Dandyism

The dandies were essentially the Edwardian male equivalents to female beauty. It was mostly a London movement, but there were French equivalents of dandies as well. Edwardian fashion is mostly tipped in the favor of women given their lavish and eloquent gowns, hairstyles and hats, but the dandies of the Edwardian era sought to make their own imprint when it came to fashion beauty. Think of it as the metro sexual of the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. Typical attire of the dandy gentleman would include tophats, bowlers, walking canes, the monocle, ascots and suits made from the most expensive fabrics around Europe. Many royals were dandies to express their lineage along with wealthy industrialists and well known writers.

So called dandyism can be traced throughout European history to further emphasize a man’s place in society. It can even be traced far back to medieval Europe where gentlemen were expected to exhibit courtly attire at all times and live up to the concept of chivalry. Edwardian dandies can be seen at the latest operas, theaters and intellectual circles. He could be seen strolling through the parks of west end London with his wife or mistress. Dandies could be seen in the parlors discussing the latest in philosophy or literature. They comprised of only the upper class: royals, old and new monies, intellectuals, writers etc. Any man who had the resources could buy such grandiose attire, but the dandies were the ones who made dandyism into not just fashion statement, but a way of life. The core concepts of dandyism were class, style and intellectualism.