Swing Dance Clothing Styles

Swing dancers take their clothing style from the fashions of the 1920’s thru the 1950’s. A big part of the swing dance is the type of clothing you wear on the dance floor. Since it is a very energetic dance, the type of clothes you wear has to be loose and comfortable.  

Shoes

The shoes for swing dancing need to be functional on the dance floor but still have a great sense of style. Shoes with a smooth sole are best to do the jitterbug and while you can choose to wear a trendy sneaker, you need to make sure to choose a pair made for dancing.

Clothing for Men

For men in swing dancing there are a couple of varieties of clothing to choose from. Outfits from WWII have been known to make an appearance but the majority of swing dancing men wear what is known as a zoot suit. A zoot suit consists of high-waist trousers that are extremely baggy in the thighs and taper down to narrow ankles. This ensemble is covered with a jacket that reaches sometimes all the way to the knees.

Lightweight pants are best for this vigorous dance style so that you are kept cool. Add a nice pair of suspenders and you are ready to heat up the dance floor.

Clothing for Women

For women who swing dance the flapper style dresses of the 1920’s make quite a show. The 1930’s and 1940’s pinup dresses are also popular as are the bobby socks and knee-length circle skirts. All of these styles look great when twirling around on the dance floor.