Althouse: "What's the point of returning, once evolved?"

June 26, 2019

"What's the point of returning, once evolved?"

70 comments:

traditionalguy said...: The clothes make the man. I agree with this dude 100%. Jos R Banks had a big sale last week. And never skimp on the shoes.; 6/26/19, 3:26 PM
Fen said...: Wish hats would come back.; 6/26/19, 3:29 PM
n.n said...: Evolution is a chaotic process. That said, style matters. Gentlemen, to your suits and hats. Do not glance at your shorts. Do not dare wear them. Do not lose feminine female respect.; 6/26/19, 3:36 PM
Etienne said...: You have to know he has a condom and a spare in his pocket.; 6/26/19, 3:39 PM
tcrosse said...: If you want to get ahead get a hat.; 6/26/19, 3:41 PM
gerry said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/26/19, 3:42 PM
buwaya said...: "Do not glance at your shorts"

But do wear culottes (breeches) and hose.
If you a revolutionary you do without the culottes.; 6/26/19, 3:43 PM
gerry said...: You have to know he has a condom and a spare in his pocket.

But are they Regency Period style?

Seriously, he is a very handsome man and the clothing suits him very well. So why not do what he's doing? He adds beauty to the world.; 6/26/19, 3:43 PM
mccullough said...: I’m waiting for spatz to make a comeback. And the ascot.; 6/26/19, 3:43 PM
buwaya said...: One day pith helmets will be back. I'm ready.; 6/26/19, 3:43 PM
gspencer said...: "Is that Mr Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire?"; 6/26/19, 3:44 PM
mccullough said...: Culottes remind me of Communist women in black and white photos turned sepia; 6/26/19, 3:44 PM
MadisonMan said...: It's very impressive that he makes his own clothes. I wish I could do that. The stuff I see in stores is blah. And he's a walking billboard for his business.

You gotta look sharp. Joe Jackson said it way back when. It's still true.; 6/26/19, 3:47 PM
richlb said...: He reminds me a bit of the Food Review guy. I still watch his videos on occasion.; 6/26/19, 3:47 PM
gerry said...: Culottes remind me of Communist women in black and white photos turned sepia

And don't forget about the French revolutionary faction the Sans Culottes.

I understand they felt drafts a lot.; 6/26/19, 3:48 PM
stevew said...: I have to say, I like the cut of this man's jib. Compare and contrast with all the dudes sporting the 'unique' hipster accoutrements. This man truly stands out.; 6/26/19, 3:49 PM
Howard said...: Dandy outfit; 6/26/19, 3:52 PM
Lucid-Ideas said...: Bring back capes!!!; 6/26/19, 3:52 PM
todd galle said...: Fantastic. I just did a 17th Century brewing demonstration in period clothing. I'd love to get a Regency rig, though my mid section is a little on the large side. 17th Century clothing is far more forgiving than the tighter stuff. I still do have a very nice calf though, so at 54 can still turn a leg.; 6/26/19, 4:00 PM
Unknown said...: I like the outfit, but you wear that outside in the US during the summer in many southern states, and you'll die of heat exhaustion. Something to consider when you call yourself evolved.; 6/26/19, 4:05 PM
buwaya said...: " but you wear that outside in the US during the summer in many southern states, and you'll die of heat exhaustion."

Its a question of acclimation and being fit. A little fat is a terrible thing.; 6/26/19, 4:10 PM
rcocean said...: Sorry, what did he do for a living again? He obviously doesn't have a regular job.

And those clothes are super-expensive. you can't got to Walmart and get some Regency shoes and hats.; 6/26/19, 4:11 PM
buwaya said...: Also you need a servant to deal with everything.

Linen suits in the tropics are the same.; 6/26/19, 4:11 PM
buwaya said...: "And those clothes are super-expensive. you can't got to Walmart and get some Regency shoes and hats."

They are bespoke. He made them. The fellow is actually a tailor.; 6/26/19, 4:12 PM
rcocean said...: He gotten remarks from a drunk at 3 in AM. hmmm... where was he - at 3 in the AM?; 6/26/19, 4:13 PM
J. Farmer said...: I've actually been to a few parties where dressing in something like this was required. And while it's easy to get caught up in the romance of it all, I could not imagine the practical realities of trying to pull something off regularly in a sub-tropical climate. It's often forgotten that the modern men's suit, now considered synonymous with formality and stuffiness, developed from the leisure wear of 19th century Britain.; 6/26/19, 4:14 PM
Joan said...: rcocean, he is a bespoke tailor. He makes all his own clothes, and his business is making custom clothing for others. The video is very short and very fun! Well worth it.

