It’s the day after Dapper Day and friends and colleagues wonder, “I’d love to do Dapper Day, but those clothes are so expensive!” There’s no denying that there is a retro mid-century revival in fashion. Particularly in the more quixotic circles, there is a love of mid-century styles. It doesn’t matter if a friend or barista asks me where I get my clothes while on a budget. Instead of consistently writing links and google-able terms on the backside of receipts, I’ve decided to compile as list of resources where I usually buy my mid-century marvels.
These are not in any particular order.
Bodyline has frilly blouses. Great for any occasion.
“Where did you get those shoes?” “Where did you get that blouse?” Bodyline is one of my favorite resources to get basics for just about anything. It’s not intended to be a pinup shop; they focus more on Japanese fashion styles and cosplay, but you can find cute odds and ends here. This is where I get the majority of my shoes for Dapper Day and Disneybounding. Flat heels and tea party shoes are pretty comfortable and can last you a day at the parks. Take advantage on events when there is free shipping or you can split shipping with a friend or two. They do ship from Japan to overseas, so it might take some time for your order to get through customs. Certain sizes such as shoes are in centimeters, not inches. For example, shoe size are done by centimeters rather and American shoe sizes (ie: I’m 24.5 in Japan, but 7.5 in the US). It’s easy to navigate and order from them – great source for shoes, blouses, socks, and hats!
2. Apricity
So professional that I’ve worn it to conferences in San Diego.
What i love about Apricity is that the style not only works for Dapper Day, but it can also work for office and special occasion wear. The dresses are fairly basic in shape, but they do come in different colors. Most dresses currently listed are below $100 and size offerings are fairly generous. Apricity only has a few design styles available, but still worth looking into for a dapper themed bound or just something for the office.
3. Vegas Pinups
Photo by Jess W, owner of Vegas Pinups.
This is a great source for peasant blouses and peasant cut dresses! Plenty of colors and sizes available. They’re fairly new to the world of online shopping, but if you’re getting your wardrobe started, this is a great place to stock up on the basics.
Picked up this dress when I was in Las Vegas. Check into Yelp and get a discount.
Based in Las Vegas, Rockin’ Bettie has a variety of 1950s style separates from blouses, skirts, simple dresses, etc. They also have swimsuits from various sources and petticoats. If you’re gonna go for a 1950s shape, I highly recommend investing in a petticoat. There’s lots of cute things listed on their website Not only they sell online, they also have a store front located in the arts district in Las Vegas. (approximately a $7 Lyft ride from the Las Vegas strip) They’re also great at helping you create a Disneybound outfit too!
5. Sidecca
Cute dresses of all cuts!
I have not shopped in Sidecca’s online store. I’ve only shopped with them at Dapper Day and in their main Pasadena store. If you’re local to the Los Angeles area and can make a trip out to Pasadena, I highly recommend going. Sidecca has a variety of colors and styles available that are perfect for pinup types and Disneybounders on a budget. I was able to create my Dapper Dio for less than $100 – accessories and shoes included. There’s a ton of cardigans, dresses, blouses, hats, and of course, accessories. You can literally spend a day in their store trying and mixing and matching different styles for Disneybound or if you’re just building a wardrobe. The Pasadena store is pretty tiny, but there’s still plenty of things to choose from. The staff is very friendly and are more than willing to help you create a Disneybound outfit for Dapper Day or any other related unofficial dress up events.
Got this dream dress 25% off during Viva.
I know what you’re thinking. You’re probably looking at the retail prices and might not think Tatyana Boutique might work with your budget. When I was starting out, Tatyana and Pinup Girl Clothing were my only choices. However, what if I told you I never once paid full price whenever I bought from Tatyana Boutique? The dresses are quality and they do last quite some time. I’ve worn these dresses for a number of events outside Dapper Day and other pinup related events. The trick is to follow their social media and sign up for their mailing list. As I am typing this right now, there is a 60% flash sale going on. You never know when they’re going to have a sale.
The skirt and cardigan are from A Classic’s Paradise – great resources for separates and mixing and matching.
I’ve never been to their storefront, but I have shopped with them during Dapper Day Expo. Likewise, you can find basics such as blouses, cardigans, scarves, belts, petticoats, etc all here. However, what I like about A Classic’s Paradise is the variety of prints. Planning to do a Tiki Room bound with yourself and three friends? There’s a ton of tiki themed prints here. If you’re also looking for floral prints, they also have a nice selection of floral skirts and dresses.
8. Lindy Bop
I got this dress for under $30. Still works like a charm for a Newport Beach sunset cruise!
Last but not least, one of my favorite places to shop for pinup and dapper day style dresses. I’ve seen Lindy Bop pop up on my Facebook feed a few times. However, once I clicked into the link, I was suckered into the website for a few hours. Lindy Bop has a variety of style, colors, and sizes. I would advise to double check their sizes with your size because they are a British based online store. Once you have that figured out, it’s time to indulge. Most dresses are under $50. Shipping is free for orders over $125. It’s not that hard to achieve because when I was browsing through the first time, I may have found about eight dresses I wanted to take home!