Savoy Ballroom Whitey's Lindy Hoppers Letterman Jacket

[resortes805]

A small Korean clothing business (called From) is offering a limited run of repop letterman jackets.

No, they are not stitch for stitch recreations of the originals, but that does not bother me.

They are offering a "women's" version and a "men's" version based on the slight differences seen in archival images. Both jackets are unisex in cut, and I've seen similar vintage mens jackets of either version.

I'm a guy, but prefer some of the details on the women's jacket. Should I order the men's variant or the womens?

If you want your own, you can get it here: https://www.facebook.com/events/641441349282358/642671669159326/?comment_id=642696949156798&notif_t=event_mall_comment

 

[Edward]

Tribally I could never wear anything professing a loyalty to Lindy Hop.... shudder... but hey ho... lol I do actually like these jackets. Can't honestly see anything in the ladies' version that marks it out as "gendered" in any way, given it's a zip fastening... Unless it's cut for a female figure and doesn't fit right on the male form, I'd say go for it. The handwarmer pockets look to be angled rather than straight, which looks better to me. Also, the women's jacket looks to be just a little shorter in the body, proportionately, which also looks better to me than the Men's jacket, which looks too long to my eye in the front view.

What's the story behind the original jackets? Dance based social group / club, or....?

 

[Stanley Doble]

Must have taken some nerve to wear a jacket with "Whitey" on the back at the Savoy Ball Room in 1936 but the crowd seems to be taking it in good part.

 

[resortes805]

"Whitey" was a person, Herbert White, who also had a white streak in his hair.

He organized, promoted, and managed the team, although he was not a dancer himself.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Those jackets are just flippy, Resortes. You guys might get a laugh out of this, but I've got small feet and a few years back Hush Puppies had a limited run of cool two-tone suede shoes here in Australia and the only pair I could find was a woman's pair. No different in look than the mens, but in my size. Whenevr I've worn them no one's ever thought they weren't mens shoes.

I don't see in this case how anyone would be able to tell you're 'technically' wearing a unisex-cut jacket being marketed as a women's garment pal. Though being green and gold, Australia's sporting colours, I keep expecting to see a boxing kangaroo emblem on the back! (Or at least a lindy hopping kangaroo! hahaha) Go get it!

 

[seabass]

Babs Gonzales, Stomping at the Savoy

[video=youtube;pw5wvHnVg_Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw5wvHnVg_Q&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

 

[resortes805]

Babs Gonzales, Stomping at the Savoy

[video=youtube;pw5wvHnVg_Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw5wvHnVg_Q&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

A great rendition!

 

[CaramelSmoothie]

Tribally I could never wear anything professing a loyalty to Lindy Hop.... shudder... but hey ho... lol

Me two, lol. I could never get into this fad, but the recreation of the jackets are spot on.