LONDON'S SWINGING AGAIN - IN TAILS

London swings again but not to the 1960s  tunes. Now, the vibes of the 1920s, 30s, 40s are resonating about town, attracting young and old to dress up, turn up and strut their stuff.

A quick search online reveals a cornucopia of such evening occasions, promising introductory lessons on the lindy hop, the charleston, quickstep and other such steps for tripping the light fantastic. After any lesson, the main event kicks off, some with groups, some with big bands, some with crooners, providing the cheery, jolly tunes of the times. And up get the enthusiasts, almost to a man and a woman, no hanging back here, to indulge in a veritable frenzy of vintage dancing in their period costumes.

Hard by the site once famous as the Marquee Club in Soho's Wardour Street, the Floridita has live music and dancing every night, and early in April had Alex Mendham and his Big Band performing vintage dance music. Guests, many of them clearly regulars, showed off their dance expertise and their style. Most of the men were in tails, some white ties, and the ladies in the lean, slinky dresses of the 20s and 30s. There was a prize for the best dress lady and gent. It was such fun as well as stylish.

And there are plenty of other venues about town showing that a vintage revival is very much in vogue, with special clubs emerging to cater for enthusiasts. The Candlelight Club is one such, devoted to organising Roaring Twenties evenings and preparing for a rush of 1920s interest when the latest 'Great Gatsby' film launches in May.

Elegant dancers at top and flapper above, as seen at Candlelight Club events. Right, Mark a professional dancer in tails from Pure Class, photo by John Sinclair.
Below, Leonardo DiCaprio is the latest to play Gatsby in the film to be released in May.
Below right, an immaculate white tie and tails suit from Ede & Ravenscroft. At bottom, a professional dancer's tailsuit by Pure Class Bespoke. And bottom right, a shawl collared dinner suit from Timothy Everest.

"We have a series of Great Gatsby events happening around the launch of the movie," Nige Carlos of Candlelight reports. All are held at venues kept secret until just before the date, all lit by candlelight, and all dedicated to the 1920s jazz age and the prohibition era.Partygoers are expected to dress to impress in vintage style, and a list of suppliers of suitable clothes and hairdo's is provided on their website www.thecandlelightclub.com

Savile Row may also prepare itself for a rush of interest in evening tails. Just as it might have seemed that tails had been pretty well allocated to Ascot and weddings, this revival may call for skills that have been languishing in quite a few houses. They will undoubtedly rise to the occasion, but customers need to bear in mind that a fully bespoke Savile Row set takes time.

For those keen to look the part soonest at 20s parties, there are made-to-measure and vintage alternatives. Kent Haste & Lachter is one that offers made-to-measure tails as well as bespoke, while www.savvyrow.co.uk is a good source of authentic vintage outfits.

Given that a bespoke set in the Row would set a young clubber back by quite a few thousand pounds, those keen to embrace the professional level dancing may feel an investment in a professional tail suit is worth it and at a rather more reasonable price.

Mark Plant of Pure Class Dancewear has been a professional dancer for 35 years and a professional dance tailor for over 25 years. His suits are designed for the needs of the dancer and sell all over the world.

Pure Class trousers may seem a tad full for current fashion, some suits may have no linings, but they are fully bespoke, and tailored exactly to fit the energetic requirements of a dancer.

“We have developed some very particular cloths for our new suits,” says manager Andy Brown. “They are stretch cloths, woollen with 6% lycra content, and a fantastic microfiber cloth with a satin inner face that takes the place of the lining. Both of these have a one way stretch which allows the back line to be kept tensioned and clean, and means the suit moves much better with the dancer."

The company is based in Staffordshire, and sources most of its cloths from Yorkshire, as well buttons and other requirements. "If we cannot find a product that is made in England, " says Brown, " we will either get it made for us or make it ourselves."

But they have a completely gobal reach when it comes to selling and attending dance competitions, Mark Plant one of the top international adjudicators. This means they have built up a very personal service, geared to the needs not just of each dancer but to particular dance sectors as well.

So, when next watching those dancers gyrate on TV, you will appreciate why their pants don't split at the seams or their jackets bulge at the neckline. They have been bespoken for the dance. wwwpureclassbespoke.com