What is now called "swing" originated as a number of different dance styles in the 1920s and '30s, primarily in black communities in New York. Swing dancing and jazz music grew together and had a lot to do with each others' developments. The best known styles of dance that originated during this time are the Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug.
The dances were so impressive to watch and fun to do that they quickly went mainstream and were embraced by social dance enthusiasts and band leaders, white and black alike.
It took some time for the professional dance community to accept what was thought of as just a "craze" but swing eventually became an acceptable and competitive form of ballroom still celebrated today.
Ballroom dance teachers began teaching slower, modified versions of the Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug, and the "West Coast" and "East Coast" styles were born out of this simplification of the dances that were too fast and challenging for beginners.
The fashions of the time were a big part of the social experience of swing dancing and jazz clubs. Because the ability to move freely was important, pants and short skirts were often worn to allow for the athletic maneuvering required of women participating in the acrobatics of the dance. But as swing worked its way into sophisticated dance halls and ballrooms across the country, pants and short skirts were replaced with classier dresses. But a form-fitting dress with a tight skirt would not do, and dress styles evolved to accommodate the range of motion. And it didn't take long to figure out that a full, flowy skirt greatly complimented the drama of lifts and spins. Since skirts were going to be flying up and revealing what's underneath, stockings and undergarments had to be just as presentable as the rest of the outfit.
Modern day swingers love to dress up in period clothes, hair, and makeup inspired by the '30s, '40s, and '50s when they go out dancing. It makes the experience more fun and authentic. Lots of modern-day designers still create fashions that cater to competitive and casual swing dancers. Broad Minded Clothing and other brands provide full-skirted dresses that, when paired with a petticoat skirt, make swing dancing as fun and fabulous today as it was back then!