He does indeed add beauty to the world.; 6/26/19, 4:15 PM
exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...: Unknown said...
I like the outfit, but you wear that outside in the US during the summer in many southern states, and you'll die of heat exhaustion. Something to consider when you call yourself evolved.

6/26/19, 4:05 PM

People somehow managed it in the 18th and 19th century - without benefit of AC or deodorant.

No wonder those belles were always reaching for their smelling salts. Who wouldn't faint? They wore wearing corsets and hoop skirts and crinolines in 95 degree heat with 100 percent humidity!

But I like this young man's style. So much classier than skinny jeans and man buns.; 6/26/19, 4:16 PM
Howard said...: Bespoke: If clothes could talk; 6/26/19, 4:17 PM
Vance said...: I can't help but think of Boss Hogg from the Dukes of Hazzard. How could what he wore be practical in the slightest? Yet it's what the distinguished types wore. The fair southern' belles wore bustles for crying out loud.

Yes, they had servants to do the actual work that their clothes wouldn't allow them to do, but today we have air conditioning.

This guy stands out in a good way. Every woman I know, bar none, dreams about Mr. Darcy. My wife would, as faithful as she is, she'd go off with Mr. Darcy or someone like him. And I'd probably get the blame.; 6/26/19, 4:19 PM
MadisonMan said...: Bring back capes!!!

No Capes! (Obligatory link); 6/26/19, 4:23 PM
J. Farmer said...: No Capes!

He’s very independent; he doesn’t follow the trends.”; 6/26/19, 4:27 PM
Bilwick said...: A tip of my (imaginary) Regency cap to you, sir! I've always liked the Regency look and identified with the ideal of the Regency gentleman, who might read of write poetry in the AM, then go box, fence or ride horses in the PM, then home to his mistress.; 6/26/19, 4:27 PM
Narr said...: I took him at first for the late Thomas Wolfe, natty Virginian*. I love my own Southland, the humid subtropical mid-Mississippi valley, but if it wasn't for A/C I'd have a mind to live in Alaska, or at least Upper Michigan.

Growing up, not all my relatives had A/C, but they had sleeping porches, and fans, and we could wrap ourselves in damp sheets at bedtime and survive the night.

Seersucker tempts me sometime, but I spend most of the summer dressed like a castaway.

*One obit says he wore false spats!

Narr
Hats AND Spats!; 6/26/19, 4:38 PM
MountainMan said...: I've always liked the Regency and Georgian periods, not just for clothing, but also architecture and home furnishings.

My wife and I love to watch TV dramas from that period. We have recently been through "Vanity Fair", "Les Miserables", and the first 4 seasons of the recent (2015) version of "Poldark" from the BBC. Each has beautifully detailed sets and costumes, "Poldark" being the absolute best. I find the men's clothing to be occasionally a little over the top, it is really the women's dress - the empire-waisted gowns, the pastel colors, the bonnets, the beautiful hair - that I find so attractive. I wish people, the women especially, still dressed like this, at least for formal occasions.

In contrast there was an article that was getting reposted frequently on Facebook this past week about why Americans have become such slobs. I'll see if I can find it and post a link.

It's nice to see a young man find his niche and turn it into a nice career. I'll bet he gets a lot of business.

“You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” - Oscar Wilde; 6/26/19, 4:41 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: RE where he gets his clothing. They are bespoke. He made them. The fellow is actually a tailor.

And a very good one too!

There is really no comparison to wearing clothing that is made FOR you, and for you alone. I used to make most of my dresses and "nice" work clothing merely for the fact that it can be hard to find things "off the rack" that actually fit.

Plus the quality of ready made clothing has gotten noticeably worse over the years. Cheaply made items that fall apart in no time.

