![]() Photo courtesy of Coutts/RISD Museum, Providence, RI.The San Francisco group signed to Warner Brothers in early 1966 after eighteen months with indie Autumn Records, where they had scored the influential Top 20 hits ‘ Laugh, Laugh’ and ‘ Just A Little.’ In that time the Brummels released two largely self-composed albums, toured the country and made numerous film and TV appearances, and help spearhead America’s new cutting-edge folk-rock-pop sound, along with their contemporaries The Byrds and Lovin’ Spoonful. Obviously, the poor duke wasn't wearing a coat like this one.Ībove: Greatcoat, made by John Weston, c. When it was concluded Brummell stepped forward, and feeling the lapel delicately with his thumb and finger, said, in a most earnest and amusing manner, 'Bedford, do you call this thing a coat?'" 'Turn round,' said the Beau: His Grace did so, and the examination was continued in front. Brummell examined him from head to foot with as much attention as an adjutant of the Life Guards would the sentries on a drawing-room day. ![]() "On another occasion, the late Duke of Bedford asked for an opinion on his new coat. If you wish to wallow in more Brummell-isms, this book is now available to read online here. Seeing the coat also reminded me of a famous Brummell anecdote, relayed by his acquaintance Captain William Jesse in his 1844 biography The Life of George Brummell, esq., commonly called Beau Brummell. It truly is a beautiful garment, exquisitely stitched and tailored, and so closely cut that it's easy to see the lean, elegant male figure that Brummell must have possessed. Often in debt, Brummell never claimed the finished coat from the tailor, and it languished, unworn and pristine, in the vault of the banker Coutts & Co. This navy broadcloth greatcoat was made for Brummell by the London tailor John Weston about 1803. ![]() He was famously fastidious about tailoring, understated elegance, and personal cleanliness - qualities that had previously been in short supply among late 18th c. The most stylish gentleman of Regency England, George "Beau" Brummell (1778-1840) was a friend of the Prince Regent and perhaps the first true arbiter of men's fashion. The coat, left, is a real rarity: an actual garment made for Beau Brummell. I've written before ( here and here) about Artist/Rebel/Dandy: Men of Fashion, the fantastic exhibition of men's clothing shown earlier this year at the RISD Museum. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |