Dressing Swing - Men

Accessories
TIES
In the 1930s, ties were more conservative and slightly wider than today's ties, and were usually made of silk. 40s ties were quite wide, fairly short, and loudly colored and patterned.

Tie clips are the choice for men of class. Why would you want to stick a pin through a nice tie?

Cufflinks
Worn by the classiest men, great cuff links are a must if you've got French cuff shirts.

Braces
Braces are button-on suspenders. They are much classier than clip-ons, which only became popular lately. They were generally worn with nice suits through all three decades. Remember, braces hold your pants up, so you really don't need a belt, too.

Watch Chains
Your normal man in the 30s or 40s wore his watch in a vest pocket with a small chain leading to a fob in his other pocket. If you're going for a more alternative look, or a gangster or zoot look, a long chain is a must. Double or single ones are available, which ever suits your style. These should hang from either the front pocket to the back pocket or from a front beltloop to a back pocket, on either the right or left side. Just make sure you tuck it into your pocket when you dance!

Shoes
Through the 30s and 40s, men's shoes didn't change much. Black and white or brown and white two-tone captoes or wingtips were quite stylish, as were solid-colored, dark shoes. These two-tone styles are often called spectators. True spectators have leather soles (as do most dress shoes) and are great to dance in because they slide easily across the floor. Doc Martin and other similar shoe companies make a "spectator" with thick rubber soles that are heavy and difficult to dance in, thus, you'll want to avoid those brands. For a much better explanation on what a spectator is (recommended), follow this link and read more about Spectators. You can also buy spectators for dancing at With A Swing

If you are new to swing, and are trying to find someone to show you some moves, look at people's feet. If they are wearing spectators, chances are that you have found a swing dancer.

Socks
Socks just haven't changed a whole lot. Argyle and wool were more common in the 30s, with cotton gaining popularity as time went on. Avoid white socks, stick mainly to dark colors like black or dark brown depending on how you are dressed.

Hats
For dress and evening wear, a fedora was the hat of choice from the 30s through the 60s. For very casual attire, the 30s man often wore a golf-style cap, as did the 40s man. For semi-casual and non-labor work clothes, soft felt casual fedoras were the favorite. Zoot suiters wore a wide brimmed fedora or a wide brimmed tando. The brim for a zoot hat was usually around 3 inches.

Zoot Suits
Worn first by rebellious black and hispanic teenagers on both coasts in the late 20s/30s as a statement against the majority, the zoot was soon picked up by musicians and dancers in the early 1940s and even found its way into mainstream fashion (albeit a tad watered-down). Most zoot suiters were not white, but small few were. There is some evidence that white zoot suit wearers were made fun of by the non-white zoot suiters. Most of the zoot-wearing people did not dance, so if your goal is to be as authentic as possible for dancing, don't get a zoot. However, if the style appeals to you, a zoot suit can be a wonderful addition to your dance wardrobe.
   The zoot jacket is oversized, wide-shouldered, and hangs almost to the knees. Often, it is double-breasted with wide, low lapels. Zoot pants are low-crotched and high-waisted, often coming halfway up the torso. They are deeply pleated at the waist (generally two or three mammoth pleats on each side) and generously cut at the knee. Zoot pants taper sharply at the ankle to end in a deep cuff that rests on the shoes. The width at the ankle is generally only be as wide as needed to get over the heel (though some men had zippers sewn into their cuffs to get a tighter fit) and the cuff was 1-2" deep.
   The fabric for zoot suits was like the suits themselves - dramatic and overstated. The fabric was either brightly colored or boldly patterned with wide pinstripes or glen check. With fabric, the bolder the better - the goal was to distinguish oneself from the mainstream.

Other Clothes for Dancing
If you can't find or don't want a vintage look, any pair of nice pants will do for dancing. Just make sure they're comfy and have a strong crotch seam. Likewise, any nice shirt will work, as well. Some prefer a more casual look, with pants and a T-shirt, but a button-down and tie with braces usually looks classier. The wifebeater, tough guy look is also seen with some swing dancers.

Shoes for dancing are a topic of much debate and discussion among most dancers. Some wear leather bottoms, some wear Bleyers, some wear ballroom shoes. It's often better to keep your dancing shoes off the street, because it keeps the soles nicer and prevents you from picking up dirt, oil and bubble gum from outside. Whatever you prefer, make sure they're comfortable and easy on the feet.