The luxury and the feeling of wearing clothing that fits, is indescribably wonderful.; 6/26/19, 4:44 PM
traditionalguy said...: For my birthday 2 weeks ago the wife bought me a Gray Blazer, a blue tie, white shirt and Tan slacks. Looks so good that I have worn it two Sundays in a row. Need to wear the blue blazer next Sunday.; 6/26/19, 4:54 PM
Mark said...: That's not a "Regency gentleman." That's a dandy, if not a fop.; 6/26/19, 4:56 PM
MountainMan said...: Dust Bunny Queen said... "There is really no comparison to wearing clothing that is made FOR you, and for you alone"

You are exactly right. I don't have my clothes made for me, I buy most of mine online (LL Bean or Land's End) because I am an odd size and hard to fit and usually can't find anything on the rack at a brick and mortar store. Several years ago I found downtown a small men's only tailor shop that does excellent work. Almost everything I buy - slacks, dress shirts, jeans, jackets - I take to him and let him check the fit and make alterations. He's very fast and relatively inexpensive and it has made a world of difference in how I look and how comfortable the clothes are to wear. I also had some bespoke slacks and shirts made at an Indian tailor shop in Singapore years ago and they were perfect, probably the best clothes I ever owned. Inexpensive, too, and done in a single day.; 6/26/19, 4:56 PM
J. Farmer said...: Bespoke clothing also helps you keep your wait in check since they often have a lot less give than ready-to-wear. It's also worth buying a more inexpensive suit and spending the savings on having it tailored. Fit is always the first thing to consider. If an item does not fit you properly, however good its other attributes, don't wear it.; 6/26/19, 4:57 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: Snappy dresser

a sartorial editorial. He's a fop!; 6/26/19, 4:59 PM
mockturtle said...: I admire individuality in dress. People shouldn't be slaves to style as defined by the fashion industry.; 6/26/19, 5:10 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: Mayor Pete would definitely have the Regency gentleman vote 'sewn up'
if he wore this to the debates.

... and maybe they should all dress in costume to reflect their schtick.

Booker in Thracian garb, Warren in full headdress, etc.; 6/26/19, 5:26 PM
Just an old country lawyer said...: He looks fabulous. I'm sorry that men have given up elegance in our clothing.Military uniforms seem to be improving somewhat since the 60's and 70's ( the Marines dress the best. Navy used to and seem to be recapturing their old style) but military uniforms during the Regency, that is, the Napoleonic Wars were the peak of men's elegance.

The best we can do in the deep south in summertime is seersucker. If I will be riding in an air conditioned car to an air conditioned venue I like to wear my double breasted seersucker suit with silk bow tie and pocket hanky with gleaming white bucks. I call it Mobile gay lawyer full battle dress. Elegant and manly.

My great uncle owned an office furniture and supply company in New Orleans in pre-air conditioning days. Every summer he bought 5 new seersucker suits, one for each working day of the week and their maid, Artemis would wash and iron them over the weekend. At the end if the summer they were done for.

Sorry for the long comment, but the topic is new and interesting as are y'all's comments.; 6/26/19, 5:27 PM
Fernandinande said...: I dress the same as everyone else so I'm harder to identify.; 6/26/19, 5:34 PM
Francisco D said...: I'm sorry that men have given up elegance in our clothing.

I wore a suit and tie for much of my adult life. If you spend a little money for quality material and tailoring, you can look rather elegant. However, it takes practice to look comfortable in that getup.

Of course, it helps to be tall and trim. Otherwise, you can get by with the Brooks Brothers sack suit.; 6/26/19, 5:40 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Just a convenient cover for a centuries-old vampire.; 6/26/19, 5:47 PM
wwww said...: Stunning embroidery on his outfit.; 6/26/19, 6:12 PM
rehajm said...: You could really be a Beau Brummell baby if you just gave it half a chance.

He would have been close but way off at Ascot last week...; 6/26/19, 6:13 PM
wwww said...: Oh it's not embroidery, I believe it's a cotton print. I love it! The circulation of cotton prints from India transformed dress in the the UK.; 6/26/19, 6:18 PM
MountainMan said...: "Just and old country lawyer" said..."Military uniforms seem to be improving somewhat since the 60's and 70's".

The US Army has just recently decided to return to the WWII-era "pinks and green" uniform. I believe the changeover begins next year.; 6/26/19, 6:19 PM
Greg Hlatky said...: No reason why well-tailored, dignified clothing can't also be comfortable.; 6/26/19, 6:48 PM
DavidUW said...: Pick a style and be good at it.

Hopefully it’s not skid row/sf homeless style.

Speaking of the Bay, one thing is you can actually wear black broadcloth as Twain termed it year round. Or real pants, shirt and a jacket year round. I’m wearing linen jackets these days to account for the brutal 71 degree pm peak temperature; 6/26/19, 6:49 PM
Roughcoat said...: No reason why well-tailored, dignified clothing can't also be comfortable.

