'Beau" Brummell: Chief of the Fashion Police?
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Today we’re exploring the life of Beau Brummell. An individual who has come to be known as the “first menswear influencer”. Where did he come from and how did he end up?
I hope you enjoy this video and find it interesting!
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Intro / Outro song: Silent Partner, "Greenery" [ • Greenery - Silent Part... ]
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Linked videos and playlists:
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Wedding of George and Caroline: • The Toxic Royal Marria...
Images (from Wikimedia Commons, unless otherwise stated):
Caricature of Beau Brummell done as a print by Robert Dighton, 1805. Colour version scanned from Priestley's The Prince of Pleasure by H. Churchyard.
Photograph of Irena Sedlecká’s 2002 statue of Beau Brummell in Jermyn Street in London. Photograph taken in 2012 by Herr uebermann.
Screenshot of www.gentlemansgazette.com/bea...
Screenshot of therake.com/stories/icons/geo...
Screenshot of www.esquire.com/style/mens-fa...
Portrait of Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford by Nathaniel Dance (later Sir Nathaniel Holland, Bt) (1773-1774). Held by the National Portrait Gallery.
Relief map of England (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:En...)
Screenshot from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...
Soldiers of the 10th Light Dragoons by George Stubbs (1793). Held by the Royal Collection.
The Marriage of George IV when Prince of Wales by Henry Singleton (1795). Held by the Royal Collection.
Photograph of the exterior of 4 Chesterfield Street, Mayfair, London W1J 5J taken in 2016 by Spudgun67.
Man's Suit (habit à la française) (c. 1790) ©The Kyoto Costume Institute, photo by Taishi Hirokawa.
A print from Reminiscences and Recollections of Captain Gronow: Being Anecdotes of Camp, Court, Club and Society 1810 to 1860 published in 1865. It shows a ball at Almack's, supposedly in the year 1815, and the couple on the left are annotated as 'Beau Brummell in Deep Conversation with the Duchess of Rutland'. According to the author the original was presented to Beau Brummell himself by the artist. This copy is from the collection of the British Museum.
“The bow window at White's”. From Pinterest - @The Bow Windows at White’s.
“A voluptuary under the horrors of digestion” by James Gillray ([London] : Pubd. by H. Humphrey, 1792 July 2d.). Held by the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-USZC4-3142
The Marriage of the Duke and Duchess of York by Henry Singleton (1791). Held by the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Frontispiece to Male and Female Costume: Grecian and Roman Costume, British Costume from the Roman Invasion until 1822 and the Principles of Costume Applied to the Improved Dress of this Present Day (first published 1932).
Blank administrative map of France for geolocation, with distinguished regions and departments. Approximate scale: 1:3,000,000 (commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...)
Photograph of the exterior of Bon Sauveur taken in 2008 by Karldupart.
Quoted texts:
“Beau Brummell” from Miscellaneous Works Volume I: Habits and Men by John Doran (1857)
Philip Carter, ODNB entry on “Beau Brummell”
Also consulted, were:
Other relevant entries from The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Online.
#Regency #History #Dandy - บันเทิง
The key thing is that, once he left his house, he made it a point not to check himself in the mirror again. Excellence rather than vanity was his point.
That’s interesting! I didn’t know that.
"He found himself compelled to work." OMG the shade!!!!!😂 I think his story is fascinating but far too true to the current day influencer illusion. I am always baffled by people that come into the possession of great fortune and then devolve steadily and miserably into penury.
Well said. As someone who lives in a kind of genteel poverty, I have to say that, were I to come into a lot of money, I would be very careful with it. I would not be a miser, but I would not blow it left and right. I would for example buy better clothes (as in Levis jeans instead of C & A jeans), but nothing that would flaunt my wealth. I would invest my money with the utmost care in order to maximize the chances of a return on my investment, and ideally would be investing in actual business activities.
Seriously, this Beau Brummel fellow fails to impress me, taken as a whole. Not the kind of company I would be interested in keeping.
“A polarizing figure, then, perhaps.” Really, a masterpiece of elegant, ironic, British understatement. Well done.
"You could really be a Beau Brummell, baby, if you just give it half a chance." Even American pop singer Billy Joel used Brummel's name in his song, "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" from his 1980 "Glass Houses" album. First place I ever heard of Mr. Brummel (I was 11). Great video as always! 👚
"Your clothes may be Beau Brummel-y, they stand out a mile, but brother you're never fully dressed without a smile!" (from the musical Annie) Love it!
