english runway fashion | Cufflinks Blog

Posts Tagged ‘english runway fashion’

Charles Dickens’ 200th Birthday Gives Great Fashion

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

 

 

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way — in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”-Charles Dickens

Aymara Brown Sea Rectangle Butterfly CufflinksAymara Brown Sea Rectangle Butterfly Cufflinks

As we saw yesterday, great literary figures have a major influence on fashion, as well as their works. Dickens, with his classic Great Expectations, Christmas Carol, and Oliver Twist, has, after a long 200 year stretch, greatly affected our fashion sense.

“Please sir, I want some more.”

[iframe width=”420″ height=”315″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen=”” src=”
<http://www.youtube.com/embed/sZrgxHvNNUc>
http://www.youtube.com/embed/sZrgxHvNNUc”]

Something you may not know about Dickens: “He was obsessive-compulsive. Looking in the mirror and combing his hair was an obsession of Dickens. He would do this hundreds of times each day as well as rearranging furniture in his home because if it wasn’t in the “correct” position, he wouldn’t be able to concentrate. He also made sure that his bed was always aligned north-south, he believed that this would improve his writing. He’d touch certain objects three times for luck and was so fixated on cleanliness that he would frequently clean other people’s homes too.” and “He practiced hypnotism Dickens was always interested in mesmerism and often practiced on his wife (a hypochondriac), his children and friends — to great results.” Or so says National Post’s Melody Lau.

Herringbone Driving Cap, $35 Banana RepublicKeywordHerringbone Driving Cap, $35 Banana Republic

And let’s face it America: One of Britain’s greatest novelist ever would have probably not “made it” had he lived today. His commercial success came while he was still living, which is a huge success for any author. But with modern man’s lack of appreciation or funding of the arts (not to mention the excess of video games, internet, Nooks, McDonald’s chicken nuggets, the invention of the espresso machine…), there is hardly a place for unprecedented literary talent in today’s hustle bustle and financially motivated society.

Tateossian Rt Scoubidou Brown Black CufflinksTateossian Rt Scoubidou Brown Black Cufflinks

But then we always have fashion and thank the heavens for that. If we cannot fund all the great writers and authors out there, we can at least fund the fashion scene, which happens to be the most lucrative commercial artistic venue we’ve seen in centuries. Want to look like Oliver Twist? Try these green relaxed pants from Banana Republic and Rugged/Chic Silk scarf from Daniel Dolce:

Polo Ralph Lauren Straight Fit Pants $79.50Polo Ralph Lauren Straight Fit Pants $79.50

Gotta have something to put your books and soup bowls in too!

It’s not cheap to look shabby, is it?

Frye "Logan" Flap Briefcase PRICE: $478.00

Frye “Logan” Flap Briefcase  PRICE: $478.00

AYMARA YELLOW LION'S PAW BUTTERFLY CUFFLINKSSterling Sharpei Cufflinks