Dandyism

[Miguel Antonio]

Are you interested in 19th century literature pertaining to the subject of dandyism? Do you consider yourself a dandy?

 

[appolyon]

I am interested in the literature but I don't consider myself a dandy.

 

[LabelKing]

I am interested.

 

[Miguel Antonio]

Check this out: http://www.dandyism.net/?page_id=27

The Canon at Dandyism.net.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Miguel Antonio

Check this out: http://www.dandyism.net/?page_id=27 The Canon at Dandyism.net.
Those are all rather definitive texts for both leisurely reading and academic study. I would also add Susan Sontag's "Notes on Camp."

 

[JayJay]

I'm interested but I don't consider myself to be a dandy, I'm not even interested in becoming one.

 

[iconoclasm]

oscar wilde is one of my favorite authors, but I am a total slob for the most part so I guess that means i am no dandy

 

[JayJay]

My outfits are too conservative and boring for me to be a dandy. I like quality items but I don't like for a particular item to be noticed or for the overall look to stand out too much.

 

[odoreater]

No and no.

 

[Get Smart]

Originally Posted by odoreater

No and no.

the right answer.

 

[Dedalus]

Honestly, I think I would be a little creeped out if I ever met a dandy in real life.

 

[Get Smart]

Isnt being a "dandy" one of those things where if you have to say you are, then you really aren't? kinda like "punk"

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

Isnt being a "dandy" one of those things where if you have to say you are, then you really aren't? kinda like "punk"

Absolutely.

The books are somewhat interesting in a historical way, but the problem with most of them is that they try to tease waaaaaay too much "meaning" out of what is essentially a frivilous or at least second-order phenomenon. The only thing more tiresome than the writings of Barbey are writings on Barbey.

Laver's book is short, interesting, well written, conveys all the essential information, and does not take the subject too seriously. Ellen Moers' book is a more exhaustive study, but will interest only the die-hard.

 

[emptym]

Rene Girard, a French literary critic/anthropologist, who taught for many years at Stanford has some interesting thoughts on the dandy.

Girard thinks that all desire is triangular. One person desires an object only because another (the model) desires it. In other words, all our desires are imitated or, as he says, "mimetic."

The dandy pretends to desire only himself
in the hopes of attracting the desire of others.

The key is the air of feigned indifference or boredom common to the dandy.
A good example was in the NY Times on Sunday in the style section. Sebastian Horsley who wears a 10 inch high hat and platform shoes because, he says "I figure most people are born to be talked down to." But he also admits to being upset and "enlightened" in Tokyo where "he "walked around... causing no sensation whatsoever."

The dandy feigns indifference, disgust, or superiority to others, because he wants their attention so badly. It can be related to loving clothes, but the key is the feigned indifference.

 

[Augusto86]

What if you are simply magnificently indifferent?