When it comes to a national outfit, we are no longer a nation of bowler hats in town and tweed three-pieces in the country. Brown in town is acceptable and day wear and evening wear are now scandalously confused. In these articles, Felix investigates the modern national dress, both in showbiz and celebrity and the average man and woman on the street. Who has had the most impact on the nation’s dress and represents the ‘Modern British Outfit’?
Stephen Fry – Vibrant Gentleman
Surely all agree that if any single face were to represent Britain it could only be Stephen Fry. His own signature personality is met with equal style with a preference for traditional suits and ties but often in rather bold variations. While most men favour a more reserved style his remains a champion of individuality in world drifting headlong into conformist monotony. In his own programme on gadgets he introduced himself to his audience as ‘your knight in crumpled corduroy.’
Theresa May’s Leather Trousers and Shoes
These £995 trousers have been the weapon of an interior feud within the Government. The tabloid view of the Prime Minister’s excessive spending on her outfit holds little weight given the Savile Row suits of male counterparts come at around a hefty four thousand pounds. However, we can’t imagine this sartorial feature will be seeping down to the consumer level in the same way as, say, Anthony Eden’s homburg hat that became known as the Anthony Eden.
We may not all share her politics but admire her shoes with bold, defined designs in a “conservative” style. It is the union of glamour and smartness that stands out in any office.
David Bowie. Outfits Supreme.
The late icon left us far too much of a style legacy to condense into a mere paragraph. However, his effect on mainstream consumer fashion in Britain remains and will continue long after his demise. The very concept of androgyny in clothing still seems to hark back to his gender-neutral innovations. Men are socially accepted as ‘metrosexual’, to the extent this label itself is beginning to seem outdated and categorical. Women enjoy sparkling platform boots and the overall legacy of seventies glam that remains in the most reserved officewear. Among the final photos ever taken of the icon featured him in a sleekly cut thirties-style suit and fedora. He freed us to experiment.
Eva Green- Bold and Tenacious
The femme fatale dominating the screen of Casino Royale, Sin City, Penny Dreadful and Mrs Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a style icon both on screen and off. While her mesmerising Victoriana holds a dazzling effect in the latter two, offscreen she channels Bowie’s suits and resplendent dresses.
Paul Merton- Respectable but Decorative
The everlasting bastion of BBC’s Have I Got News For You and Radio 4 comedies, Merton regularly dons a variety of extravagantly decorated shirts. He also shares the preference for a casual jacket of velvet or similar material over this. This again speaks of a cultural heritage in the practical, elegant tailoring of the sports jacket.
Paloma Faith – Artistic extreme
We all feel a warm bond when hearing this Hackney girl. Her extravagant style draws influences from Burlesque and classic retro styles of the forties and fifties, matching her jazz-inspired musical style. She offers a nostalgic revival of past styles that remains thoroughly modern. Her visual effect of captivating hairstyles and lace reflect the famous Dita von Teese with classic thirties style dresses and wonderfully evocative make up.
Jeremy Clarkson’s Jacket and Jeans ‘Outfit’
Doubtless more men share this uniform style than would care to admit. How to make shirt and jeans into smart casual? Add a sports jacket. His velvet is neither too dressy nor under dressed. However, most will happily exchange the jacket for leather, a coat or down jacket.
Felicity Jones- Traditional
The star of the new Star Wars instalment ‘Rogue One’ certainly represents the accomplished style as the media gradually if belatedly edges away from hyper-sexualised Lad-Mag culture. Her style is therefore not extravagant but utterly tasteful with elegant dresses that are anything but boring.
Daniel Craig- Tailored
James Bond is Britain’s sartorial export. Always resplendent in Savile Row tailored suits, constant reboots mean the spy is always at the cutting edge at the time of release. Aside from Craig’s personality now so closely associated with Bond, his break in Layer Cake also offered sharply cut, lightweight and metropolitan tailoring.
Benedict Cumberbatch- Coat
Sherlock has certainly made many viewers desire his 1350 Belstaff overcoat. This production expertly blended elements of the original novels with the modern day. A quality coat is a sound investment for anyone, with his character generally putting little effort into dress besides shirts and jumpers. This simple outer layer makes a practical yet impeccably distinguished look.
Helen Mirren- Ageless Icon
Tattooed, strong willed and talented, Helen Mirren has gone from proud feminist campaigner- as seen in a highly dated 1970s interview with Michael Parkinson – to a personification of grace and presence outside the media’s youthful bracket. Her confidence and elegance in elaborate dresses mirrors her fiery personality.
Helena Bonham-Carter – Gothic Mystique
The highly accomplished actress stands as another high end goth presence. This certainly feeds her performance in many Edwardian E.M. Forster classics such as Howard’s End and a Room with a View. She is on the client list of Heavy Metal Jewellers Crazy Pig Designs of Covent Garden. Her contribution is traditional elegance with a dark, rugged twist.
Ian McKellen – Out and Proud
When not resembling Gandalf, McKellen is a stellar example of flamboyant yet tasteful takes on traditional clothing with elaborate neckwear and luxurious patterns and fabrics. His is a look of artistry and creativity, without detracting from his qualities as a superior actor.
Joanna Lumley – Aristocratic Vogue
Are we talking about Joanna Lumley or Patsy Stone? Her early modelling career made her an icon of the Sixties before starring in the Avengers alongside Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee. In her recent travel programmes she remains beautifully turned out in farthest Siberia and sweltering Greece. Having always dressed her age it has been difficult to see any change between the original and film of Absolutely Fabulous spanning almost fifteen years.
Stewart Vickers Instagram/Twitter @vickhellfire
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