Food & Drink
Styled: Century Ballroom’s Hallie Kuperman Brings a Feminine Edge to Vintage Men’s Suits
When dance teacher Kuperman first fell in love with social dancing more than two decades ago, she qu
By Seattle Mag February 4, 2011

This article originally appeared in the March 2011 issue of Seattle magazine.
WHY WE LOVE HER LOOK: When dance teacher Kuperman first fell in love with social dancing more than two decades ago, she quickly grew even more enamored of the period vintage clothing worn on the dance floor. But instead of the full skirts and kitten heels, Kuperman was attracted to the classic, tailored menswear, and soon began sporting dressy tuxedos, vintage gold cuff links and dapper ties. “When you teach, people are staring at you all the time,” Kuperman says, “and vintage suits are easy to move in, look pulled together and add an instant touch of class.” An avid fan of local designer Michael Cepress’ colorful button-ups and chic bowties (which she often wears untied), Kuperman combs Capitol Hill in search of perfectly fitting, slightly androgynous garments, leaning toward single-breasted coats and smaller men’s sizes circa the 1940s or ’50s for a flattering, quirky style that clicks both on and off the floor.
THE ENSEMBLE: Consuelo Zoelly fitted white cotton button-up paired with Zoelly brown herringbone military-cut jacket with cream silk lining, shoulder epaulettes and square pockets, a Paris find; Michael Cepress burnt orange and cream silk bowtie, michaelcepress.com; chocolate brown vintage tuxedo pants with silk stripe, from Take 2 consignment; brown leather tuxedo shoes, from Red Light Vintage Clothing; vintage jeweled gold cuff links, a gift.
Hallie’s Shopping Stops:
Atlas Clothing
Capitol Hill
1419 10th Ave.
206.323.0960
atlasclothing.net
Michael Cepress
michaelcepress.com
Red Light Vintage Clothing
Two locations, including
University District
4560 University Way NE
206.545.4044
redlightvintage.com
Take 2
Capitol Hill
430 15th Ave. E
206.324.2569
Value Village
Kuperman’s favorite: Capitol Hill
1525 11th Ave.
206.322.7789
valuevillage.com