The History of our Vintage Botanical Wedding How did this vintage botanical wedding happen? Well, it happened in a blink of an eye. Only yesterday, my precious boy was asking for another bowl of ...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/diy-vintage-botanical-wedding/
Why the tutorial on a DIY Vintage mic? Not only am I an author, I act, direct, and am the Chairperson for Education at our local community theatre. It’s a lovely old building that has been eith...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/budget-diy-vintage-mic-microphone/
Spring is inching closer and I’m tidying up, and that means organizing my jewelry. I don’t have a ton of bakelite like other vintage girls, although I have some and hold it very dear, but I d...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/pining-for-vintage-pins/
The Night Tiger: A Vintage Book Review The Night Tiger book review by Tam Francis The Synopsis The Night Tiger (Flatiron Books; First Edition, Second Printing edition (February 12, 2019) by Ya...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/the-night-tiger-book-review/
As I finish up the third and last book in my Jitterbug Dress series, I read non fiction for inspiration. Here are my picks for vintage swing non fiction summer reads I recommend for anyone who li...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/top-5-vintage-swing-non-fiction-summer-reads/
Yule Be Swinging This Top List of Dance Music by Tam Francis No Sentimental Music It’s the holidays and although I love Christmas music, I can do without the sad, make you cry and miss your lo...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/top-list-christmas-swing-dance-music/
~ My Dream Vintage Girl Scout Troop ~ By Tam Francis What’s a vintage mom supposed to do when her daughter joins the Girl Scouts? Form a Vintage Ambassador Troop, of course. Here’s my story o...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/my-dream-vintage-girl-scout-troop/
~Some Girls, Some Hats And Hitler: Book Review with a Vintage Slant~ By Tam Francis The Synopsis Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler by Trudi Kanter (originally self published in 1984, republished b...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/girls-hats-hitler-book-review-vintage-slant/
Hot New Release in time for Halloween & the Writer’s Journey by Tam Francis Time to Buy The collection of short stories, perfect for Halloween, is finally here and available on Amazon, Kindle, ...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/hot-new-release-time-halloween-writers-journey/
Remembering the First Camp Hollywood By Tam Francis In honor of this year’s Camp Hollywood, I go back in time, into the archives of Swivel: Vintage Living Magazine and tell you what is was li...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/remembering-first-camp-hollywood/
~ Making History Come Alive Through Vintage Sewing ~ by Tam Francis I recently had the honor of playing opposite my daughter in a charming period play called Chicago Gypsies, set in the early 193...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/making-history-come-alive-vintage-sewing/
Confessions of a Neo-Swing Dancer: Truth be Told by Tam Francis Writing Isn’t Enough I’ve written a fictional jitterbug novel, the first draft of a sequel and a ghost story collection of vin...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/confessions-neo-swing-dancer-truth-told/
What’s your Swing Dance I.Q. ? Test your history and Lindy Hop Knowledge here. Are you Advanced, Intermediate, Beginner or Total Newbie? ♦ ♦ ♦ Which Dance Group was Frankie Manning NOT in...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/whats-swing-dance-q/
~ The Biggest Jitterbug Contest in History ~ By Peter Loggins edited by Tam Francis I’m thrilled to share another article by dance historian Peter Loggins. I was fortunate to have Peter on staf...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/biggest-jitterbug-contest-history/
~ A Brief Interview with Lindy Legend Frankie Manning ~ By Tam Francis For anyone of you longhairs who don’t know who Frankie Manning is, just keep swinging and you soon will. Frankie Manning i...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/interview-lindy-legend-frankie-manning/
~ How to create a vintage swing wedding on a budget ~ When David and I got married we wanted to have a vintage wedding. I mistakenly picked up b...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/create-vintage-swing-wedding-budget/
~ Meet Jimmy Valentine the Extraordinary One-Legged Lindy Hopper ~ by Peter Loggins edited by Tam Francis About Peter Loggins Peter is a dancer and dance historian who I had the very great pleasu...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/meet-jimmy-valentine-extraordinary-one-legged-lindy-hopper/
~ How do you handle Dancing Fools: Read this Q & A ~ by Tam Francis Over the years I’ve taught dance, jitterbugged, collected vintage and published my (out of print) magazine, Swivel:Vintage L...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/handle-dancing-fools-read-q/
~ How to get Dealer Deals at the Auction: Home Vintage ~ by Tam Francis You got the dance lessons, you’re a great jitterbug. You’ve got the duds, the hair, the acce...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/get-dealer-deals-auction-home-vintage/
~ Meet Django Reinhardt: The Gypsy Jazz Man ~ by the late Jacob Faust edited by Tam Francis Django Reinhardt, an in-depth biography on the late jazz guitarist virtuoso, written by his good frie...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/meet-django-reinhardt-gypsy-jazz-man/
~ How To Spot Phony Vintage ~ by Tam Francis I thought we gals had it figured out, but the more I read and see lately, the more inaccurate information is being passed o...
~ Bakelite The Queen of Plastic Jewelry ~ The Clink of Bakelite Bracelets This past Christmas and birthday I received my first Bakelite bracelets, a gift from my dear friend Lynnda. As a swing ...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/bakelite-queen-plastic-jewelry/
~ The Short Story of The Shim Sham ~ by Harri Heinila This is a reblog from a wonderful site of the history of Jazz Dance. Harri Heinila has graciously agreed to let me share this with you on my...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/short-story-shim-sham/
~Interview with Dean Mora: 1920’s 1930’s Preservationist Band Leader~ I had the pleasure of interviewing Dean Mora when publishing my magazine Swivel:Vintage Living. I have transcribed and up...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/interview-dean-mora-1920s-1930s-preservationist-band-leader/
~ Style Me Vintage: Book Review ~ I received a fabulous little gem for Christmas from my sister. It’s a must have for any gal who loves dressing vintage and needs a little help with the vintage...
https://www.girlinthejitterbugdress.com/style-vintage-book-review/