WHY ROYAL MEN HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE IN STYLE
You don’t need blue blood to transform your wardrobe into something regal, says Stephen Doig
If you haven’t seen
The Crown yet, draw the curtains against the dark winter nights, fire up Netflix and revel in the ceremonial splendour of the Queen and Prince Philip’s early days of marriage before series two starts next month.
And while Claire Foy and Vanessa Kirby’s depictions of Her Majesty and Princess Margaret, respectively, have captured fashion imaginations, Prince Philip’s impeccable sense of style shouldn’t be overlooked. Played by Matt Smith, with costumes created by Emmy winner Michele Clapton, his style is thoughtfully replicated to marry his proud naval heritage with his love of British sartorial tradition and dynamic sportsmanship. Interest might be at a particular fever pitch thanks to the Bafta and Golden Globewinning show, but the gentlemen of the royal household have always held their own.
While speculation mounts over whether we’ll be celebrating another royal engagement soon, men’s magazine Esquire chose to make Prince Charles, rather than Harry, the focus of its attention with an issue devoted to his sense of style earlier this year, paying tribute to his safari shirtings, smart skiwear and patronage of Savile Row.
Of course, it helps that there’s a fine lineage to learn from and evolve; while he earned himself permanent “black sheep” status when he abdicated, the Duke of Windsor is widely heralded as one of the most enduring men’s style icons of the 20th century, thanks to his balance of elegant tailoring with outdoors attire, while Edward VII is widely credited as introducing the very idea of evening dress to 20th century society when he asked for his cumbersome tailcoat to be shortened into an evening jacket.
Even if, like yours truly, you’re lacking in a particularly blue-ish tinge to your blood, there are some perennials to take away from our roster of royal men. While checks, plaids, herringbones and tweeds can be overly twee, countrified attire as such has long been a mainstay during Balmoral retreats; unless you’re laird of your own baronial estate, take a tip from the Duke of Windsor in his use of window pane patterns, which look more au courant and graphic, and have been updated by Hardy Amies this season (who himself outfitted Queen Elizabeth II).
Prince Charles launched the Campaign for Wool to shout about the brilliance of British wool in 2010, and has long been an advocate of British clothing production and the importance of British mills; you needn’t have to rely on Savile Row for beautifully made, British-produced pieces; today the likes of Hackett and Reiss employ Fox Brothers flannel in their coats and jackets. You don’t need a particularly regal gait to add a princely touch to your winter wardrobe.