Ithink there was a British band in the 60’s called Beau brummels
First time I ever heard his name too. Wondered if someone else would mention this song. 😁👏
Thank you for choosing him as your topic for the week. . Years ago I bought a second-hand copy of Ian Kelly's biography, Beau Brummell: The Ultimate Dandy for a mere $13 CDN. Reading it, I never knew whether to laugh or cry - what a character and what a life. 🎩
Regency fashion has been so popular. The clothes are beautiful and they are truly a classic silhouette as even 200 years later we modern people revel at it.
All the Regency novels I read as a teenager had Beau Brummell as a minor character. Hell, Billy Joel even sang about him. "You could really be a Beau Brummell baby if you just give it half a chance." _It's still Rock and Roll to me_ 👨
Beau Brummell! He was so fascinating to me when I first read Jane Austin’s books. I loved all that was regency. Georgette Heyer wrote wonderful regency period novels in the 30s, where I learned” that is the outside of enough,sir”, who was clearly “ in his cups »..The fact that Beau Brummell was a real person reified all of the characters that we all love. I was never inclined to read Barbara Cartland, and so I did not. Ah…Almack’s!!! Thank you for this wonderful presentation Dr. Kat 😘
It almost seems that his life had a single purpose -- to redefine and set the standards for men's fashion. He did that beautifully -- just look at people like Calvin Klein and what they design! Still, it is a pity that his character did not live up to his talent. What a shame for him!
And THANK YOU for your dazzling trove of videos! I love them!
I'm someone who grew up reading Georgette Heyer's books and loving them, this video was perfect.
It sounds like, in spite of what Blackadder read in "The Times", Beau Brummel would never be caught dead in purple pants (whether that means trousers or underpants).
❤ Thank you for making my Friday complete! Love the Tudors, but all British history is wonderful as interpreted by you, Dr. Kat! Keep those videos coming!
Thank you for the video. I'm reminded of the lyrics for a song, from the musical "Annie"; " Your clothes may be Beau Brummelly
They stand out a mile --But Brother, You're never fully dressed Without a smile!" 😎🧐🐧🎩
YESSSS!! I thought of that too!! That's the first I had heard of him when I was a kid. I remember being like,"Who is this guy?" And, I recall looking him up in an Encyclopedia.
Oh, I can’t believe I missed the chance to mention this in the video 😩
When I was about ten years old, my aunt started loaning me her Barbara Cartland romance books. I gobbled them all up. They were my introduction to historical fiction, albeit not well-written examples. But, Cartland did enjoy setting her books in interesting times and places, peopled with real people such as the Prince Regent, his mistresses, and, of course, Beau Brummell. (And not just Regency era-one of her books was set in Paris during the Franco-Prussian War. That’s the same book where I first read about Worth dresses.)
You should have read Georgette Heyer instead. She started the love of Regency romances. In fact she was going to sue Barbara Cartland for plagiarism but was persuaded not to
@@mchapman6835 So I learned later. But, when you are a ten your old bookaholic looking for more reading material and your aunt offers to loan you over 70 books, you take them regardless of the writer.
Fabulous videos! As a lady who loves to sport a tailcoat on a daily basis I appreciate Beaus attribution to regency fashion - though he seems to be a challenge to be around. I tip my hat to you, Dr Kat! 🎩
BILLY JOEL Taught me who Beau Brummell was ❤ 🎩🎩🎩🎩🎩
Me too 😄
🎩 I have been a huge fan of Beau Brummell since I was in my teens, so that's about 35 years now! Georgette Heyer novels made me fascinated by the era. Please do watch "This Charming Man" (2006) with James Purefoy as Brummell ... Brummell was said to have been turned off a female suitor when he discovered that "she enjoyed eating peas" ... of course that would never do! 😅
Over the past year, I finally gave in to my best friend's wish (from like 25 years ago...) and began reading Georgette Heyer's books. I'm no stranger to Regency romances, and hers are a hard slog at first, but I remember at least one of her heroines being bffs with Beau Brummell. I've only ever known about him in the broadest of strokes, so I'm looking forward to this video! Thank you!
Wow! Georgette Heyer books are light, easy, sparkling fun. A hard slog? I’m wondering which ones you started with
Always a joy to read.
