Article in The New York Observer

After reading this article, I ordered her book thru Amazon and it arrived today. So maybe I'll report on the shortly.

Sorry, but what she describes as "Dandyism" strikes me as a ghastly melange of extreme foppery, extravagant costuming and garish bad taste--in all, the very antithesis of true dandyism as exemplified by the immortal Beau, which was based on principles of restrained, refined elegance and exquisite good taste.

Yeah, what he said. I would never take this guy seriously.

She lost me at this line:

...makeup more artfully applied than Johnny Depp's swashbuckler-meets-Keith-Richards look in the Pirates of the Caribbean...

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Still, the urban landscape would be far less boring than it is -even in areas inhabited by people of taste - if there were more of her dandies around. As far as "dandy" goes, I think words evolve, particuarly words like this. I suppose the initial meaning was someone with exquisite taste, whose divergences from the normal way of dressing were subtle and determined mainly by a preference for the highest quality. However, in the popular mind today, it means a peacock who wears flashy, overdressy, colorful clothing. A man who seeks to stick out. I don't think dandies are looked upon with fondness by most. They are certainly a rarer breed, at least here in America, than the original type of dandy.

What she refers to seems to be a way of dressing that was abolished in the 19th century but men did wear colorful outfits with lace and whatnot a few centuries ago.

Mathieu

Sorry, but what she describes as "Dandyism" strikes me as a  ghastly melange of extreme foppery, extravagant costuming and garish bad taste--in all, the very antithesis of true dandyism as exemplified by the immortal Beau, which was based on principles of restrained, refined elegance and exquisite good taste.

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Dandyism has numerous schools, and Beau Brummel's was the founder of only one of them. He emphasized purity, and restraint whilsT say the Incroyables liked cravats so high they could not turn their heads.

Then there was the Wildean school, and Sir Beerbohm Tree, et al.

LabelKing, this sounds interesting, do you have more on these various schools? any reference (web or others)?

Mathieu

LabelKing, this sounds interesting, do you have more on these various schools? any reference (web or others)?

Mathieu

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There isn't much on the internet however I highly reccommend a text by Ellen Moers called "The Dandy."

It is not availble new but search for it on Alibris.

Looking up amazon.com I found a few books that are available. http://www.amazon.com/exec....x=0&y=0 Know of them?

I know of, and own "Dandyism" by Jules Barbery d'Aurevilly who was a famed dandy himself in the more flamboyant school.

It is actually a study of the spartan Beau Brummel but provides a fine insight.

Also "The Last of the Dandies" is a fine if not a solitary biography of the Comte d'Orsay by Nick Foulkes who is a noted patron of Saville Row, John Lobb, etc. Foulkes dips his watchband into Houbigant perfume as learned from his idol, the Comte d'Orsay.

"The Chap" is actually a magazine; rather excellent. A bit kitsch but nonetheless a resource.

"How to be a Complete Dandy" I know of but it seems the intention of that tome is a bit contrived?

But the most studied, and erudite text would still be Ellen Moers' book.

I know of, and own "Dandyism" by Jules Barbery d'Aurevilly who was a famed dandy himself in the more flamboyant school.

It is actually a study of the spartan Beau Brummel but provides a fine insight.

Also "The Last of the Dandies" is a fine if not a solitary biography of the Comte d'Orsay by Nick Foulkes who is a noted patron of Saville Row, John Lobb, etc. Foulkes dips his watchband into Houbigant perfume as learned from his idol, the Comte d'Orsay.

"The Chap" is actually a magazine; rather excellent. A bit kitsch but nonetheless a resource.

"How to be a Complete Dandy" I know of but it seems the intention of that tome is a bit contrived?

But the most studied, and erudite text would still be Ellen Moers' book.

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Could you please give me the original title? I looked up amazon.fr and found a boook on Barbery d'Aurevilly but no book by him on this topic.

Ellen Moers' book may be a bit hard come get from remote Singapore.

Found it. The title is "Du dandysme et de George Brummell" so no surprise it is about Brummell.

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(LabelKing @ Mar. 08 2005,13:49) I know of, and own "Dandyism" by Jules Barbery d'Aurevilly who was a famed dandy himself in the more flamboyant school. It is actually a study of the spartan Beau Brummel but provides a fine insight. Also "The Last of the Dandies" is a fine if not a solitary biography of the Comte d'Orsay by Nick Foulkes who is a noted patron of Saville Row, John Lobb, etc. Foulkes dips his watchband into Houbigant perfume as learned from his idol, the Comte d'Orsay. "The Chap" is actually a magazine; rather excellent. A bit kitsch but nonetheless a resource. "How to be a Complete Dandy" I know of but it seems the intention of that tome is a bit contrived? But the most studied, and erudite text would still be Ellen Moers' book.
Could you please give me the original title? I looked up amazon.fr and found a boook on Barbery d'Aurevilly but no book by him on this topic. Ellen Moers' book may be a bit hard come get from remote Singapore.
I believe d'Aurevilly's text is simply titled "Dandyism."