together.”

  Tops: What’s a sure-shot way of looking like Rita Hayworth? Tie a shirt at the midriff like the famous pinup girl did in You Were Never Lovelier. “I love tying a shirt because it’s easier to dance when you’re not worried about keeping your shirt tucked in,” says Leann Wright. Other can’t-lose styles include tiny cardigans, beaded tops, and simple horizontal-striped sailor T-shirts.

  Shoes: Comfort comes first (so think about wearing insoles too). But taking care of your feet doesn’t mean you need to sacrifce stylishness. Spectator shoes are the sharpest and most popular style, in either flats, open-toe pumps, or wedgies. Other possibilities include strappy heels, fifties-style saddle shoes, or Mary Janes with buckles (the shoe is named after the girl in the Buster Brown cartoons). A greater challenge for dancing is platforms, which, believe it or not, weren’t invented in the seventies. Ferragamo made unbelievable pairs—some with rainbow stripes—way back in the thirties. What makes a forties shoe distinct? The blunt toe and a slightly chunky heel that isn’t too high. Those pointy five-inch stilettos didn’t become popular until the fifties. “I personally recommend dancing in either very low heels or flats. It’s a whole lot easier on your legs,” says Annamarie Firley of Revamp. “Also, if you end up stepping on somebody it’s nicer not to have a stiletto heel plunge through the center of their foot.”

  All the Extras

  Eyeglasses: Who cares about the forties when fifties specs are so much more fun? Grab a pair of cat’s-eyes glasses—with faux jewels on the rims—and prowl for the perfect partner. (Forties glasses tend to be more square.) The range of styles is limitless. “The coolest glasses I ever saw,” says Leann Wright, “were these white shades with red Bakelite cherries hanging from them.”

  * * *

  Words for a Hep Cat: Swing Lingo

  If Cab Callow ay were around today, he’d still want to know if you were hep to the jive. Of course, since slang changes so quickly, what’s mad today is lame tomorrow. So one word of caution when boning up on the lingo of the thirties and forties: it’s great to learn, but only a few people really get away with using it when speaking. Even back in the day, jazz insiders sometimes ridiculed the overuse of such words as killer-diller (a thriller) and skinbeater (a drummer). One writer called most jazz lingo “false shoptalk.” On the other hand, Calloway, the heppest cat of them all, not only used jive extensively in his music and shows, he published his own Hepster’s Dictionary in 1936. (It’s appended to his now out-of-print autobiography, Of Minnie the Moocher and Me.) Today’s compendiums of swing slang (posted all over the many swing sites on the Internet) combine words from many sources: Harlem lingo, detective novels, juvenile delinquent pulp fiction, and terms used by the Rat Pack. Much of yesterday’s slang has now passed into everyday use, though some terms can still seem completely foreign. Check out this short list of some of the most colorful swing slang.

  Alligator: A fan of swing

  Beat up the chops: Talk a lot

  Belly-warmer: Necktie

  Big Sleep: Raymond Chandler’s coinage for death

  Blip: Good or great

  Blower: Telephone

  Bright: A day

  Bring down: Something depressing

  Calamity cubes: dice

  Canary: A female singer

  Cat: A guy, or specifically a musician

  Chicago overcoat: A coffin

  Collar: To get, acquire

  Conk: Head

  Dead hoofer: Poor dancer

  Dogs: Feet

  Drape: Clothes, outfit

  Fall out: To be overcome with emotion

  Flimflam: Swindle

  Flippers: Hands

  * * *

  Gloves: Nobody wears gloves today, goes the common lament. So help bring these stylish accessories back. The most popular are black, though gloves were often dyed to match a dress, so they can be found in scads of colors. And try them in all sizes, from short to evening length (the most difficult to find in vintage).

  Hair Accessories: Once you’ve got your bangs and pincurls set just right, nothing adds to the forties feel more than a scarf, a bow, or some flowers, especially gardenias. And don’t buy the buds yourself—send your gent to the florist to get ’em. But if you want to try a truly remarkable look, slip your hair into a snood, the classic thick hair nets from the period (generally available in black, white, and natural). How did a hair net become a trendy accessory? Snoods became popular after famed costume designer Adrian put Hedy Lamarr in one in the 1940 film I Take This Woman. During the war they became a quick, easy way for busy women to wear their hair. “It very distinctly says the war years,” says Al Ribaya, owner of San Francisco’s Martini Mercantile vintage chain. “In factories, women had to keep their hair from being caught in machines or tools.”

  Handbags: The choices are legion, but among the coolest handbags to watch out for are forties pieces that have wooden clasps (metal was scarce during the war) and those unbeatable hard plastic Lucite bags from the fifties. How about a clear pink one with rhinestones?

  Hats: Don’t follow any rules here. Just find a hat you love. Women’s hat styles are as varied as flowers in the garden. But keep an eye out for those quintessentially forties hats worn by Wacs (in the Women’s Army Corps) and women in the Red Cross.

  Jewelry: In the mid-thirties, more than two thirds of the costume jewelry sold in the United States was made from Bakelite, a plastic created by chemist Leo Bakeland early in the century.

  * * *

  Frame: Body, dance partner

  Frolic pad: Nightclub

  Gasoline: Liquor

  Glad rags: Best clothes

  Gumshoe: Detective

  Hep: Cool, in the know

  Hophead: Drug addict

  Ice: Diamonds

  Icky: Overzealous swing fan

  Jelly: Free, on the house

  Kicks: Shoes

  Licks and riffs: Hot musical phrases

  Lid: Hat

  Lombardo: Schmaltz

  Nails: Cigarettes

  Off the cob: Out of date

  One on the city: Glass of tap water

  Pipes: Vocal cords

  Pulleys: Suspenders

  Reet: All right, fine

  Righteous: The best

  Ring-a-ding: Adjective for a beautiful woman

  Send: To move emotionally

  Solid: Great, OK

  Stompers: Shoes

  Tea: Marijuana

  Togged to the bricks: Dressed in your best clothes

  Twirl: Girl who’s wild about dancing

  Unhep: Out of it

  Ville: As in coolsville, jailsville, nowheresville, dullsville, endsville, bombsville, scramsville

  Voot: One of the many nonsensical slang inventions of singer Slim Gaillard, the man behind the swin
g hit “Flat Foot Floogee.”

  Not to mention the many slang terms for “man”: Gate, pops, daddy-o, gee, jasper, jack, egg, player, jobbie, bird

  — And for “woman”: Skirt, dame, broad, barbecue, angel cake, kitten, sister, jane, queen, pigeon, barn burner, dish, doll, bim, ankle, babe, bree, chick, fine dinner, mouse, looker, zazz girl, tomato

  * * *

  Because so much was produced, vintage necklaces, pins, bracelets, and button earrings are readily available and not that expensive. The easiest colors to find are orange, green, red, black, brown, and yellow, while purple, blue, and pink are more rare. The plastic can be clear, tortoise, or opaque, smooth, or carved. Bakelite is the simplest, cheapest way of completing a retro look.

  Perfume: Wear Chanel No. 5 to bed as Marilyn Monroe did. But to go to the nightclub, think about a forties scent like Fracas or Jungle Gardenia. Now that’s attention to retro details.

  The Bobby-Soxer

  Socks: The classic still remains bobby socks. Slip on a pair with some saddle shoes and imagine swooning over a fresh-faced, bow-tied Frank Sinatra.

  Suits: Suits are generally better for posing, not for dancing. But nothing beats looking like Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday. Look for a suit in a fine wool with a short jacket that boasts sexy peplums (that’s the slightly flared part at the bottom of the coat). And scream for joy if you happen across a reasonably priced Lilli Ann, a San Francisco label that began production in 1933. The most coveted vintage brand out there, Lilli Ann suits can go for between two hundred and four hundred dollars. A hat, gloves, and a snood complete this great look.