Suits you, sir!
Dedicated follower of fashion Beau Brummell was one of the first male style icons. MARION MCMULLEN looks at some top trendsetting guys
IT is said Regency dandy Beau Brummell polished his boots with champagne to give them the ultimate shine and could spend up to five hours a day refining his look.
The politician’s son was even making fashion statements as a youngster at Eton by adding a gold buckle to the school’s standard cravat.
His lack of family money did not stop him from cutting a stylish figure in London society and he was a fashion trendsetter long before the term even existed. Often in debt, but never less than stylish, Beau was born 240 years ago on June 7 and became friends with the Prince of Wales, the future King George IV.
Beau changed the face of male fashion and was among the first to champion a well-fitted suit jacket and trousers instead of breeches and stockings and favoured cravats with elaborate knots and ties.
“I have no talents other than to dress. My genius is in the wearing of clothes,” the dandy once said.
The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest playwright Oscar Wilde also cut a dashing figure in society in the late 19th century with his flamboyant style that included capes and bow ties. He also launched the fashion for wearing green carnations. “I have the simplest tastes,” he insisted. “I am always satisfied with the best.”
Legend has it that Hollywood star Clark Gable was responsible for vest sales across America falling by 75% when he appeared bare-chested in his Oscar-winning 1934 film It Happened One Night.
Some underwear manufacturers were even said to have tried to sue the film company because the shirtless scene led to male cinemagoers following the trend and ditching their undershirts.
American President John F Kennedy caused a similar impact on hat sales when he failed to wear one for his 1961 inaugural address speech.
The humble T-shirt became the coolest item in the male wardrobe though from the 1950s thanks to James Dean, who wore one in 1955 film Rebel Without A Cause, and Marlon Brando’s appearance in a muscle-hugging t-shirt to play Stanley Kowalski in 1951 movie classic A Streetcar Named Desire.
Fitted T-shirts were unheard of back then, so Marlon’s shirt was washed several times before the back was stitched up to make it tighter.
Tie manufacturers couldn’t get any satisfaction from The Rolling Stones in the 1960s even though The Tatler and Cutter magazine printed a plea to the British band to start wearing ties to save tie makers from ruin.
The 1965 article pointed out: “With position comes responsibility. It is a thought we recommend to the Rolling Stones. We would urge pop stars everywhere to give at least passing consideration to the financial straits in which the manufacturers are likely to find themselves if the next generation goes eternally opennecked.”
Music and fashion have often gone hand in hand and flamboyant Queen singer Freddie Mercury once pointed out: “I have fun with my clothes on stage. It’s not a concert you’re seeing, it’s a fashion show.”
Top Gun was the highest grossing film of 1986 and took $356m dollars worldwide and it also sent sales of Ray-Ban sunglasses sky-high. Tom Cruise’s character Maverick sported a pair of its iconic Aviator range and sales increased around 40%.
The following year saw red braces becoming the ultimate status symbol for power dressing when they were featured in director Oliver Stone’s film Wall Street along with the mantra “greed is good”. Even Peckham wheeler-dealer Del Boy briefly adopted the braces look in BBC comedy Only Fools And Horses.
Television has also influenced male fashion with many adopting the look made famous by Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC’s very successful modern-day Sherlock Holmes.
It’s not the deerstalker hat or the calabash pipe which has seen a revival in fortunes, but the sleuth’s stylish long coat.
The Belstaff “Milford” coat had actually been discontinued when the series began in 2010, but the success of Sherlock led to it being relaunched. It quickly sold out and was reiussed again in 2015 in a new colour.
Three coats were worn during filming and the BBC costume department added the red buttonhole detail on each. However, Sherlock style does not come cheap and the Milford coat will set you back more than £1,000.
But, as Citizen Kane film star, writer and director Orson Welles once said: “Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.”