I loved reading Georgette Heyer years ago. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed those books & the world they showed me.
I've been following you for years Dr. Kat and love everything you do. I know this isn't a Tudor video, but I would love a video/hear your response to the following query: if you could ask every Tudor monarch one question and get the truth, what would you ask, and what do you think they would say? Might make for a fun video! Thanks for all you do ❤
Oh, yes! Please!💚💚💚🍀🍀🍀
I love this idea!!
Oh wow! This is such a fascinating premise! I am adding this to my list for future videos, thank you! 🙌
@@ReadingthePast If you do this topic (a brilliant one, I might add!), could you also include a question for the founder of the Tudor dynasty, Margaret Beaufort? I find her utterly fascinating.
I've often wondered what Henry the 8th would say if I could tell him that his youngest daughter would end up being about the greatest monarch the country had.
I find Georgian history fascinating, so thanks for including these from time to time!
🎩 I think my first exposure to Beau Brumell was watching the musical Annie with Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile
It initially sounded like Beau had obsessive compulsive disorder "OCD". However, near the end of the video, I am acutely aware that money does not buy happiness. Thus, money without humility bred an individual who rose to great heights and fell to great depths.
Beau Brummell was the OG mean girl. As a cautionary tale, he showed that ‘peasants’ cannot try to soar to the heights of Louis XIV without getting burned.
Interesting video. I’ve wondered why men wear black tuxedos at ball, while women are ensconced in luxury and color. Now I know.🎩👔🧥
Imagine what it would have been like to see Brummel on a London street in the first years of his influence: men in garish colors with embroidery, lace and intricate tailoring distracting the eye from mediocre tailoring, while Brummel's silhouette would cut a visually restful, almost stark, figure, made all the more calming when noticing the quality of the fabric and tailoring. The nonverbal message is "here is a solid man who values character over image."
I hear the name Beau Brummell and I think of the Billy Joel song “It’s still rock and roll to me”🎩
Omg, thank you! It’s been rolling around my brain but couldn’t nail down the song.
I never even noticed the line in that song, lol.
@@eliscanfield3913 that’s funny because that line always stood out to me 😊
@@causticchameleon7861 you’re welcome 😊
One of the 1930s ties I use for my WWII Air Raid Warden impression is a Beau Brummell tie. I love looking at the labels of the vintage items in my collection!
Interesting to learn that I have something in common with Brummell: having been compelled to return to work for almost the first time this century.
Lots of things to pay for on this yacht!
What an interesting topic! I love the more "serious" (for want of a better word) subjects but It's fun to have something lighter from time to time. Are there any female "influencers" that still leave a legacy today? 🎩
Fascinating man ,famous for little more than being a snappy dresser and desirable party guest .I wonder if he ever thought of how different his later life would have been if he'd only used a little tact .You don't tend to go broke when a monarch is your bff after all .
That is a fair point!
History and fashion blended seamlessly! Thank you!🎩👑
Here in quebec old ladies say, 'c'est qui ton beau?' 'As tu vu le beau brummel?'. They say it meaning a good looking brunet man. I thought he was a fictional figure.
I love listening while driving home from dropping the kidlet off at school. Always interesting info I never knew I needed to know! Thanks, Dr. Kat. 👔
Wow. A Regency-era Mean Girl. Just extraordinary. And you have to respect the hustle even though it won him no favors. If your entire persona is being bitchy, if you need help no wonder your friends abandon you.
Excellent video as always Dr. Kat. Hope you and your family have a fabulous holiday.
There's a murder mystery series featuring Beau as the detective. It makes him seem a more pleasant fellow than it sounds like he historically was. A very revealing story.
By the way, the website url in the video description is not a live link. Not sure if you can fix that for this video, but maybe for the next one.
Thank you, I’ve fixed it. I needed to add the https bit to it 🫣 I’m sure it didn’t need to be like that before YT changed their linking policy recently.
To this day, properly-dressed Southern men will wear a blue sport jacket with gold buttons; a white, off-white, or light blue Oxford-collared shirt; a tie with a small knot; khaki pants and well-polished loafers. Different tailoring, but a very similar color scheme to what Beau Brummel prescribed.
I call it the Beauegard Brummel.
Amazing video! The Regency era was filled with so many fascinating people (Brummell, Byron, Caro Lamb, the Shelleys, Lady Jersey, and so many more).
