Uploaded February 2018 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
As the quintessential dandy who started it all, Beau Brummell would be hard to beat; and since the 1800s, he effectively hasn't. In this fascinating slice of sartorial history, however, both the dawn and dusk of dandyism are thoroughly examined, using seven individuals as prime exemplars, including the Duke of Windsor, Bunny Roger and the ineffable Quentin Crisp. But it also includes a revealing string of less obvious subscribers (q.v. the colourful index), such as Noel Coward and Rex Harrison.
This is an uncommonly perceptive study. Philip Mann depicts the interlocking relationship between dandyism and decadence with splendid panache, celebrating its past, while mourning its uncertain future.
More book reviews at thisoldHoarehouse.com
As the quintessential dandy who started it all, Beau Brummell would be hard to beat; and since the 1800s, he effectively hasn't. In this fascinating slice of sartorial history, however, both the dawn and dusk of dandyism are thoroughly examined, using seven individuals as prime exemplars, including the Duke of Windsor, Bunny Roger and the ineffable Quentin Crisp. But it also includes a revealing string of less obvious subscribers (q.v. the colourful index), such as Noel Coward and Rex Harrison.
This is an uncommonly perceptive study. Philip Mann depicts the interlocking relationship between dandyism and decadence with splendid panache, celebrating its past, while mourning its uncertain future.
More book reviews at thisoldHoarehouse.com