Hot humid summer weather is the reason. Life is hard then you die. No need to make it harder (and more uncomfortable) by wearing a suit and tie when the heat index is topping 100.; 6/26/19, 6:56 PM
tim maguire said...: I'm afraid to ask what his clothes cost, but if I had the money, I’d buy a couple suits.; 6/26/19, 7:27 PM
Bilwick said...: Mark writes, "That is not a Regency gentleman, that is a dandy or fop." Are they mutually exclusive categories? If you saw a contemporary painting of the first, would you be able to say it was a picture of a Regency gentleman and not a dandy? If so, what would the distinguishing characteristics? ("Fop," I suspect, is simply too subjective, one man's dandy being another man's fop.); 6/26/19, 7:39 PM
rcocean said...: Oh, he's a tailor? Well, that makes sense. His clothes are really an advertisement for his business.; 6/26/19, 7:43 PM
Jaq said...: Histrionic personality disorder. Next!; 6/26/19, 7:44 PM
rcocean said...: Wearing the right footwear? Or sneakers? I'd say the 2nd.; 6/26/19, 7:46 PM
J. Farmer said...: @Bilwick:

Are they mutually exclusive categories?

Certainly not. The Regency look was almost single-handedly popularized by Beau Brummell, the father of British dandyism. At the time of the dandy, they would've considered the fops their enemies, as fops were associated with the excessive ornamentation of the continent (e.g. powder, wigs, breeches, etc.).; 6/26/19, 7:54 PM
J. Farmer said...: @Nobody:

Histrionic personality disorder. Next!

Always possible, but he certainly did not present that way in the video. If anything, his personality came across as rather subdued and understated.; 6/26/19, 7:56 PM
daskol said...: As a walking billboard, he's dressing for people to look at him, and keep looking. I prefer a more camouflage style.; 6/27/19, 6:40 AM
Doug said...: Wish hats would come back.
They have, with decidedly hideous results. What - you don't have hipsters where you live?; 6/27/19, 7:51 AM
Anonymous said...: On a somewhat related note, there is (or was) a musical fad called "Chap-Hop" - rap, but with proper British diction. The practitioners dressed in 1920s styles. Some of it is strangely compelling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiRPBCiJg2c; 6/27/19, 8:51 AM
FIDO said...: A point on geography: London is 51 degrees latitude, about the same as Labrador Canada.

Their average high is 70 degrees with a record high of 87.

It is 81 where I live right this second in Ohio at 10 am and it is nowhere near a record (98* for the interested) Highest temp this week is 89.

So...yeah.; 6/27/19, 9:29 AM
Anonymous said...: Blogger Dust Bunny Queen said...
"RE where he gets his clothing. They are bespoke. He made them. The fellow is actually a tailor.

And a very good one too!

There is really no comparison to wearing clothing that is made FOR you, and for you alone. I used to make most of my dresses and "nice" work clothing merely for the fact that it can be hard to find things "off the rack" that actually fit.

Plus the quality of ready made clothing has gotten noticeably worse over the years. Cheaply made items that fall apart in no time. "

When I wore a suit every day to work, all of my shirts were custom made. The additional up front cost was more than made up by the additional wear I got out of them. It turns out that shirts (and I assume other items as welllast a LOT longer if they fit you properly.; 6/27/19, 9:32 AM
Anonymous said...: "The US Army has just recently decided to return to the WWII-era "pinks and green" uniform. I believe the changeover begins next year."

I wore that uniform in ROTC; it only looks good if it fits right. Otherwise not.; 6/27/19, 10:12 AM
PM said...: Teller: Good morning, sir.
Pinset: Good morning.
Teller: How may I help you?
Pinset: I would like all your money.
Teller: Very well, sir.; 6/27/19, 10:42 AM
ALP said...: Woah, paging ReviewBrah - I would love to see a video collaboration between the two talking about clothes. I have shopped thrift stores for years. See all sorts of garish bridesmaid/prom dresses and often thought of wearing them just for the hell of it. WHY NOT? Wear them to work and see how long it takes HR to call you in for a meeting about your clothing.; 6/27/19, 12:23 PM
Bill Peschel said...: "I still do have a very nice calf though, so at 54 can still turn a leg."

It amused me to learn that men with skinny legs would tuck fill-ins made of wood to give themselves a proper manly calf shape.; 6/27/19, 3:12 PM