This reminds me of the advice of some fashion influencers today, they advocate, alternately: “look effortless”, then “look as if you an effort”. None of them seem to realize how ludicrous this sounds!
Thank you for educating me past the reference in the Annie song. I'd not heard of this man before, but now have an appreciation of his fashion sense. Thank goodness for the death of breeches!!
Hi Dr Kat! Love your videos. They are so interesting and informative. I have learned a lot from you. Bless you!❤😊
Thanks Dr Kat. What a complicated man he was... multifaceted and, I would imagine, difficult to know.👢
I CAN'T WAIT FOR *THIS* ONE! THE PRINCE REGENT'S FASHION IDEAL!!
Always thought of this as a particularly shallow period. The current “fad of the influencer” qualifies for the use of that adjective as well. For a society to value appearance over character is never a good sign.
Beau Brummell I know mainly from the Georgette Heyer Novels, but it was great to get some more background about him. Thank you!
And thank you, Dr Kat! You’ve become my very favorite for your wonderful history tales, always interesting, always containing some new fact I didn’t know, and always clearly expressed!
I have long read references about the famous Dandy, yet have not learned of his background. Thank you.🧤
Beau Brummel changed the definition of sartorial elegance. It used to mean the more heavy decoration, jewels, furs, etc., the better, but he turned elegance into a style of restraint, simplicity, perfect fit and quality, quieter fabrics. Until 20 years or so before him, the height of male elegance was an elaborate (breeches) suit in pink or yellow, with extremely elaborate embroidery, frills and jewels. It took a hundred years for his concept of modern elegance to reach womenswear, but it was worth the wait. It took a long time overall for this new approach of simplicity and quality to eliminating the social ideal of centuries - wearing one’s wealth, so that no one could mistake your social status.
Well I think he killed men's ability to be creative in their clothing. They are trapped in their straight jacket of boring colours and shapes in order to protect their masculinity.
Beau's philosophy seems to have been similar to Cecil Vyse's in A Room With A View: "I have no profession. It is another example of my decadence. My attitude - quite an indefensible one - is that so long as I am no trouble to any one I have a right to do as I like."🎩👔
Fascinating video again Dr Kat - always love Sat mornings as I can watch your videos during breakfast!
Today, he would probably have been a designer of Men's and women's fashions. Yes he was a legend in his own mind, poor thing!😢 💃🕺🦚
I love history and find all your videos fascinating and hearing you talk of Beau Brummell, who in a lot of fictional literature was described as a dandy, was just as engaging as when you talk of the Tudors, thank you 😊🤵🏼♂️👔
Thank you for another enjoyable video. I do so look forward to Friday.🎩🎀
The video's title made me chuckle. 😅
Oh I love this topic. Something we don't get to hear about. Dr. Kat, you always deliver well researched topics.
I've always wondered how long did it take for news on anything to be delivered to the intended individual(s)?
Thank you, Dr Kat. ❤
Another informative and entertaining video, and what a pleasure to have a break from Tudor times! 😁👔
🧦 interesting character, thank you Dr. Kat
Very interesting. I never knew the true story of Beau Brummell. ❤🕺❤
Fascinating, thank you. It makes me wonder, why on earth didn't this man set up a series of fashionable tailors shops? At that time there was plenty of new money abound, the middling class was growing. He could have made a fortune selling very well tailored clothes to his cohort and started a second chain of shops for the middle class, with well tailored garments, but less quality fabrics.
To this day people down the bottom crave to be like those at the top, especially with clothes. One only need to look at the proliferation of 'designer' handbags people buy/steal (however vulgar they look) as an example. He could have been the Armani, or whatever, of his day. He could have flitted and gambled and advertised as he went, had skilled people do all the work (for next to nothing) and made all the millions...much like the fashion houses of the day.
As an american, Brummell always reminds me of another "uncrowned social monarch": Mrs. Caroline Astor. both were THE forces of society in their day, and had final say over what was and wasn't fashionable. I think the way they ultimately were "dethroned" also says a lot about society and money. both were ultimately dethroned because they couldn't keep up finically. Brummell bankrupted himself while Astor just couldn't compete with the "new money" crowd. 👢🍾
Love your work girl! Always look forward to your content 😊😊😊❤❤❤
Thank you so much!!
