LIFE’S JUST

DANDY
THE ESSEX CHARMER TALKS TO US ABOUT
THE DANDY SIDE OF LIFE
Life is skipping along rather splendidly for Essex’s flamboyant, foppish character
whose fingers are firmly placed in many, many pies from the Big Brother’s Big
Mouth, stand up comedy, autobiographies, presenting and even the silver screen. But
it’s his flirtations banter, off screen antics and infamous appearance that have landed
095
him the new face of internet empire ASOS’s new range ‘Dandy’.

The Dandy range is inspired by the 19th Century movement which was attached to
the exquisite and fashionable men of the period whose dress and clever assertions
put them at the heart of fashionable society.

So comparing the definition of a 19th Century dandy to our 21st Century Brand, what
can be established?
A dandy (also known as a beau, gallent or hipster) is a man who places particular
importance upon physical appearance...
“Brand’s sartorial smorgasbord of tight jeans, studded belts, silk scarves and pointy
boots is theoretically past its sell-by date, but he dishes it up with timeless aplomb.
Improbably tall, his hair teased and tousled into a luxurious mound - never mind the
traditional bird’s nest, this is virtually a heronry” Ben Thompson
...refined language...
“Oh f***ing hell!” Russel Brand
...and leisurely hobbies
Continuous media coverage of tales of drug addiction, eating disorders and compul-
sion to bed women.

And then there’s always Brands views on the matter, ‘Just as the brave new frontier
defines America culturally, for England it’s the Victorian era. And since that time
we’ve been kind of relegated and degraded and decaying. I like to think of myself as
this sort of relic from that age - both embodying that decay, and harking back to the
twisted, warped glory of when we were truly English.’

Brand is known for his impossibly tall, slim figure and his adornments which em-
phasize this. The dandy similarly exceeded the ordinary bounds of fashion with his
tiny figured waist achieved by wearing waistcoats with bone stiffeners and lace up
backs. A fitted trim look was the goal, often made from luxurious velvet and worn
with a satin scarf and tight fitting trousers.

The ‘Dandy’ range, to be released later this year, focuses on the iconic waistcoat and
although you won’t find any corset like features, champions the slim form of the modern day
dandy with fitted silhouettes and a beautiful array of fabrics and materials. The range also
touches on the cradle of the Dandyism movement which was the Macaroni club with printed
scarves and tees.