Fascinating yet sad. Thank you , Dr. Kat. As always I enjoy the content you provide. 💂♀🎩👢
In Tunbridge Wells, it's Beau Nash we celebrate
How fun! Love the matching dress -down of your fancy workers’ shirt! Nice change up. Beau Brummell? What can be said? Did he regret any of his boorishness?
Doubt it. What drives us thus?
"Your clothes may be Beau Brummell-y,
They stand out a mile, but brother
You're never fully dressed without a smile!"
🎩👔🧥 what an unexpectedly delightful video dr kat! historical fashion/costuming is always interesting to me.
I appreciate reading the comments for your videos.
Love your content. thank you Dr. Kat.
Thank you for doing this one! It was fun to hear about this!
Thanks for another great video Dr. Kat 🎩🦚
Well, I enjoyed the elegant & handsome Stewart Granger as Beau Brummell opposite his best friend’s (and occasional “partner”) wife, Elizabeth Taylor. It came out about the same time he played Tom Seymour to his own wife’s Jean Simmons role as the young Elizabeth 1. Good historical fiction movies (emphasis on fiction), both roles! I enjoyed them both immensely as a little girl!!
This was refreshing! Thank you!
I am so glad I found you, your topics are fascinating and beautifully presented. You make history come to life. I have heard Beau Brummel in reference to men's fashions as long as I can remember. I think that the fact that his name is still known says a great deal about human beings. That we remember the name of an apparently cruel, self-absorbed man whose only claim to fame was being able to tie a piece of cloth around his neck and choosing to wear long pants with boots makes me wonder if we are not as shallow as he or perhaps he represents the silly, unimportant and therefore safe aspects of life. I am going with the latter. So sad to hear about his end.
I always enjoy your videos and find them both thought provoking and entertaining. Thanks! 😊
I grew up loving Georgette Heyer and found Beau Brummell that way.
I'm not sure what to make of the information you have provided. But I enjoyed hearing it. 😊
Definitely looking forward to this one.
He was definitely a flawed man but I've always liked that he wasn't cowed by royalty.
🎉🎉🎉🎉 as always fascinating and appreciated 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Lovely video as always Dr. Kat! 🎩
Your video is, as usual, a delight. It's informative entertaining, and a high point in my day. Thank you!🤗🤗 🎩✂
Another fascinating journey! 👍
Great video, thanks 🧥
All I knew about Beau Brummell was that he was a ‘dandy.’ This was video was, as always, informative and entertaining. ❤
And that he’s mentioned in ‘It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me’ by Billy Joel. 😂😂
His fall from grace was the most interesting part to me. Thanks for snother great history video!👔👞👞
🤵🏻♂️The living example of not judging a book by its cover!
Thank you, most interesting as usual.👍
Weird! I thought Beau Brummell sounded familiar, turns out I was correct-I have a fragrance oil for making soap called Beau Brummell. It’s actually very nice, which is more than I could say for its namesake 😂
Always informative 😊
This was a very informative video!!!👕🩳👟
I think he was one of those people,ive known such,who dont actually have to do anything particular to make an impact. They somehow just do and they do act as people magnets without trying. Im imagining him as a bit of Peter York,a bit of Bryan Ferry + not sure who,someone famed for ubercoolness,maybe the late Paul O'Grady. He could viciously slay with words yet keep popular.
Love your videos! 😍
🕶🎩🧤❤ Thank you Dr. Kat for another fascinating video!
The OG influencer. 😎Fascinating figure indeed but his decadent excesses left him broke as joke in the end. I giggled at his "dis" or "cut" of the Prince Regent whom I am also not a big fan of. So, I quite enjoyed that part.
I inivision this guy picking out patterns, silks, leathers and laces for his dandy attire while eating the finest culinary delights. Downing champagne and being measured by a barrage of tailors. Puts one into mind of Sophia Coppola's 2006 film, "Marie Antoinette". Where the queen is choosing clothing as Gang of Four's "Naturals Not In It" plays in the background.
As always, fantastically engaging and fun video. ❤❤❤
Thank you for a very interesting and informative video. I enjoyed it very much. 🎩
Love your videos! ❤
I look forward to your videos, so informative.... 👌🏻👍🏻
Accidentally ran across a statue of him outside of Piccadilly Arcade and just had to laugh.
Your the best! 👠👗👔👞👘👙🩴👟👢❤❤❤
Loved the video.
😮 great video!